'We have no hope'

Medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has pulled out of a UN-backed World Humanitarian Summit, saying the gathering would fail to pressure governments that are denying basic help to victims of conflict and disease.

"We no longer have any hope that the (summit) will address the weaknesses in humanitarian action and emergency response, particularly in conflict areas or epidemic situations," MSF said in a statement Wednesday.

It charged that the summit, due to take place in Istanbul on May 23-24, would not address "serious gaps" in the response to the recent Ebola epidemic and the "serious restrictions placed by some states on humanitarian access, denying people basic services".

The first meeting of its kind is expected to gather around 45 heads of state and government as well as UN agencies and non-governmental organisations to brainstorm about global humanitarian action.

"We can no longer see how the (summit) will help the humanitarian sector to address the massive needs caused by continuing violence against patients and medical staff in Syria, Yemen and South Sudan," MSF said.

The charity also cited the plight of "civilians intent on fleeing being blocked at borders in Jordan, Turkey and Macedonia (and) the inhumane treatment of refugees and migrants desperately trying to find safe haven in Greece and Australia."

Noting that it had been "significantly engaged" in 18 months of consultations ahead of the event, MSF said: "With regret, we have come to the decision to pull out of the summit."

It said it feared the summit would fail "to reinforce the obligations of states to uphold and implement the humanitarian and refugee laws which they have signed up to".