USAID/DART Humanitarian Coordination Overview of Haiti

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000134 AIDAC SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA SUBJECT: USAID/DART Humanitarian Coordination Overview of Haiti Response REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0060 ¶1. (U) Summary. Following the devastating impact of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake in Haiti on January 12, the international humanitarian community has made significant progress in establishing humanitarian coordination structures and responding to needs in Port-au-Prince and other affected areas. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that more than 400 aid agencies are actively operating in the country, with varying degrees of experience and capabilities. USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) staff highlight the critical role of the internationally-recognized humanitarian cluster system in coordinating response efforts. To address the challenges associated with the magnitude of the disaster and the logistical, security, and environmental conditions in Haiti, clear humanitarian leadership, strategic analysis, and demonstrated commitment to the cluster coordination system is required. End summary. -------------- -------------- UNDERSTANDING THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION SYSTEM -------------- -------------- ¶2. (U) In past international responses to humanitarian crises, some sectors have benefited from having clearly mandated lead agencies, while others have not, resulting in ad hoc, unpredictable humanitarian responses, and contributing to capacity and response gaps in some areas. Following an extensive review of the humanitarian system in 2005, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) agreed to implement a sector-specific cluster approach as a way of addressing gaps and strengthening the effectiveness of response efforts. USAID, through the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA),has provided substantial monetary and technical support to all pillars of the global and country-specific humanitarian reform efforts over the last four years and has been actively engaged in the policy discussions with the U.N. and other donors. ¶3. (U) Clusters provide a forum for humanitarian organizations to coordinate response efforts by sector, such as health, nutrition, shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH),and are led by designated agencies with relevant technical expertise. The cluster system seeks to ensure greater predictability and accountability in response efforts, while simultaneously strengthening partnerships between NGOs, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and U.N. agencies. Application of the cluster system has contributed to significant progress on a range of issues, including broadened partnerships with NGOs; agreement on common sector standards, tools, and guidance; development of common training modules; creation of common stockpiles; and development of surge deployment rosters. Clusters operate at both a global and field level and have been rolled out in 25 countries to date. At the field level, while agencies are responsible for individual cluster performance, the overall architecture of the system and strategic guidance comes from the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator. -------------- -------------- THE HAITI CONTEXT: U.N STRUCTURE AND CLUSTER SYSTEM -------------- -------------- ¶4. (U) Immediately following the earthquake, the U.N. deployed a U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team (UNDAC) to initially coordinate the arrival of search and rescue and other assistance. As surge staff from various U.N. agencies arrived, UNDAC transitioned to individual U.N. agency emergency operations and the cluster system. Within the U.N. structure for Haiti, the Acting Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) is supported by two deputies, including the Acting Principal Deputy to SRSG (DSRSG) responsible for political and field operations with the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and a second DSRSG responsible for humanitarian and development issues. However, the second DSRSG for humanitarian and development issues simultaneously serves as the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator, Resident Coordinator, and Resident Representative for the U.N. Development Program (UNDP). USAID/DART staff highlight that the quadruple-hatting of the DSRSG has caused significant concern among donors and aid organizations who emphasize that the magnitude of the current crisis necessitates full time leadership on humanitarian issues. ¶5. (U) Mandated to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action, OCHA activated twelve sector-specific clusters within the first ten days following the crisis. The active clusters include: Camp Coordination and Camp Management; Education; Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items; Food Aid; Logistics; Nutrition; Protection; WASH; Agriculture; Early Recovery; Emergency Telecommunications; and Health. Ten international humanitarian agencies and the Government of Haiti (GoH) are currently serving as led agencies managing the twelve clusters. OCHA has also established field coordination offices in Leogane and Jacmel to facilitate cluster coordination and is considering other field locations depending on identified needs. In addition, the humanitarian community has established six "shadow" clusters in logistics and telecommunications, health, emergency shelter, WASH, nutrition, and protection in the Dominican Republic to coordinate support services for Haiti operations. ¶6. (U) The cluster system has been instrumental in vetting and prioritizing critical needs and addressing coverage in gap areas. Representatives from the various GoH line Ministries are also beginning to participate in cluster meetings or in some cases, actually lead the cluster as in the case of the WASH sector, with heavy support from U.N. agencies. Beyond each of the twelve general cluster meetings, cluster participants have also established a series of working groups to focus on specific areas of concern, such as camp management and site planning or child protection. -------------- -------------- INEXPERIENCED ORGANIZATIONS AND INAPPROPRIATE AID -------------- -------------- ¶7. (U) The volume of humanitarian actors on the ground, including a significant number of well-intentioned groups that arrived with little to no experience in humanitarian response, has created extensive challenges for coordination. Agencies or individuals that have sought to rush and respond to an individual hospital, church group, or community without coordinating with the operational humanitarian actors on the ground and through the cluster system have often served as an impediment to effective response efforts and in the case of distributions, have sometimes caused confusion or chaos. All agencies repeatedly underscore the need for a "pull" factor of goods, services, and personnel based on need, rather than a "push" factor of assuming what is needed from abroad. A key challenge to the legitimate humanitarian actors on the ground has been dealing with massive quantities of unsolicited commodities and well-intentioned organizations who do not take the time to coordinate. ¶8. (U) The U.N. and humanitarian actors on the ground, including the USAID/DART, strongly urge well-intentioned groups abroad to not send donations-in-kind - unless explicitly requested - to prevent further clogging of the critical humanitarian pipeline and associated delays. Many of these in-kind donations are not appropriate or needed by affected communities. Consistent messages from all humanitarian actors is that "cash is best" to support the Haitian people. All U.S. Government (USG) agencies are strongly urged to convey this message to the public whenever special requests are made for the USG to facilitate transport and distribution of donations from the U.S. to Haiti. -------------- MULTIPLE COORDINATION LEVELS -------------- ¶9. (U) Four key levels of coordination among humanitarian actors are taking place within Haiti linked to the cluster system: 1) NGO coordination, 2) U.N. country team coordination, 3) the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and military coordination, and 4) donor coordination, which all feed into the international cluster system. --- NGO Coordination--- ¶10. (U) Most NGOs operating in Haiti are participating in the cluster coordination structure, due in large part to a consistent message from the U.N., donors, other NGOs, and the GoH that if agencies want to be involved in the response, participation in the coordination and planning structure is critical. USAID/OFDA is also funding a NGO coordination group through the U.S.-based NGO advocacy consortium InterAction to facilitate better communication among NGOs, create linkages and partnerships with local Haitian organizations unfamiliar with the international humanitarian system (details forthcoming SEPTEL),and ensure that key NGO issues of concern are heard. ---U.N. Coordination--- ¶11. (U) The U.N. also coordinates through the U.N. country team comprised of all operational U.N. agencies. Normally activated during a crisis, a Humanitarian Country Team (HCT),under the leadership of the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator is an important component of the humanitarian coordination structure. The U.N. activated the HCT in Haiti during the week of February 1. The Haiti HCT is comprised of heads of agencies from seven U.N. agencies, seven lead NGOs, InterAction, and the International Federation and chaired by the Humanitarian Coordinator. The objective of the HCT is to ensure that humanitarian organization activities are coordinated at the strategic level; provide guidance to cluster lead agencies; and ensure that humanitarian action in-country is principled, timely, effective, efficient, and contributes to longer-term recovery. The USAID/DART views the HCT as an important tool to constructive ongoing dialogue with humanitarian actors under the leadership of the HC and has officially requested that key humanitarian donors also be included on an exceptional basis. ---MINUSTAH AND MILITARY COORDINATION--- ¶12. (U) On January 26, MINUSTAH, in coordination with OCHA and other key partners, established a Joint Operations and Tasking Centre (JOTC) to facilitate the provision of military assistance from the broad range of military forces present in Haiti, including the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH),the U.S. Military, and other international military forces, to NGOs operating in Haiti. The JOTC, composed of representatives from OCHA, MINUSTAH, other international militaries, and the USAID/DART, is intended to serve as a centralized coordinating body for the use of military assets for logistics support, security assistance, and technical assistance in support of humanitarian relief operations, enabling country-wide coordination to avoid duplication of support effort. ¶13. (U) Requests for military assistance with transport of humanitarian commodities or other support is vetted through each cluster lead and will only be considered if endorsed by the cluster and no other U.N. humanitarian assets are available. As a matter of principle, military assets will only be used as a last resort. USAID/DART staff comment that the structure continues to evolve. [Note: The USAID/DART is part of the JOTC, participates in planning meetings, and when an intervention is deemed appropriate by the cluster and the U.S. is best placed to provide support, the USAID/DART then clears the formal request and provides a tasking to the U.S. military to implement. End note.] ---Donor Coordination--- ¶14. (U) Key humanitarian donors, including USAID represented by the USAID/DART, European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA),U.K. Department for International Development (DFID),Spanish Cooperation (AECID), and occasionally other donors, meet daily to discuss key issues, program strategies, and most importantly, develop common messaging on core areas of concern. The humanitarian donor group regularly meets with heads of U.N. agencies, cluster leads, and key NGOs on specific issues. In recognition of OCHA's key role in overall coordination, OCHA has also been invited to participate in the donor meetings. The humanitarian donor group has served as a powerful advocacy tool in addressing bottlenecks, particularly when combined with simultaneous capital-level demarches to U.N. agencies and has proven more effective than individual messaging. -------------- -------------- HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION: STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES -------------- -------------- ¶15. (U) USAID/DART staff note that humanitarian coordination mechanisms are considered to be stronger than in most recent crises by the international community, due to the speed and quantity of cluster activation - twelve clusters activated in the first ten days of the crisis-; broad support for prioritizing needs through the cluster system; and strong OCHA operational capacity. In addition, the significant surge capacity demonstrated by NGOs and U.N. agencies in the deployment of more than four hundred surge program staff has greatly enhanced response capacity. Furthermore, strong humanitarian donor coordination has enabled common messaging, joint donor missions to the field, and joint meetings, to support efforts to streamline requests and expedite response efforts. ¶16. (SBU) Donors and aid agencies have expressed deep reservations about the quadruple-hatted function of the DSRSG, Humanitarian Coordinator, Resident Coordinator, and Resident Representative for UNDP. Given the magnitude of the crisis, humanitarian donors have strongly recommended, at a minimum, that the Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs appoint a very senior-level and well-respected Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator to support the HC role in engaging with the humanitarian community. OCHA is expected to announce the official appointment of a Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in the coming days. ¶17. (SBU) Although the U.N. Security Council has recently modified the MINUSTAH mandate to include support of humanitarian operations, USAID/DART staff note concern regarding MINUSTAH capacity and planning to support an expanded mandate. The U.N. reports that MINUSTAH is currently evaluating additional types of support needed to assist humanitarian operations. MINUSTAH support and engagement will continue to be critical in the near future. ¶18. (SBU) Humanitarian donors also recommend strengthened guidance and coordination on humanitarian issues with the GoH. The humanitarian donor group has recommended seconding Senior Humanitarian Advisors to the GoH. ¶19. (U) Despite demonstrated U.N. and NGO surge capacity, USAID/DART staff and other key donors note the need for additional senior surge capacity to fulfill individual cluster responsibilities as well as augment program staff. USAID/DART staff also note opportunities for enhanced inter-cluster coordination and delays in compiling and sharing comprehensive data on the number, location, and activities of humanitarian organizations operating in Haiti. Delays are attributed, in large part, to a lack of NGO willingness to prioritize reporting on activities, particularly at the onset of the disaster. Cluster efforts remain ongoing to strengthen and expand reporting and information consolidation. -------------- CONCLUSION -------------- ¶20. USAID/DART staff emphasize that strong and pro-active inter-cluster coordination is essential, under the leadership of the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator and with OCHA's support, to effectively and efficiently address the humanitarian needs of affected populations. Co-located within the U.N. logistics base to ensure constant communication, coordination, and tracking of U.N., donor, and NGO issues, the USAID/DART continues to closely monitor and advance humanitarian coordination issues on the ground. MINIMIZE CONSIDERED MERTEN