Dubai International Humanitarian Aid and Development Conference and Exhibition (DIHAD)

SESSION1: Disaster Reduction and Preparedness – opportunities

Speech by Dr Florika Fink-Hooijer

Director Strategy, Policy and International Cooperation

Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (DG ECHO)

European Commission

It is a real pleasure to be back at the DIHAD the more as it allows for the first international exchange after the conclusion of last week's World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai. It is a privilege to outline the EU's position and I like to use this occasion to pay tribute to Margaret's (Wahlstrom) leadership that steered us to the agreement on the Sendai Framework. This is a fantastic achievement - but after the match is before the match - and now we have collectively to look how best to roll out the Framework and implement the targets.

I will present some key points illustrating the importance that the EU attaches to preparedness and resilience, our approach and lessons learned so far. The EU is making progress in helping vulnerable populations avoid disaster losses, build local capacities and respond faster and more effectively.

Risks are growing faster than our capacities to manage them. Disasters and humanitarian needs are increasing as a result of climate change, globalisation, population growth, increasing inequality, political dynamics, conflict and fragility. Between 2004 and 2013 inter-agency humanitarian appeals grew by 430 per cent (OCHA, 2013).

DRR and Resilience must also be seen as a development priority – without it poverty alleviation, economic progress and fragility will prove illusionary. Yet only 6% of humanitarian assistance is allocated to DRR – even less from development funding.

There is no excuse for not doing more. We know that integrating risk management into development and an early humanitarian response is cost effective. Every euro invested in disaster risk reduction saves between four and seven euros in disaster response. DRR reduces otherwise avoidable suffering and losses.

The EU is committed to changing this unsustainable situation – leading by example, developing good practice and working closely with others.

Sendai, the climate and sustainable development negotiations and the World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) provide a once in a lifetime opportunity to make real and necessary changes.

The EU will continue to play a leading role advancing the DRR and Resilience agenda:

DRR is now a core part of all DG ECHO programmes. In 2014, over 13% of DG ECHO's humanitarian funding went to DRR activities. More than 48% of all DG ECHO-funded projects include DRR activities. DG ECHO's DRR funding reached approximately 16 million people.

With the EU Civil Protection Mechanism ECHO supports rapid disaster response as well as disaster prevention and preparedness activities, both in Europe and globally. The Mechanism brings together 28 EU Member States plus three neighbouring countries (Norway, Iceland and fYROM).

Any country in the world can call on the Mechanism when its own capacities are overwhelmed.The Mechanism capacities are extensive. They include standardised modules that can be dispatched at very short notice (within 12 hours), for example Urban Search and Rescue (USAR), water purification, and field hospitals. Other available support includes early warning systems and innovative technologies. The Global Disaster Alerts and Coordination System (GDACS) was developed by the Commission's Joint Research Centre and is used by the EU and the UN.

We have also launched the EU Aid Volunteers initiative that will allow Europeans eager to help to contribute to humanitarian projects in the countries where assistance is needed. By 2020, 4000 volunteers will be deployed by humanitarian organisations in projects world-wide.

But DRR alone is not enough – we need to build resilience to all shocks and stresses – and address underlying reasons for vulnerability.

The EU is placing resilience as a central objective of all development and humanitarian assistance:

Progress and practical results are already visible: the resilience agenda at EU level – started in 2012 - is now a mechanism for improved aid effectiveness; risk informed programming, flexibility and heightened accountability to vulnerable populations.

On the development policy side, the ECU is mobilising and refocusing programmes. We are working more closely together to target our assistance at the most vulnerable – to reduce underlying causes of vulnerability through the provision of basic services and strengthening livelihoods– and to build local capacities to manage risks.

Examples include the co-operation of EU, Member States, other donors and stakeholders in support of national resilience strategies in the Sahel and the Horn of Africa (AGIR and SHARE). Similar co-ordinated joint EU resilience approaches are underway elsewhere for example in Mali, CAR, Bangladesh, South Sudan and Nepal.

Our support to climate change adaptation includes over 45 programmes in 35 countries (under the Global Climate Change Alliance) also develops DRR capacities. 3 new ACP-EU Programmes for Disaster Resilience have been launched in the Pacific the CARIFORUM; and in Sub-Saharan Africa.

At the beginning of the year ECHO introduced a "resilience marker" to ensure that allour humanitarian projects systematically include options to reduce future risk and humanitarian needs.

The EU will generate good practice, capture good practice and share it with others:

At Sendai we launched the Resilience Compendium – 29 practical examples of DRR and Resilience by the EU, by governments, other donors, agencies, civil society organisations (CSOs) and vulnerable communities.

Practical examples – Resilience and DRR

Oxfam example Niger:

In Niger, Oxfam – an ECHO partner - is helping vulnerable populations to avoid disaster losses by building local capacities and responding faster and more effectively.

DRR is a part of a multi-sector approach whereby all Oxfam projects – for food security, emergency response, education, wash, governance and gender – are concentrated in the same few villages.

Achievements: This integrated approach has led to a 40% increase in incomes, improved dietary diversity, increased food security and access to clean water. These communities are less vulnerable to the next shock – but when they come they are also better prepared.

JICA example Kenya:

In Kenya, ECHO has worked closely with JICA – to build food security and improve local risk management of drought affected communities. Recognising that women are powerful agents of change our programmes deliberately address, and are adapted to, women's specific needs and vulnerabilities.

In Kenya, JICA developed alternative livelihood options for women to help them withstand the shocks of droughtwithout needing external support. Activities included technical training, village community banking and marketing support for local products such as salt and honey protection.

The EU is at the forefront of initiatives to build the evidence base for effective risk management, for instance through the development of a common, transparent science-based humanitarian risk index (InfoRM) that aims at harmonizing disaster risk management across humanitarian actors.

Summary:

We face a huge challenge. More investments for preparedness and risk reduction are required. DRR must be seen as a development priority and a development responsibility.

Governments must take more responsibility and be helped to do so.We need to do more to support national and local resilience strategies and to build local technical capacities.

We have a unique opportunity -Sendai was a first step.

It is vital that resilience and disaster risk reduction are integrated and linked to the ongoing sustainable development and climate change negotiations due to culminate with the World Humanitarian Summit in 2016.

Addressing disaster risk reduction is a global challenge which requires collective responsibility and action. The EU is ready to play its full part in such a new global partnership, together with all stakeholders, including civil society and the private sector.

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