Inter-Agency Real Time Evaluation of the Humanitarian ... - OCHANet

IA RTE of the humanitarian response to Pakistan’s 2010 Floods crisis
due to disagreement between GoP and UN with regards to the scope of the plan (i.e. number of
clusters and whether it should include early recovery activities or if this should be part of a
separate appeal). The disagreement nearly compromised the relationship between GoP and UN
and represents a serious breach of GoP‐UN protocols. The GoP finally endorsed by the appeal in
November (as Pakistan Floods Relief and Early Recovery Response Plan ‐ PFRERRP). However,
when launched in November, the PFRERRP did not represent the evolution of needs within the
affected union councils as many relief activities had already concluded. Furthermore, the data
regarding affected populations and needs, upon which the PFRERRP was based on dated back to
September 15 th .At federal level it is widely agreed that cluster lead agencies had to dedicate too
many efforts on the appeal process, taking focus away from the actual response.
28. There are several factors to consider in relation to the funding of the PFRERRP and the
delay in its endorsement:
a. Initially, funding concentrated in life‐saving sectors, while the revised plan focused on a
large amount of projects without a common strategy. Many interviewees considered it
a wish list with limited prioritisation.
b. The appeal was not considered as a strategic framework but rather a fundraising tool,
focusing on financial needs. Many of the projects contained in the FRERRP are based on
assumptions rather than on thorough needs assessments.
c. Most UN agencies did not manage to spend the large amounts of funding received;
their capacity to digest such funding was questionable.
d. Some donors consider that the UN is not always value for money and has high
transaction costs while remaining behind the curve in terms of implementation.
e. Most UN agencies and INGOs are not direct implementers 20 but operate through
implementing partners, they are often considered an additional layer, adding
administration costs. Donors channel large amounts of funding out of the appeal
directly through national and international NGOs, the RC Movement and bilateral aid.
Some consider this reduces transaction costs to reach people in need
f. The UN is not always considered accountable for on how resources have been spent by
both the government and international donors.
g. Most of the donor funding focused on the emergency relief while early recovery and
reconstruction funding is more limited.
h. Most donor resources were committed to Haiti.
i. Reduced media coverage after August diverted donor attention
j. Progressive donor fatigue may have contributed to a slower donor response as two
major UN appeals were launched for Pakistan within the same year.
k. The widespread scale of the disaster meant reduced presence on the ground of
agencies, particularly in Sindh and Punjab and limited number of implementing
partners.
l. The GoP is not keen on having too many appeals as it does not want to be perceived as
a failed State.
20
The revised appeal contains some 315 NGO projects, which have received $120 million of direct funding.
Riccardo Polastro, Aatika Nagrah, Nicolai Steen and Farwa Zafar
27