A/HRC/37/61 2012 Convention recognize the importance of targeting vulnerable groups for food assistance (art. 2 (c) (i) of the Convention), supporting the long-term food security objectives of beneficiary States (art. 2 (a) (ii) of the Convention), supporting the long-term rehabilitation and development objectives (art. 2 (a) (ii) of the Convention), avoiding dependency on food assistance (art. 2 (a) (iv) of the Convention) and preventing disruption of local food production (art. 2 (a) (v) of the Convention). 94. By translating elements of the Voluntary Guidelines into principles to guide parties’ interventions, the 2012 Convention is constructing the foundation of an increasingly rightsbased perspective applicable to emergency assistance. The 2012 Convention can provide an example of how the “State duty to assist” can be fulfilled in a specific context. 106 95. Although the principles of assistance reflect a rights-based approach, it is difficult to measure their current impact on parties’ practices. An ad hoc example of compliance is seen in the Food Assistance Committee’s 2016 annual report, in which the European Union’s activities in West Africa following the Ebola crises focused on the communities most affected by the disease, in compliance with the principle of giving priority to vulnerable groups in line with article 2 (c) (i) of the 2012 Convention. However, recent research shows that with respect to food assistance to the Syrian Arab Republic between 2012 and 2015, the Convention was not mentioned at all. 107 In the 100 interviews conducted with representatives of humanitarian organizations engaged in food assistance in the region, interviewees did not regard the Convention as an important consideration. 96. The Convention also does not contain an effective evaluation mechanism. Its article 2 (d), on principles of food assistance accountability, leaves evaluation to the parties, and the Convention does not refer to a systematic mechanism for monitoring and evaluating the outcomes and impact of assistance interventions (see art. 2 (d) (ii) of the Convention). 97. Considering the increased role of private entities, States should follow the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (pillar I) with respect to interventions of private sector partners in emergency contexts. This is relevant to the role of States parties in developing legislation, monitoring and enforcing domestic obligations. Private companies should also align their interventions with the Guiding Principles (pillar II). Recent guidance is provided in Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights general comment No. 24 (2017) on State obligations under the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the context of business activities. The Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights is well placed to request information from national governments as to their compliance with extraterritorial obligations. World Humanitarian Summit 98. In May 2016, the first World Humanitarian Summit was convened by the United Nations to develop a more global, accountable and robust humanitarian system, and for reform of the humanitarian aid industry. The World Humanitarian Summit has been groundbreaking, as it has encouraged more flexible funding, greater local ownership and greater accountability. Agreements were made to use less earmarking, to make greater use of cash transfers and to raise the ceiling of the Central Emergency Response Fund. 99. Despite clear evidence that preparedness, early warning, and monitoring systems save lives, targeted funding by the international community remains weak. Between 1991 and 2010, less than 0.5 per cent of ODA was spent on disaster risk reduction, and only a fraction of that was spent on preparedness.108 Recognizing this shortcoming, the new Global Partnership for Preparedness was launched at the World Humanitarian Summit to provide predictable funding. However it has already met serious obstacles, with not a single State Annamaria La Chimia, “Food security and the right to food: finding balance in the 2012 Food Assistance Convention”. 107 José Ciro Martínez and Brent Eng, “The unintended consequences of emergency food aid: neutrality, sovereignty and politics in the Syrian civil war, 2012-2015”, International Affairs, vol. 92, No. 1 (2016), pp. 153–173. 108 Jan Kellett and Alice Caravani, “Financing disaster risk reduction: a 20-year story of international aid” (Overseas Development Institute, 2013). 106 18