INFORM Index for Risk Management

INFORM Index for Risk Management

Meeting Summary
Reference Group on Risk, Early Warning and Preparedness

Date: 22 March 2017 (15:00-17:00pm)
Venue: UNHCR, Geneva, Room MBT02 + Bridge
Co-Chairs:UNDP (Patrick Grémillet) – WFP (Anthony Craig)
Click here to access the webpage for the meeting
Agenda:
Status update on individual work streams as per TOR
Risk Analysis, Early Warning, Early Action
INFORM
SOP for ENSO (El Niño) events
Preparedness Approaches, in particular the ERP
Simulation
The Case for Preparedness
Participating Agencies / Organizations:
CARE international
FAO
HelpAge
Interaction
IOM
GPP / Star network
UNFPA
UNITAR
UNHCR
UNICEF / UNDP
UNOCHA
WHO
WMO
World Bank
WFP
Supporting Documentation (online)
IASC RG Progress Report 2017
ENSO SOPs: Restructured Outline and key parameters Draft
Decisions
Next meeting will be held in June 2017 after the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction on the 22-26 May 2017.
Key discussion points:
Status update on individual work streams as per TOR
Risk Analysis, Early Warning, Early Action Work stream
  • INFORM – Index for Risk Management
  • Global INFORM results + analysis report produced for 2017.
  • INFORM is exploring the possibility of adding information on epidemic risks.
  • A category to describe severity has been added and a prototype will be shared in the next few weeks.
  • The implementation of the INFORM Subnational Roll-out project in selected at-risk countries is ongoing. The INFORM Subnational risk index shows a detailed picture of risk and its components that is comparable across a single region or country. Past INFORM Subnational models include: INFORM Sahel, INFORM Greater Horn of Africa, INFORM Latin America and Caribbean, INFORM LebanonandINFORM Colombia.
  • Early Warning, Early Action and Readiness Analysis (Sub-group)
  • EW subgroup holds regular network consultations. An inter-agency group of early warning analysts is established, drawn from the following IASC partners: ACAPS, FAO, IOM, OCHA, OHCHR, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO. The group is not exclusive and welcomes participants from the full range of humanitarian actors noting that the analysis is from an independent humanitarian perspective. There have been suggestions from group members to widen membership to include more NGOs, noting the EDG’s diverse composition.
  • May 2017 EWEA Analysis. WFP continues to facilitate the EWEA analytical process. Risk assessments are generated from across the EW analysts’ group, with OCHA leading on production of the preparedness assessments and WFP compiling the analysis.
  • The presentation of the analysis is planned to be done by 22 May 2017
  • The presentation and branding of the next EWEA Analysis will be developed and reviewed, in line with client requirements.The analysis and preparedness information will remain as before, but the co-Chairs have proposed that the final product is a non-formal input for EDG discussion, with a clearer disclaimer in the introduction. For review through production of the next EWEA Analysis, but in discussions with the EW analysts’ group it was noted that:
  • The Analysis serves a number of other clients, and downgrading the product’s branding risks a loss of advocacy and wider utility – at a time when the Reference Group’s intention is to increase non-UN agency participation in the risk assessment process and in developing the analysis.
  • Removal of IASC branding raises broader questions on how such investments into inter-agency work can be used for fund raising and accountability.
  • Note from Chair – the current analysis and outcome is internal and designed to be from a wide variety of humanitarian entities.
  • When the results of the analysis are presented, suggested actions will be included, and ideally indicative cost-requirements explored.
  • Slow Onset Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for ENSO
  • IASC partners are currently developing a set of El Nino/La Nina Early ActionStandard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to help catalyze and guide future responses.
  • The SOP draft was shared in December 2016
  • The current ENSO forecast is alarming, thus making at least the adoption for the SOP testing rather urgent
  • Outline finalized end of April 2017
  • Multi-Hazard Early Warning
  • The upcoming Multi-Hazard Early Warning Conference, 22-23 May 2017 at Cancun, Mexico, aims to demonstrate to countries how they can build, improve the availability of, and their communities’ access to, multi-hazard early warning, risk information and assessment.
  • The Conference will discuss how to address key gaps such as faster and broader dissemination of warnings and the quality of the information provided to those at risk at the “last mile”, through capacity development, operational support and improved coordination and governance.
  • The Conference provides detailed background to the Global Platform Early Warning Session to be held on the 24 May 2017.
  • The Multi-Hazard Participation at the Conference is limited, and by invitation only, due to space constraints. Interested participants can contact the organizers through the Conference email: . The Conference website is
  • CREWS
  • CREWS is now operational with two of its implementing partners, World Bank/GFDRR and WMO working with the Governments of Burkina Faso, Mali and the Pacific region.
  • CREWS is also working upstream to assist countries establish metrics for effective early warning investments.
Preparedness Approaches, in particular the Emergency Response Preparedness (ERP)
  • Meeting on a monthly basis
  • Online tool has been launched
  • Tracking 85 countries, 55 countries implemented ERP
  • Mission support - Somalia: 8 subnational workshops identifying key actions
See also the ERP webpage
Simulation
  • G20 Health Ministers health emergency simulation exercise
  • German as through its current Presidency of the G20 has included the issue of global health (including health crisis management) on the G20 agenda for 2017.
  • A Health Minsters health emergency simulation exercise will take place in Berlin on 19-20 May 2017
  • The design and facilitation of the exercise is being led by German MoH, GiZ and the Robert Koch Institute with support from WHO and WB.
  • The exercise will focus on how to leverage support from the G20 around 5 specific aspects; timely communication and reporting of health emergencies, collaboration to investigate and verify outbreak events, coordination of an international response, compliance with IHR/WHO recommendations during a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and long terms contributions to preparedness and response.
  • IASC L3 Protocol for Infectious Disease Events simulation exercise
  • At its meeting in December 2016, the IASC Principals endorsed the Level 3 (L3) Activation Procedures for Infectious Disease Events and agreed that a simulation exercise should take place in 2017 in order to validate and familiarise key stakeholders of their specific roles and responsibilities.
  • On 9 March, the IASC Secretariat circulated to all IASC agencies the concept paper (see attached) for the proposed L3 health emergency exercises (H2E).
  • As part of an IASC process, WHO has agreed to take the lead in forming and chairing an inter-agency exercise team which will be responsible for the design and facilitation of the H2E.
  • Agencies were requested to submit their nominations for the exercise team by 15 March 2017.
  • As first meeting of the H2E team is planned for the week beginning 3 April 2017.
The Case for Preparedness
  • Return on Investment Study (RoI)
  • For the first phase of the project conducted with BCG, an evaluation in 3 countries Chad, Madagascar, Pakistan provided compelling evidence that taking early action is more efficient than responding after an event: The key findings in the 1st phase were that
  • 64% of preparedness investments saved both costs and time
  • 75% of investments demonstrated significant cost savings
  • 93% of investments saved time
  • The model is being used in a second phase in Myanmar, Uganda and Niger:The second phase conducted with the PricewaterhouseCoopers involved 4 agencies (UNICEF, UNHCR, and WFP&UNOCHA), the approach is similar but with a wider field of analysis
  • Final results and wrap up research issued in January 2017, IASC RG to circulate final report in the coming days.
  • DFID has invited an interagency proposal on how to pre-finance humanitarian action in high risk contexts. Discussions are ongoing to decide on the type of financing instruments that would work best among a variety of stakeholders.

Action points / Responsibility / Timeline
1 / Explore costing models as per Work Plan including the possibility of cost sharing to ensure inclusion of suggested concrete actions to the EDG / Co-Chairs WFP & UNDP / By end of May
2 / Share ROI results / UNICEF / End of April
3 / IASC L3 Protocol for Infectious Disease Events simulation exercise:
Agencies were requested to submit their nominations for the exercise team by 15 March 2017. / All / March
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