Floods 2004 Bangladesh, BDRCS

DG ECHO Disaster Preparedness

Presentation to the European Conference Disasters Cross Borders: A Union-wide approach to disaster preparedness

Recognition that while humanitarian action to respond to disasters will always be of vital

importance critical challenge: how to better anticipate, reduce and manage disaster

risk by integrating risk reduction measures into sustainable development

planning and policies.

Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR): To minimize vulnerabilities and disaster risks, to avoid (prevention) or to limit (mitigation and preparedness) the adverse impacts of hazards.

DG ECHO core mandate

DG ECHO core mandate

Council regulation concerning Humanitarian Aid (1996)

Article 1 The Community's humanitarian aid shall comprise assistance, relief and protection operations…. help people in third countries, particularly the most vulnerable among them, and as a priority those in developing countries, victims of natural disasters…. Such aid shall also comprise operations to prepare for risks or prevent disasters or comparable exceptional circumstances.

Article 2 The principal objectives of the humanitarian aid operations referred to in Article 1 shall be:…(f) to ensure preparedness for risks of natural disasters or comparable exceptional circumstances and use a suitable rapid early-warning and intervention system;

DG ECHO’s mandate

Humanitarian donor commitments

The 23 Principles and Good Practice of

Humanitarian Donorship (2003)

Principle 1: The objectives of humanitarian action are to save lives, alleviate suffering… as well as to prevent and strengthen preparedness for the occurrence of such situations.

Principle 8: Strengthen the capacity of affected countries and local communities to prevent, prepare for, mitigate and respond to humanitarian crises…..

DG ECHO response to natural disasters & preparedness funding

2004 2005 2006

Nat. disasters € 67.4 mio. € 204.4 mio. € 94.5 mio.

Nat. disasters % 11.77 % 31.33 % 14.13 %

DIPECHO budget € 13.7 mio. € 17.5 mio. € 19.05 mio.

In 2006 ECHO DP mainstreaming in relief approx. € 32 mio.

In 2006, EC Humanitarian Aid amounted to EUR 671 mill.

DG ECHO Disaster Preparedness activities

1. DIPECHO programme

2. Mainstreaming of disaster preparedness

3. Drought preparedness

4. Advocacy

DIPECHO versus mainstreaming

DIPECHO • Stand-alone projects• Strong visibility + advocacy frame• DIPECHO projects are small-scale and is only one of the contribution to a comprehensive national Disaster Risk Reduction framework

Mainstreaming• Humanitarian response to natural disaster is a precondition• Little analysis of practices, at what stage and what works?• Risk of too small and diversified components • Good relief providers do not always have in-house DRR expertise• Vulnerable groups are often very eager after a disaster

Drought Preparedness

Greater Horn of Africa

• 1st Disaster Preparedness Decision in Africa (EUR 10 M) July 2006 – 17 projects

• Targeting 7 countries: Sudan, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia) and 12 million pastoralists

• Innovative approach – midterm review mid 2007

Advocacy

Advocacy for DRR engagement and community-based approaches

DG ECHO engages with: Other EC services – DG DEV, DG RELEX, AIDCO

etc. UN ISDR Other UN organisations World Bank IFRC NGO partners Others

DG ECHO Disaster Preparedness activities 2007

• Clarify DG ECHO’s role in DP • Review DG ECHO mainstreaming practices • Trainings & guidelines for DG ECHO staff• DIPECHO - lessons learnt catalogue• DIPECHO - Launch 3 Action Plans for projects

in South America, Caribbean and South Asia (EUR 19.5 million)

DIPECHO around the world - 1

Central America

• Total DIPECHO investment 1998-2006: EUR 20.78 million • Main hazards: Volcanoes, floods, earthquakes, tropical storms, hurricanes, landslides• ECHO TA based in Managua, Nicaragua

• 5th DIPECHO Action Plan (Dec 2006): EUR 6 mill. – 18 projects• Countries: El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. Costa Rica and Panama are included in regional projects

DIPECHO around the world – 2

Andean Community

• Total DIPECHO investment 1999-2006: EUR 17.2 million • Main issues in this region: Floods, droughts, earthquakes, volcanoes• ECHO TA based in Quito

• 4th DIPECHO Action Plan launched Dec 2005 - EUR 4.5 million – 15 projects• Countries: Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru and Columbia and region• 5th DIPECHO Action Plan to be launched in 2007 – EUR 6.5 million

DIPECHO around the world - 3

Caribbean

• Total DIPECHO investment 1988-2006: EUR 12.3 million • Main hazards: Hurricanes, floods, tropical storms and mudslides• ECHO TA based in Santo Domingo

• 5th DIPECHO Action Plan (Sep 2005): EUR 3.5 mill – 7 projects• Countries: The Dominican Republic and Haiti. Regional projects also include Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, Jamaica, St Kitts & Nevis, Trinidad & Tobago, Grenada, Guyana, St Lucia and Dominica and Cuba. • 6th DIPECHO Action Plan to be launched in 2007 – EUR 4 million

DIPECHO around the world - 4

Central Asia

• Total DIPECHO investment 2003-2006: EUR 15.05 mill.• Main hazards: Floods, drought, avalanches, landslides, earthquakes• ECHO TA based in Dushanbe

• 4th DIPECHO Action Plan (Dec 2006): EUR 6.05 million – 22 projects• Countries: Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, border areas of Afghan Badakhsan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan. Regional projects.

DIPECHO around the world - 5

South Asia

• Total DIPECHO investment (2001-2006): EUR 11.7 mill.• Main hazards: Floods, landslides, earthquakes, cyclones and drought• ECHO TA based in New Delhi

• 3rd DIPECHO Action Plan (Sep 2005): EUR 6 million – 21 projects • Countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan. Regional projects.

• 4th DIPECHO Action Plan to be launched in 2007 – EUR 7.5 million

DIPECHO around the world - 6

South East Asia

• Total DIPECHO investment in this region: EUR 21million• Main hazards: Floods, flash-floods, drought, landslides, typhoons, tsunamis, forest fires, earthquakes and volcanoes• ECHO TA based in Bangkok

• 5th DIPECHO Action Plan (Nov 2006): EUR 7 million – 22 projects • Countries: Cambodia, Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia and East Timor. Thailand and Lao PDR participate in regional projects only.

Drought Preparedness - GHA

Main components:

1. Community-Based Drought Preparedness Activities Water and Sanitation, Livelihoods

2. Contingency Planning Quick activation of mechanisms, Water management

3. Strengthening Early Warning Systems Credibility: Quality of information, timely delivery, capacity to analyse & coordination mechanism

Assessment so far:

• LRRD achieved in Kenya (Drought Management Initiative – DG DEV). Uganda (NURP). More to come.

• Very high level of partner interest• Accurate, comprehensive projects • Challenges: political engagement, legislative

frameworks, funding, required• Mid-term evaluation (July 2007) + strategic planning for

2008

Drought Preparedness - GHA