PROCEEDINGS FROM 19TH SEMI-ANNUAL ALNAP

UNCLAS NAIROBI 003016

SIPDIS

AIDAC

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/E, EPRATT
AID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, PMORRIS,
CGOTTSCHALK, CPRATT
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN
AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, JESCALONA
USUN FOR EMALY
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER
ROME FOR FODAG
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH
NSC FOR TSHORTLEY

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID PREF SOCI UN XA

SUBJECT: PROCEEDINGS FROM 19TH SEMI-ANNUAL ALNAP
MEETING


Summary


1. From June 13 to 15, 2006, the Active Learning
Network for Accountability and Performance in
Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) convened its 19th semi-
annual conference. The aim of the meeting was for
humanitarian actors to draw out key aspects of
learning, accountability, and performance related to
food security, and to identify actions for ALNAP to
encourage positive system-wide change.
USAID/DCHA/OFDA's Humanitarian Coordination Specialist
attended the conference, as USAID's representative on
ALNAP's Steering Committee. End Summary.

Background


2. Born in 1997 in the aftermath of the Rwanda
genocide, ALNAP is a collective response by the
humanitarian community, dedicated to improving
humanitarian performance through increased learning and
accountability. ALNAP incorporates many key
humanitarian organizations and experts, including
members from donor, non-governmental, Red
Cross/Crescent, United Nations, independent, and
academic organizations. ALNAP focuses on improving
humanitarian performance, based on the findings of
evaluations and studies. ALNAP now includes 60 Full
Members and 600 Observer Members. USAID is part of the
nine-member Steering Committee, and funds both the
ALNAP Secretariat and various evaluations.


3. The theme of the 19th semiannual conference was
food security, and discussions included: non-food
related sectors and alternatives to food aid; the role
of participation by disaster-affected communities in
food security interventions; early warning,
preparedness, and mitigation; the objectives of real
time evaluations; and impact assessment. In addition,
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO)
Somalia Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) presented
its proposed "phase classification" as a common
analytical framework or format for describing the
nature and severity of humanitarian crises.


4. A scheduled food aid workshop was cancelled because
conference participants felt strongly that the subject
had been exhausted in other fora and there was far
greater appetite for exploring alternatives to food
aid. Some ALNAP members questioned the need for
"holism," referring to the call for humanitarians to
provide "developmental relief" that includes a broad
range of livelihoods activities. The majority of
conference participants, comprising Nairobi-based
practitioners, espoused an "economic security"
approach, i.e., providing aid that moves beyond food
security interventions. This fueled debate surrounding
the parameters of emergency humanitarian action.

Steering Committee


5. As the current Steering Committee Chairperson from
Oxfam is stepping down to take a position in the
private sector, USAID/OFDA proposed Eleanor Monbiot of
World Vision as a replacement, and the proposal was
accepted. As a nurse practitioner based in Nairobi and
with considerable field experience, Ms. Monbiot
represents one of the two dominant sub-groups within
ALNAP: aid practitioners and academics.


6. USAID/OFDA supported Ms. Monbiot's candidacy in
light of the need to keep ALNAP grounded in its
connection to field work. Monbiot and other relatively
new members of the Steering Committee concurred with

the USAID/OFDA representative on this point, as well as
on the need to diversify ALNAP's membership to include
greater gender and geographic balance.

ALNAP's Workplan


7. Following are highlights from ALNAP's current
Workplan:

The Review of Humanitarian Action (RHA): The RHA is
ALNAP's flagship publication. Published annually, it
aims to monitor humanitarian performance and key issues
for the sector, while also highlighting key findings
from recent evaluative reports for a wider audience.
Evaluation Synthesis Report: ALNAP publishes an
annual synthesis of current evaluation findings as part
of the Review of Humanitarian Action series. It aims
to promote learning by amplifying evaluation, and
acting as a monitor for performance and emerging trends
over time. This year's Synthesis will highlight
"neglected emergencies," among other subjects.
Utilization study: This study aims to explore the
reasons (e.g., political) behind the decisions by
humanitarian actors to either assimilate or not act on
evaluation findings.

ALNAP is considering an Arabic version of its
Protection Guide, as well as the manual "How to
Evaluate Humanitarian Action".

ALNAP has launched a new website, www.alnap.org,
providing detailed information on its background and
structure, and showcasing past and current evaluations.

ALNAP members approved a new category of Honorary
Membership as an award for those who have made a
substantial contribution to learning in the
humanitarian field. In 2006, Honorary Membership will
be conferred on Larry Minear, Director of the
Humanitarianism and War Project at the Feinstein
International Famine Center at Tufts University, as he
officially retires from humanitarian work.

Shaping ALNAP's Future


8. The ALNAP Secretariat has asked the Steering
Committee for a strategy session to discuss ALNAP's
direction for the next five years. Although ALNAP's
membership has grown consistently, some members point
out that the Tsunami Evaluation, which is to be
launched on July 14, raises many of the same issues and
areas for improvement as the Joint Evaluation of
Emergency Assistance to Rwanda (JEEAR) did a decade
ago, pointing to a failure by aid agencies to
assimilate evaluation findings. The Secretariat points
to the fact that during 2002 to 2003, 23 out of 51 Full
Members provided funding for ALNAP's core budget (now
at 467,000 British pounds),whereas in the 2006 to 2007
period, 33 out of 56 Full Members contribute. (Note:
The USG, through USAID/OFDA, has provided USD 150,000
per year to ALNAP's core budget over the past few
years, in addition to funding various studies conducted
by ALNAP. End note.) Moreover, since 2002, only three
members have withdrawn from ALNAP while 10 have joined.


9. There are different schools of thought within the
ALNAP membership as to how prescriptive ALNAP should be
in following-up on evaluation results. Generally,
ALNAP's donor members and the UN Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) would like
to see a more hands-on role in ensuring that the
various stakeholders incorporate findings from
evaluations such as the Tsunami Evaluation. (Note:

This is the largest and potentially most seminal piece
of introspection by the humanitarian community since
the JEEAR, and will have no "home" once the Evaluation
is launched on July 14 and the Tsunami Evaluation
Coalition (TEC) secretariat is disbanded in August.
USAID/OFDA considers ALNAP an appropriate mechanism to
monitor and pursue follow-up on the Evaluation's
impressive list of recommended actions. End note.)


10. The next ALNAP conference will be held in Rome in
December, and will be hosted by FAO and the UN World
Food Program (WFP). The conference will focus on the
role of the media in emergencies, as well as on the
Tsunami Evaluation. In addition, NGOs working on the

SIPDIS
Gates' Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECBP) will
convene in Rome at approximately the same time and will
provide a readout of the status of the ECBP at the
ALNAP conference.

ROWE