Statement by Mr Martin Faller Head of Office Coordination and ...

Statement by
Mr Martin Faller
Head of Office
Coordination and Programmes Division
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
“Increasing Efficiency of Disaster Management”
At the
Public Hearing of the Committee on Development
Of the European Parliament
On the
Application and Implementation of the European Consensus on
Humanitarian Aid
Check Against Delivery
Brussels, 29 January 2008

Statement by Mr Martin Faller at the Public Hearing of the Committee on
Development of the European Parliament – Brussels - 29.01.08
1. The International Federation closely followed the consultation process that
lead to the approval of "The European Consensus on Humanitarian Aid”. The
International Federation and its European member National Red Cross
Societies – appreciate the possibility to participate in the consultation process
and consider the Consensus as a highly valuable document for guiding the
action of the EU. We are looking forward to continue this cooperation in the
application and implementation of the Consensus.
2. The Consensus addresses many important subjects which are highly welcome
by the International Federation. This includes the firm commitment for
humanitarian principles and compliance with International Humanitarian Law
(IHL), the provision of needs-based emergency response, the support to
capacity building activities to prevent and mitigate impact of disasters, the
emphasis on partnership, the need to take into account where possible, long
term development objectives, the protection of the humanitarian space and the
value of good donor practice, the issue of speed and quality in the effective
delivery of humanitarian aid and the positive note on International Disaster
Response Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL), the recognition of the reduction
of risk and vulnerability through enhanced preparedness, as well as the
importance which the EU gives to the development of the collective global
capacity to respond to humanitarian crises and not to duplicate existing
international mechanisms.
3. Let me focus on two very important elements of the Consensus: the
support for IDRL and the building of local capacities – both are
contributing to increasing efficiency of disaster management.
4. International Disaster Response Laws, Rules and Principles (IDRL):
Our finding is that while there has been a number of important improvements
at the international level in recent years – including the Good Humanitarian
Donorship Principles, the humanitarian cluster system, and the Oslo
Guidelines as emphasized by the Consensus – the role of the government in
affected states has been neglected. Few states have detailed laws and
mechanisms in place for facilitating international relief. As a result, we see
unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks and a lack of effective monitoring of the
quality and coordination of international assistance.
5. For example, in several states affected by the 2004 tsunami, hundreds of
containers of relief goods were stuck in customs for months. Humanitarian
personnel were required to repeatedly fly in and out of the affected countries
to renew visas. At the same time, there and in other recent disasters,
inappropriate and unnecessary goods and interventions from the international
community posed a great burden on local officials and National Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies and sometimes represented an affirmative danger to
disaster-affected persons.
6. To address these kinds of problems, the International Federation led a global
collaborative process to develop the “Guidelines for the domestic facilitation
and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance.”
The IDRL Guidelines were unanimously adopted by states and the
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Statement by Mr Martin Faller at the Public Hearing of the Committee on
Development of the European Parliament – Brussels - 29.01.08
components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement at its
30 th International Conference in November 2007. EU member states and
European National Red Cross Societies made joint pledges at the Conference
with regard to following up with the Guidelines.
7. We strongly recommend that the implementation plans for the
Consensus will include support for the dissemination and promotion of
the IDRL Guidelines, both within the EU and in the states where it
provides assistance.
8. Building local capacities:
While continuously optimising our international response capabilities, we are
giving highest importance to increase local community, civil society and Red
Cross Red Crescent capacity to address the most urgent situations of
vulnerability. Wherever we work we are benefiting from local knowledge and
the many volunteers of National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and
the support from regionally and internationally active national societies
(including many European National Societies) cooperating in alliances with our
colleagues in the affected countries.
9. For example: The global measles Initiative – a partnership led by the American
Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, the U.S. Center for
Disease Control and Prevention, and WHO connecting many international
supporters with governments and local partners in over 50 countries - with
global and local impact: between 2001 and 2006, measles deaths had
dropped globally by 68 percent and in Africa, by more than 91 percent. Since
2001, 40 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have been able to
support measles campaigns with 80,000 volunteers – who are the main
connectors to the communities at risk. By the end of 2006, these campaigns
reached more than 240 million children.
10. For example: Across West Africa and Morocco, the effects of complex
emergencies, sudden and slow onset disasters such as drought, famine and
desertification demand more resources and presence from our national Red
Cross and Red Crescent Societies and their volunteers. Migration in this
region is increasing and migrants are trying to reach the coast of Spain and
other European countries. We are working in alliances between African and
European partners and one of the most important elements of this
collaboration is the enhancement of the capacities of our African partners to
work on the spot with the affected communities and to strengthen national and
regional disaster response teams.
11. For example: Only three weeks ago, the Mozambique Red Cross Society
concentrated all its forces in the north of the country to fight another major
flood disaster. This year compared to the 2001 flood, deaths have so far been
recorded in much lower numbers. A combination of resettlement, prompt
evacuation readiness and overall preparedness works. This year’s floods
operation further proves the impact of community based early warning and risk
reduction – however, the major flood is still to be expected, it has not yet
arrived!
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Statement by Mr Martin Faller at the Public Hearing of the Committee on
Development of the European Parliament – Brussels - 29.01.08
12. For example: Only three months ago Cyclone Sidr devastated parts of
Bangladesh and caused terrible destruction. It is important to remember that
while 3,300 people lost their lives in the Cyclone Sidr, the cyclone’s power was
such that the death toll could easily have matched the 500,000 people who
died in a very similar cyclone in 1970. In the years since the 1970 cyclone,
massive operations have been conducted by the Bangladesh Red Crescent
Society, the government of Bangladesh and many other actors in risk
reduction. Over 650,000 people were evacuated to Cyclone Shelters, many of
which are built and managed by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society.
13. For example: During the Rasht earthquake operation in July 2007 in Tajikistan,
local disaster response committees responded within 3.5 hrs, and national
response teams were on the spot within 5.5 hrs, government aid came into the
disaster zone two days later. The intervention was not just fast, but also
qualified as appropriate.
It is interesting to note that in Tajikistan a disaster risk management
partnership worked as a permanent coordination mechanism (REACT - Rapid
Emergency Assessment and Coordination Team), involving government and
specialized national agencies, NGOs, donors and the UN system. Five
sectoral sub-groups were established following the cluster model (food, non
food items and shelter, health, education and water and sanitation).
14. From villages to capital cities, we need to build the capacity of communities
and to prepare and help themselves. More attention needs to be paid to
improving national and regional preparedness and contingency planning,
particularly for natural disasters, with the full involvement of national
authorities, the UN, the Red Cross and Red Crescent, NGOs and civil society.
International capacity for early warning, international coordination and rapid
deployment remains crucial – but it has to be better connected with local and
regional resources.
15. Climate change is expected to lead to an increase in the frequency and/or
severity of extreme weather events like heat waves, floods, droughts and
tropical cyclones, and the spread of diseases such as malaria and dengue.
Looking back over the past three decades, we can see a dramatic increase in
the number of weather related disasters. Between 2004 and 2007, the number
of emergencies that the International Federation responded to increased from
278 to 509 per year.
16. We strongly recommend that the implementation plans for the
Consensus will include further support of the international community to
strengthen local, national and regional capacities for disaster
management. The International Federation stresses the need to enhance the
ability of local communities, civil society and the Red Cross and Red Crescent
to deal not only with response but also with extreme vulnerability. This may be
the most viable way of reducing the number of deaths, injuries, illnesses and
overall impact of disasters, diseases and public health emergencies at a time
when climate change threatens increasing humanitarian crises.
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