Collaborative Approaches Emergency Preparedness Emergency Preparedness Fleet Management Fleet Management

Inter-Agency Emergency Preparedness Working Group (East & Central Africa)

Participants Catholic Relief Services Catholic Relief Services CARE International CARE International Concern Universal Concern Universal IRC IRC MERLIN MERLIN MSF – LCN MSF – LCN Save the Children UK Save the Children UK Tròcaire Tròcaire Oxfam GB Oxfam GB RedR - Engineers for Disaster Relief RedR - Engineers for Disaster Relief VSF - Belgium VSF - Belgium World Vision Intl. World Vision Intl. International Office for Migration International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies UNICEF UNHCR UNDP UN-OCHA UN-WFP UN-Operation Lifeline Sudan

Aims & Objectives Added value of personal contact and thus better knowledge of partner organisations; Added value of personal contact and thus better knowledge of partner organisations; Improved understanding of: Improved understanding of: –Joint preparedness capacity and response capability; Training needs; ICT Technical information sharing. Technical information sharing. –Opportunities to agree and set standards/specifications During emergencies there should be better coordination to complement existing structures and avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’. During emergencies there should be better coordination to complement existing structures and avoid ‘reinventing the wheel’.

Sub Working Groups 1. Supply-Chain Management; 2. Training; 3. ICT 4. Emergency Preparedness. Technical staff collaborate in four sub-working groups:

1. Supply Chain Management Agreement to share resources: Agreement to share resources: –Relief supplies, human resources / expertise; –Procurement: joint framework agreements (LTAs) Agreement on common specs for relief items; Agreement on common specs for relief items; Enhancing compatibility of logistics systems Enhancing compatibility of logistics systems –e.g. Vetting of suppliers and service providers; Developing cross-border contacts to facilitate deployment of stocks and staff; Developing cross-border contacts to facilitate deployment of stocks and staff; Achievements:

Supply-chain concerns Few benchmarks and KPIs for procurement. Limited management information; Few benchmarks and KPIs for procurement. Limited management information; Low priority; poor ‘senior-level’ understanding (inefficiencies and wasted resources) Low priority; poor ‘senior-level’ understanding (inefficiencies and wasted resources) Different degrees of procurement centralization among organizations. Different degrees of procurement centralization among organizations. Catalogues – can there be a standard approach? Catalogues – can there be a standard approach?

2. Joint Training Objectives: Collaborative, coordinated approach to promote efficient use of funds. Collaborative, coordinated approach to promote efficient use of funds. Information sharing on: Information sharing on: –Upcoming training events –Effective use of training organisations; –Capacity for Sphere trainings; Joint concept papers/proposals to donors; Joint concept papers/proposals to donors; (Plan research consultancy to assess training needs and capacity).

3. ICT Objectives: Develop means to standardise equipment and software; Develop means to standardise equipment and software; Now sharing information on: –Experiences with commonly used equipment; –New products and suppliers. Means to share telecommunication systems: Means to share telecommunication systems: –Pre-positioning of VSAT for emergencies. Develop / utilise regional databases and web sites. Develop / utilise regional databases and web sites. –Family tracing databases etc. for IDPs/Refugees

ICT concerns Organisations very set in their ways! A reluctance for change (e.g. Software and hardware); Organisations very set in their ways! A reluctance for change (e.g. Software and hardware); A need to develop industry standards; A need to develop industry standards; Too much talk and not enough action! Too much talk and not enough action!

4. Emergency Preparedness Achievements: Joint contingency planning; Joint contingency planning; Developing means of using joint assessment teams; Developing means of using joint assessment teams; Developing initiatives for information sharing and disaster response coordination; Developing initiatives for information sharing and disaster response coordination; –Research consultancy planned to start end February ‘04 Sharing information on early warning systems. Sharing information on early warning systems.

Fleet Forum

Global Fleet Forum Established by: UN World Food Programme UN World Food Programme World Vision International World Vision International International Federation of the Red Cross International Federation of the Red Cross

Participants APSO APSO CARE CARE CRS CRS Concern Concern Fritz Institute Fritz Institute Global Road Safety Partnership Global Road Safety Partnership GTZ GTZ ICRC ICRC IFRC IFRC Jacana Jacana MSF Belgium, Holland & France MSF Belgium, Holland & France NCA NCA Norwegian Red Cross Norwegian Red Cross Norwegian Refugee Council Norwegian Refugee Council OSCE Oxfam GB RedR Swedish Rescue Services Agency Tearfund TPG Transaid UNDP/IAPSO UNDPKO UNHCR UNICEF UNWFP WHO World Vision Intl.

What participants represented 30 organisations – UN, Intl. NGO. 30 organisations – UN, Intl. NGO. Fleet of 45,000 vehicles Fleet of 45,000 vehicles Spend $800 million per year on operating costs Spend $800 million per year on operating costs Procure annually about 6,000 vehicles Procure annually about 6,000 vehicles

Topics discussed Fleet Management Systems Fleet Management Systems Training Training Security /Road safety Security /Road safety Procurement Procurement

Issues What are the best ways that we could collaborate to: Agree common specs? Agree common specs? Negotiate collectively with suppliers for low prices and fast delivery times? Negotiate collectively with suppliers for low prices and fast delivery times? Negotiate lease agreements? Negotiate lease agreements? Share transport resources during a crisis? Share transport resources during a crisis? Share training capabilities? Share training capabilities?

Way Forward Map specs of the key vehicle types - establish set of common ‘aid vehicle’ specifications; Map specs of the key vehicle types - establish set of common ‘aid vehicle’ specifications; Info on FMS - advice on best systems to use; Info on FMS - advice on best systems to use; Security and road safety - regulations within each organisation? Security and road safety - regulations within each organisation? Map training material and courses - overview of who does what, where? Map training material and courses - overview of who does what, where? Establishment of a Forum Web Site and appointment of Fleet Management Information Coordinator. Establishment of a Forum Web Site and appointment of Fleet Management Information Coordinator.

Overall…. What lessons can be learned from private sector collaborative approaches? What lessons can be learned from private sector collaborative approaches? How can organisational politics and competition be overcome? How can organisational politics and competition be overcome? What should be the interface with other aid sector consortia? What should be the interface with other aid sector consortia?