An ambitious partnership between the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (DG ECHO) launched today, aiming to be a new model for the humanitarian sector.
The pilot Programmatic Partnership “Accelerating Local Action in Humanitarian and Health Crises” responds to the increasing number of crises arising worldwide. It aims to support local action in addressing humanitarian and health crises across at least 25 countries with a multi-year EU funding allocation.
The partnership strengthens mutual strategic priorities and is built around 5 pillars of intervention: (i) disaster preparedness/risk management; (ii) epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response; (iii) humanitarian assistance and protection to people on the move; (iv) cash and voucher assistance; and (v) risk communication, community engagement and accountability.
Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “I welcome with great hope the Pilot Programmatic Partnership with IFRC, a trusted EU partner who shares our vision of implementing efficient and effective humanitarian aid operations worldwide. The funding allocated for this partnership reaffirms the EU commitment to help meet the growing needs of vulnerable people across some 25 countries, in close cooperation with the Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies. It also confirms our commitment to strategic partnerships with humanitarian aid organisations.”
IFRC Secretary General Jagan Chapagain said: “Not only do we need to urgently respond to the escalation of crises around the world, we also have to modernise our approach. We know that the most effective and sustainable humanitarian support is that funded and delivered based on flexible, long-term and predictable ways of working that put local responders at the heart of building stronger communities, and the pilot Programmatic Partnership allows exactly that”.
The Programme will begin with an inception phase in several countries in Latin America, West and Central Africa and Yemen.
The main objective is to provide essential assistance to those currently affected by humanitarian crises, the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related disasters and conflict, and to prevent loss of lives and suffering.
Investment is also made to ensure communities are better prepared to cope with disasters through the implementation of disaster preparedness and risk reduction components.
Working closely with its National Societies, the IFRC’s global reach combined with local action, its long history of community-driven humanitarian work and its fundamental principles, make it the partner of choice for this Pilot Programmatic Partnership with the EU.
Following the first phase of implementation, the Programme aims to expand its reach and include additional countries around the world with the support of more EU National Societies.
Key facts
The 10 countries of implementation in the inception phase are: Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, Mali, Niger, Yemen, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.
The 7 National Societies from the EU working to support the implementation of the inception phase are: Belgian Red Cross (FR), Danish Red Cross, French Red Cross, German Red Cross, Italian Red Cross, Luxembourg Red Cross and Spanish Red Cross.
Related pages
Details
- Publication date
- 30 March 2022
- Author
- Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)