Pacific Logistics Cluster Pacific Humanitarian Team Workshop Suva, Fiji - October 2011

1. Pacific Logistics Cluster Pacific Humanitarian Team Workshop Suva, Fiji - October 2011

2. Objectives • Strengthen the logistics capability of NDMOs and other humanitarian actors throughout the Pacific. • Focus on Logistics preparedness, readiness and coordination

3. Pacific Logistics Cluster - Background • 2008 • - Set-up oft he PHT, recommendation for Logistics Cluster activation • 2009 • - Scoping mission to determine WFP’s role as a Logistics Cluster lead • - Deployment to Samoa response in support of NDMO • 2010 • - Engagement mission to establish contacts • - Presentation of the project to PHT 2010 missions to initiate Logistics • 2011 • - 3 Logistics Capacity Assessments produced • - Contingency plans prepared in PNG, Vanuatu and Solomons • - 3 Logistics Emergency Response training delivered • - V1 of the Pacific Logistics Cluster Toolkit prepared

4. Lessons Learnt – Samoa 2009 • The logistics meetings provided NDMO with a wider forum for information exchange and planning, which strengthened their overall management and coordination of the disaster response • Issues discussed at the meetings helped to identify gaps in the logistics support structures at a policy level, that will feed into revision of the National Disaster Management Plan • Procedures and guidelines established for the handling of the HMNZS Canterbury. Assisted NDMO in preparing for the arrival of future aid consignments • The role of the Logistics Cluster was not widely understood within the humanitarian community and the region as a whole. It is not simply to be “a provider of last resort” for additional equipment and services • NDMO’s breadth of responsibility for the operational functions of the disaster response placed strain on their overall management of the emergency relief program

5. Countries of focus 2011 • Phase 1: • Papua New Guinea • Solomon Islands • Vanuatu

6. Logistics CapacityAssessments (LCA) Somekeyfindings • Lack of standing arrangements with private logistics providers. • Liaison / Coordination between national and districts/provincial level needs to be improved. • Few suitable maritime and air assets under the authority of the host government – heavy reliance on (foreign) military assets • Limited warehouse capacities outside of main towns • NDMOs have access to limited logistics resources and a lack of experienced dedicated logistics staff • Customs procedures can be time consuming and cumbersome in some instances • Fragmented transport networks and infrastructures limit the volume of operations and concentrate on few major players, thus raising operational costs considerably.

7. Papua New Guinea • Participation of the National Disaster Centre (NDC) to the project was limited due to chronic problems of staff availability and other internal issues undermining the NDC’s capacity. • The country is probably the most exposed to natural disasters of the 3 targeted through this project (including the risk of a major drought in the coming years) but the complexity of the context, political issues and the relative autonomy of some provinces make it challenging to organize and coordinate a response from the central level. • Efforts should be maintained in supporting the NDC, jointly with advocacy at a higher level for more efficient systems..

8. SolomonIslands • Thanks to a strong leadership and a consistent support from central authorities, the Solomon Islands NDMO is well staffed in Honiara and has focal points in the other regions / islands. • Following the “institutionalisation” of the cluster system within the government DM structure, there is a greater awareness in roles and responsibilities of the different actors empowered. Accountability and performance delivery under those new arrangements still need to be evaluated through an actual response to be further improved. • The NDMO also needs to be more inclusive of the humanitarian organisations’ role in the management and decision making in emergency as they contribute largely, together with their donors, to the actual assistance delivered..

9. Vanuatu • The NDMO has undergone significant changing in its structure, being staffed by “civilian” personnel on permanent posting rather than by secondment of police officers. • This shift should bring more stability to the team, thus allowing more sustainability to the different capacity building initiatives in support of the NDMO, which would offer in return perspectives for further development of its capacities. • In addition, the current initiative the establish stronger partnerships under the « VHT » set-up will help support the coordination of a Logistics Group

12. KNOWING IS NOT ENOUGH,WE MUST APPLY, WILLING IS NOT ENOUGH ,WE MUST DO.Thank you

15. 2012 – What’snext? • Next phase in preparation – More consultations to be conducted in coming 2 months – your FEEDBACK is needed. • Maintain a focus on Logistics preparedness and coordination • Further training could be conducted in 2012, with the caveat of lack of dedicated logistics staff across the different agencies (government and NGOs). • Ready-to-use solutions will be offered to overcome the technical deficiencies and ensure that logistics can be mainstreamed within other areas of expertise such as deployable Logistics hubs, etc.

16. For questions & comments Contact : Baptiste Burgaud baptiste.burgaud@wfp.org