IASC SWG on Preparedness Five Country Initiative Progress 29/06/2009

1. IASC SWG on Preparedness Five Country Initiative Progress 29/06/2009

2. Five Country Initiative 77th IASC WG requested IASC organizations to work together to support all stages of the development and implementation of national contingency plans in 5 countries (provisionally 2 countries with HCs and 3 countries with RCs) by the end of 2011, in support of national and/or local authorities, as appropriate, ensuring linkages with relevant inter-agency, cluster and agency-specific preparedness activities.

3. IASC Principals’ Paper on Preparedness Action Points relating to SWG • Strengthen global inter-agency coordination to provide better support to country efforts for preparedness capacity development • Collaborate with RC/HC to establish a comprehensive mapping of a) existing/planned in-country work of IASC organizations on capacity development for emergency preparedness and b) of in-country coordination mechanisms related to emergency preparedness • Compile lessons learned/gap analysis from first phase of pilot and propose a model framework for capacity development in emergency preparedness by the end of 2011 • Prepare a resourcing advocacy strategy to support SWG on Preparedness country pilots, with individual pilot country strategies completed by end of 2011 (Task Team on Preparedness Financing) . • Support country leadership and activities • Guide IASC organizations’ offices in pilot countries and support RC/HC on strategic approaches to strengthening preparedness in accordance with country priorities on emergency preparedness (country-led preparedness programmes will be supported by country teams)

4. IASC Principals’ Action Points (Continued) • Establish flexible and inclusive inter-agency coordination methods at the country level • Collaborate with country teams to strengthen capacity development for preparedness in CCA/UNDAFs and CHAP/CAPs • Ensure that RCs/HCs and country offices of IASC agencies advocate and practice multi-stakeholder approaches, with specific emphasis on civil society inclusion, in supporting country-level emergency preparedness capacity development. • Advocate for Resourcing of Preparedness • to advocate for predictable, flexible, timely and risk-tolerant financing architecture, utilising evidence from the analysis to be drawn from the five pilot country (Task Team on Preparedness Financing)

5. Partners in the Five-Country Initiative • UNICEF and CADRI – designated lead agencies in SWG workplan • Task Team on Preparedness Financing (chaired by FAO) - to support strategic fundraising for country-level capacity development. • Reference Group on Improving Urban Humanitarian Response (led by UN-Habitat) - significant elements of urban risk. • World Bank GFDRR - technical and financial assistance to disaster preparedness and risk reduction country action plans.

6. Status to date - GHANA What Ghana requested – • Support in conducting a simulation to test the National Contingency Plans • Support development of a comprehensive Action Plan on DRR with a pillar on developing national capacities for preparedness. • Support fundraising support for comprehensive action plan What the Five-Country Initiative has done so far – • Support a simulation to test government and inter agency preparedness. • On going support through CADRI of an Action Plan building on the results of the simulation and capacity assessment. Constraints – No dedicated in country team to develop the action plan. UNDP currently looking for secondment of National Disaster Risk Advisor. Next Steps (next 3 months) – Finalization of the Action Plan and validation with country-team (Sept. 2011)

7. Status to date - NEPAL What Nepal requested – • Support for the review planning assumptions for major earthquake in Katmandu • Support for the formulation of National Contingency Plans • Support for a simulation to test the national Contingency Plan What the Five-Country Initiative has done so far – • GRIP/NSET developed a proposal for reviewing planning assumptions awaiting endorsement by the country-team. • Seeking secondment to support the formulation of National Contingency Plans. Constraints – Lack of a technical group to engage with at country-level Next steps (next 3 months)– • Request RC to establish a technical team with whom to engage. • Participate in planning assumptions review meeting

8. Status to date - UGANDA What Uganda requested – • Support a simulation to test government and Inter Agency preparedness. • Provision of an NDRA to support the development of a plan of action to support the recently approved DRR policy. • Support to strengthen assessment preparedness • Support for preparedness financing (TT Funding for Preparedness) What the Five-Country Initiative has done so far – • Support to request an NDRA through UNDP-BCPR. • Facilitating a request for support from ACAPS Constraints – lack of a country-level technical team with whom to engage. Next steps (next 3 months) – Engagement with recently established country level technical team to be led by WFP in Uganda

9. Status to date - HAITI The IASC Principals identified Haiti as the fourth country within the Five-Country Initiative but contact with RC not yet established What the Five-Country Initiative has done so far – Discussions are under way with OCHA members of country team to support a government simulation in July 2011. Next steps (next 3 months) – • Official contact and engagement with the Humanitarian Coordinator is required. • Support to government simulation

10. Issues to be raised with SWG on Preparedness • Requirement that the structure of the Initiative be strengthened at both the HQ-level at the national-levels. • Teams and operational modalities need to be established at HQ-, Regional-, and National-levels (fortnightly conference call, other meetings to structure engagement and address technical challenges). Government Partners Country-Level Team RC/HC Regional-Level Team HQ-Level Team

11. Issues to be raised with SWG on Preparedness (Continued) • Requirement for better communication of the Five-Country Initiative; what it is and what it can achieve - UNICEF using a consultant to provide some dedicated support to strengthen communication. • Requirement to start drawing lessons from initial engagement and start developing a more structured framework and process for developing national capacities in emergency preparedness in the 5 countries. As a result of the pilot we could..... • … develop new IA tools such as 3 rd generation simulation package which tests both government and IA preparedness? • .... produce Inter Agency guidance for building national and local capacity for emergency preparedness? • … develop training modules for HCs/RCs? • … strengthen agencies involvement in CADRI to strengthen its capacity to address capacity development for emergency preparedness?

12. THANK YOU.