Humanitarian Capacity Development for Caritas Developpement Bukavu Caritas Bukavu has been responding to emergencies for many years, including those resulting from conflict, strong winds, floods and earthquakes and, through parishes in the affected areas. They have been working with CAFOD since 2003 through various initiatives including emergency aid to affected groups.  Caritas Bukavu is taking part in the Humanitarian Capacity Development Programme for the WAGL region. Based in Bukavu, eastern DRC where they are covering a large diocese (8815 km2) of 34 parishes, their development and emergency programs have been benefiting support from Caritas Spain, Cordaid and CAFOD.    The partner conducted a capacity self assessment in April 09, 2014 to familiarize with the tool provided by CAFOD as a guidance and to appropriate the process. A validation workshop was then facilitated later (14-16 April 14) by CAFOD’s Humanitarian Capacity Development Officer.  The approach is promoting participatory analysis of existing capacities over 4 levels (developing, bronze, silver and gold) with regards to 3 key areas of competency notably 1) the leadership (vision and strategy, Management, Coordination and Collaboration), 2) the programming capacity (Accountability, Preparedness, Assessment, Design & Response, Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning) and 3) the way the partner manages the Support Sector and Systems in emergency operations.  As with organizations assessed in the WAGL, with exception to the Coordination & collaboration area where they are good, main weaknesses identified corresponding to developing level according to the Humanitarian Capacity Framework. For example, we noted that they don’t have any strategic plan nor Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan to date as well as a security plan while they operate in a fragile region.  After completed the self assessment process, an Action Plan was drawn up, discussed, reviewed and agreed between CAFOD's HCDO and Caritas Bukavu. For coordination reasons with other CI members based in Bukavu and currently providing support to Caritas Bukavu, we initiated a meeting in Bukavu on October 28, 2014 bringing together delegates from Caritas Spain, Cordaid, CRS, CAFOD and Caritas Bukavu and the action plan was finally adopted with clear engagement for every implementing agency.  So, there is a common understanding of who do what among all of those supporting that partner. It should be mentioned also that the discussions begun earlier this year between CAFOD and Caritas Australia led a co-financing 6.915 GB £ dedicated specifically to the protection dimension.  The 7 Capacity Development Objectives agreed are:  1) Set up a humanitarian strategy taking into account the new context of the merger between development and emergency departments (CAFOD) 2) Develop an Emergency preparedness and response plan to guide design, deliver and review quality responses (Cordaid), 3) Develop practical skills for emergencies operations (Caritas Spain and CAFOD);  4) Develop coherent systems sector with an emphasis on financial management, (Caritas Spain and CAFOD); 5) Develop security & safety plan and ensure protection mechanisms towards targeted communities are set up (Caritas Australia and Cordaid);  6) Develop a coherent logistic programming, 7) Develop an adequate and effective staff management system (Caritas Spain).  The total cost of the plan is GB£49,765 and shared as following: Year 1: Caritas Spain (GB£ 4,350), Caritas Australia (GB£6,915), CAFOD (GB£ 14,875). Year 2: Cordaid (GB£ 9,500), Caritas Spain (GB£ 9,000) and CAFOD (GB£ 5,125).  A collaboration agreement will be signed between all involved CI members and Caritas Developpement Bukavu to clarify respective responsibilities and engagements. In all cases, CAFOD will fund for 20,000 GB£ plus the additional fund from Caritas Australia for which we will report on while other supporting member will directly implement the activities related to its funding in close collaboration and coordination with others.   It should be noted with a certain interest that Caritas Bukavu has recently been restructured by merging its emergency and development departments. They are to formalize the adoption of the new name of Caritas Developpement Bukavu soon. The action plan proposed and agreed within respective Caritas has taken in account that new configuration in compliance to internal dynamics.