ABBREVIATIONS AAR – After Action Review ACC – Australian Civilian Corps ADF – Australian Defence Force AHP – Australian Humanitarian Partnership ARC – Australian Red Cross AusMAT – Australian Medical Assistance Team CDC – Community Disaster Committee CRT – Crisis Response Team DFAT – Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade DRR – Disaster preparedness and Disaster risk reduction FAO – Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations FMT – Foreign Medical Teams HPA – Humanitarian Partnership Agreement IDETF – Interdepartmental Emergency Taskforce IDRL – International Disaster Response Law INGO – International Non-Government Organisations IFRC – International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies NCCTRC – National Critical Care & Trauma Response Centre NCSP – National Cyclone Support Plan NDMO – National Disaster Management Office
Recommendation Response Explanation Action plan If practical, specify timeframe here Recommendation 1 DFAT should continue to progress work to support nationally-led responses and localisation by: (a) defining what is by localisation and unifying implementing partners around a common understanding of localisation AGREE DFAT agrees with the recommendation to define localisation, on consultation with local partners in the Pacific, and to ensure our understanding of the concept is shared with implementing partners. We will engage with implementing partners on a case-by-case basis around activities aimed to strengthen localisation. Differentiated approaches will be needed in different settings and by different partners to effectively support localisation. HPD will prepare a guidance note to support Australia’s Humanitarian Strategy that defines localisation for DFAT preparedness and response planning and programming purposes. Localisation issues will be integrated into other Strategy guidance notes. HPD will update preparedness, response and early recovery SOPs and training materials to include localisation, where relevant. The HPD-led design and implementation of the new Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) will continue to prioritise localisation and seek a common understanding of the concept amongst AHP partners. HPD will draw on the of the DFAT/ MFAT M&E framework for humanitarian responses in the Pacific to assess to what extent the response was localised. Localisation guidance note finalised by June 2017 HPD will incorporate the localisation guidance into training materials by December 2017 The new AHP agreement will come into effect in 2017 DFAT/ MFAT M&E framework to be reviewed mid-2017
(b) identifying in advance of a crisis local, national and regional partners, including private sector and civil society actors, that could contribute effectively to a humanitarian response, as well as mechanisms that could be used to support them in the event of a crisis AGREE DFAT notes the on-going work to identify and liaise with humanitarian response partners in Pacific Island Countries (PICs). This includes, for example, partnerships with the Australian Red Cross and Australian NGOs. DFAT is supporting mechanisms intended to better enable partners to respond effectively and appropriately. Note: The Pacific portal of regional government capabilities is driven under PIC leadership with DFAT support. DFAT Pacific posts will systematically identify partnerships in their Crisis Action Plans (CAPs) and update information of in-country suppliers annually. HPD will support PIC leadership to establish a portal through which PICs can request assistance based on a pre-identified register of national and regional government capabilities and assets in the Pacific. DFAT will continue to draw on civilian specialists deployed to Pacific NDMOs to support the ongoing identification of partners and mechanisms. HPD will provide financial support to the WFP to map relief supplies and logistical companies across the Pacific. HPD and PAD will share lessons from the Australian Red Cross (ARC) Pacific Humanitarian Challenge (PHC) mapping of private sector capabilities in Vanuatu with other Pacific posts and partners. The two key partnerships with the Australian Red Cross and Australian NGOs Pacific portal of regional government capabilities anticipated to come into effect by 2018 ARC PHC project to be completed by Dec 2017
will prioritise identification and strengthening of the capacity of local civil society actors. (c) exploring possible options for Pacific crisis response AGREE DFAT agrees to explore options for how the Australian Government could encourage and support increased Pacific-to-Pacific crisis response capabilities. DFAT notes the need for country-specific approaches due to significant differences in PIC capacity to both deploy and host such teams. Note: The Pacific portal of regional government capabilities is driven under PIC leadership with DFAT support. HPD is working with PICs to develop the portal of regional government capabilities and assets. This will identify deployable capabilities across the region, and opportunities for further collaboration. DFAT funding to the World Health Organisation (WHO) is supporting PICs to verify national emergency medical teams, which will strengthen PIC capacity to both deploy and host such teams. DFAT is piloting a scholarship project to support Pacific humanitarian officer participation in a leadership course through the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership at Deakin University in Melbourne. HPD and PAD will discuss any funding requests for regional projects to Pacific response capacity with NZ MFAT, aiming to build on existing Pacific portal of regional government capabilities anticipated to come into effect by 2018 (noting this work is driven under PIC leadership with DFAT support)
training and capacity development options rather than duplicate. Pacific posts will use existing forums and interactions with national governments to support sharing of experiences. Recommendation 2 DFAT should seek to improve the targeting of assistance to those most in need and to better match needs by: (a) working with partner governments ahead of, and during, a crisis to identify how assistance can be targeted to those most in need Pacific posts will continue to work with partner governments to strengthen preparedness and response capabilities, including advocacy on the needs of vulnerable groups. DFAT notes that it remains the primary responsibility of national governments to ensure those most in need are targeted for priority assistance and that DFAT’s role in this regard is to work in support of national PIC leadership. HPD will continue to provide advice and support to Pacific posts on Australia’s Humanitarian Strategy and issues such as protection and targeting of support for vulnerable groups ahead of crises through working-level training, briefing of incoming Heads of Mission and broader liaison. Pacific posts will continue to draw on this advice to engage with relevant partner government stakeholders, including on issues of targeting assistance. DFAT will continue to draw on Australian civilian specialists deployed to Pacific to support partner governments ahead of and during a crisis, including on issues of targeting On-going
(d) establishing mechanisms and relationships so that cash transfer programming can gradually start to be used as a more standard feature of humanitarian responses in the Pacific. AGREE Increasing the use of cash transfer programming as an important mechanism for supporting affected populations is a key commitment of Australia’s Humanitarian Strategy and our international commitments through the Grand Bargain on humanitarian funding reform. We recognise that mechanisms to achieve these commitments at scale need to be in place before the onset of a disaster. HPD and PTS have begun exploring opportunities to increase humanitarian cash interventions in the Pacific, including a feasibility scoping study by the Cash Learning Partnership in 2016. HPD is using existing humanitarian funding mechanisms (multilateral and NGO) and deployable capacity programs to support the use of cash-based interventions in PICs, including training, dialogue and research. HPD and PTS will update a guidance note on cash transfer programming to accompany Australia’s humanitarian and social protection strategies. Guidance note on cash transfer programming revised in 2017 Recommendation 3 DFAT should work to further bridge the humanitarian-development divide by: (a) identifying prior to a response the strengths and relationships within the bilateral program that can be leveraged in a humanitarian response and incorporating surge funding capacity into bilateral contracts. AGREE DFAT notes that the scope, nature and timing of implementation of this recommendation will be In particular, the possibility to incorporate surge DFAT Pacific posts will continue to monitor and assess the strengths of bilateral program partners, while also considering their potential to contribute to a humanitarian response. HPD, CVB and PAD will seek to prepare guidance on surge funding options for contracts and agreements in 2017 country
action plan which outlines the overall purpose, strategic priorities, suite of partners and approach of Australia’s assistance and making the plan available to partners at the outset of a response communicating the overarching response purpose, priorities and approach to all response partners. For humanitarian responses, the responsibility for determining the overall response intent sits with the Inter-Departmental Emergency Task Force (IDETF). It is expected that the IDETF continuously reviews the plan and its inherent assumptions in response to the rapidly changing realities of any humanitarian response. The will share the action plan with relevant partners as appropriate. In addition, accountability will also be strengthened through refined approaches to communication with the general public. as the key source of DFAT’s guiding principles, strategic objectives and thematic response priorities, which are relevant to all response partners. HPD, in cooperation with CMS, will ensure better implementation of DFAT’s Single Crisis Response Protocol, through which the IDETF Chair is required to “distribute a statement of the overall intent for the response”. Processes for this will be determined during the review of the Protocol and are likely to include a template that will then be trialled. DFAT investment managers will continue to ensure ongoing communication and dialogue with implementing partners throughout a response, including sharing of the IDETF intent statement, as appropriate. This dialogue will include DFAT geographic areas (desk and post). HPD will improve sharing of up-to-date information on response activities and priorities via DFAT’s website Protocol to be reviewed in 2017 New online DFAT “Crisis Hub” to be established in 2017 DFAT/NZ MFAT Pacific Humanitarian M&E Framework to be piloted in 2017 Relief Tracker to be piloted in 2017
(through a new “Crisis Hub”), including hyperlinks to Ministerial press releases, funding commitments, activities and partners. Over time, it will draw on data from the new DFAT/MFAT humanitarian M&E framework and Relief Tracker, which will enable DFAT to post information and imagery on Australia’s response. (b) encouraging and supporting implementing partners to improve accountability to national governments by providing timely, concise reports. AGREE DFAT considers the sharing of reports by implementing partners with national governments to be a core operating principle. We will continue to encourage and support this practice, with a particular focus on ensuring reporting is timely and concise. HPD will place particular emphasis on ensuring reporting by Australian NGOs is timely, concise and shared with donors and national governments alike when finalising the M&E framework and reporting arrangements for the new AHP. The AHP support unit is expected to provide a key asset for this. DFAT will use existing forums, such as the Pacific Humanitarian Partnership and FRANZ, to encourage all humanitarian partners to share timely, concise reporting with national governments. The importance of continuous feedback loops will be stressed AHP agreement will come into effect in 2017
(b) exploring mechanisms for lengthening and improving the phasing of short term humanitarian deployments and monitoring the results. AGREE DFAT notes the need to also consider staff welfare. DFAT notes that certain CRT roles already have differentiated deployment phases based on their need, i.e. consular needs are often finalised sooner than humanitarian. CMS and HPD will assess options for better phasing of CRT deployments. Where staff can be released early from their regular work areas for 2nd wave deployments, they might spend 1 day in the Humanitarian Operations Centre prior to deployment, as well as have 1-2 days’ crossover with their 1st wave counterpart in-country. CMS and HPD – in consultation with DFAT staff welfare areas – will explore possibilities for extending individual CRT deployments on a case-by-case basis and/or deploying larger teams which could operate at a reduced intensity level and potentially remain in-country for longer. Options for CRT deployment phasing and timing to be considered in 2017.
aligned with the needs and priorities of the Vanuatu Government and people of Vanuatu? Coordination of Australian assistance To what extent was DFAT’s response coordinated with other Australian Government departments and agencies, including the ADF? Connectedness of Australian assistance How did Australian assistance build on previous investments? How did Australian assistance support DRR, preparedness and disaster management? Improvement How could Australian assistance to rapid-onset emergencies in the Pacific region be improved? Informed consent Please note the following in relation to your participation in the interview: Your participation is voluntary.