United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/150 of 16 December 2002 on ‘Strengthening the effectiveness and coordination of international urban search and rescue assistance’ is a product of the work of the INSARAG, who pursued its creation. This United Nations General Assembly Resolution makes many pertinent points central to the work of the INSARAG. It also endorses the INSARAG Guidelines and Methodology.

General Assembly Resolution 57/150 importantly highlights that each state has the responsibility first and foremost, to take care of the victims of natural disasters occurring within its borders and that this affected state has primacy, ‘in the initiation, organisation, coordination and implementation of humanitarian assistance’. The resolution is clear that international USAR should supplement existing in- country capacity such as local rescuers, also reinforcing the importance of timely coordination of these resources.

In considering incidents that have become too large for one country to handle, the resolution highlights the need for technically sound international assistance particularly in the field of USAR following earthquakes and other events resulting in structural collapse.

United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/150 of 2002 (ArabicEnglishFrenchRussianSpanish)

Below are the list of sponsor countries of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 57/150 of 2002: 

Afghanistan, Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Guatemala, Hungary, Iceland, India, Italy, Japan, Lesotho, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and United States of America.