Mobilization of Resources Mobilization of Resources

for Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness for Disaster Mitigation, Preparedness

and Responseand Response

A Special Case!A Special Case!

Why a Special Case?Why a Special Case?

Sources of financing are different

Why a Special Case?Why a Special Case?

Procedures are also different

Different Sources of FinancingDifferent Sources of Financing

• Ministries of Foreign Affairs

• Offices of humanitarian assistance

• or other specialized channels

Different Sources of Financing Different Sources of Financing

• Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA/USAID)

– Used to be the single source for emergency assistance and support for prevention/Mitigation/Preparedness (PMP)

– A core donor for PAHO: Member of the PHP

United StatesUnited States

USAUSA

• Now the US Southern Command (SouthCom) has become a major source of funding and support for preparedness and relief.

• Coordination with OFDA ?

CanadaCanada

• IHA: International Humanitarian Assistance

Different Sources of Financing:Different Sources of Financing:

– Part of CIDA’s multilateral branch … Part of CIDA’s multilateral branch …

it cannot give funds bilaterally to countries! it cannot give funds bilaterally to countries!

– Covers disaster prevention to response Covers disaster prevention to response

– A core donor for PAHO: Member of the PHPA core donor for PAHO: Member of the PHP

UK: DFID/CHADUK: DFID/CHAD

• CHAD is a specialized branch for refugees, IDP and emergencies of the Department for International Development

• A core donor of PAHO: Member of the PHP

European UnionEuropean Union• ECHO: European Community Humanitarian Office

Different Sources of Financing:Different Sources of Financing:

– A budget of US$ 0.8 billion! A budget of US$ 0.8 billion!

– Requires the signature of a formal Requires the signature of a formal “Partnership Agreement” with ECHO“Partnership Agreement” with ECHO

– Preference given to European NGOsPreference given to European NGOs

• Managing ECHO’s funds at country level requires an efficient organization-wide financial monitoring system.

ECHO

E U

ECU

Other examplesOther examples

– A Secretariat for Humanitarian Affairs

– A humanitarian office in Foreign Affairs

– The Department of Cooperation for projects on

mitigation and preparedness

Different Sources of Financing:Different Sources of Financing:

FranceFrance: :

What is the relevance of having What is the relevance of having different sources of financing? different sources of financing?

• These funds are not available for other health priorities

Different ProceduresDifferent Procedures

• Fortunately, procedures for obtaining funds from these sources are much easier!

– In most cases, there is a free format (ECHO used to be the only exception)

– Increasingly, LFA is required for preparedness projects, but rarely for emergency assistance projects.

Different Procedures:Different Procedures:

• The Emergency procedure is informal (a 2 page fax can bring a commitment of half a million dollars)

• In cases of emergency:

– immediate request immediate request (within 24 hours!)(within 24 hours!)– speedy execution speedy execution (average: 3 months)(average: 3 months)

How can funds be mobilized in How can funds be mobilized in times of emergency? times of emergency?

• International appeals

• Bilateral requests

Channels for International AppealsChannels for International Appeals

Appeals by OCHA

• The Situation Reports of OCHA offer the most The Situation Reports of OCHA offer the most convenient, speedy and complete approach;convenient, speedy and complete approach;

•PAHO/WHO is PAHO/WHO is responsibleresponsible for the health content for the health content in OCHA situation reports.in OCHA situation reports.

• enjoys high credibility abroad;

• reaches a smaller but selective number of donors;

• requires rapid and coordinated action at all levels

Channels for International Appeals:Channels for International Appeals:

Appeals by PAHO:Appeals by PAHO:

• WHO submits the request through the missions in Geneva.

Channels for International AppealsChannels for International Appeals

Appeals by WHO (EHA or EMC):Appeals by WHO (EHA or EMC):

International AppealsInternational Appeals

The U.N. “consolidated appeal”:

A trend encouraged by the donors

Direct Bilateral RequestDirect Bilateral Request

• Requires more work initially, but reduces inappropriate or duplicative assistance

– separate requests to each of the donors are preferred

– a common diagnosis on the health situation (Ministry, PAHO, NGOs) is helpful...

• Embassies are coordinating within the country:

• The embassy and the humanitarian office in the donor country’s capital city also talk together:

• Donors trust is built by:– pre-disaster technical collaboration with

Foreign Affairs – Convening donors meetings

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

• The international community did not fully participate in its evaluation

• Official reports did not differentiate between damages and emergency requirements

Cuba (Hurricane Lily)

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned

Donors did not wait

Requests sent one week after the impact arrived too late !

Nicaragua (Hurricane)

Factors of successFactors of success

• The nature of the disaster and the # of deaths

• the coverage of Mass Media

• The political status of the bilateral relation

• The occurrence of other disaster worldwide

The main ingredientsThe main ingredients

• SPEED

• SPEED

• SPEED

Conclusions:Conclusions:

• More administrative flexibility is required from PAHO and the Countries. It is essential to maintain or strengthen our dexterity and speed in the search for “humanitarian” funds.

Turbo-PAHOTurbo-PAHO

• SPEEDY REQUEST BUT NOT TOO MUCH!

• THE CASE OF NICARAGUA

ConclusionsConclusions

Decentralization by the donors imposes a closer coordination between MoH, Foreign Affairs and PAHO/WHO

Conclusions:Conclusions:

Speed AND Coordination are the keywords in the mobilization of humanitarian

funds