Organization of American States Meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security

1. Organization of American States Meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security Washington, 23 October 2007 Latin America & the Caribbean Forging Partnerships in Preparing for and Responding to Natural Disaster in Latin America & the Caribbean Delivered by: Gordana JergerDeputy Regional DirectorUnited Nations World Food ProgrammeLatin America and the Caribbean Regional Bureau

2. Forging Partnerships in Preparing for and Responding to Natural Disaster in Latin America & the Caribbean About WFP WFP in Latin America Emergency Preparedness and Response OAS & WFP- Forging Partnership • Analysis and Knowledge on Disaster Reduction, Mitigation and Management / Emerging Issues – Contribution to Public Policies • Operational Preparedness: EPR Knowledge, Capacities and Systems Development • Operational Coordination and Support in Disaster Response

3. WFP at a Glance • WFP is the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against global hunger and the largest humanitarian agency worldwide • Founded in 1963; Governed by an Executive Board, consisting of 36 Member States of the United Nations and FAO • Relies entirely on voluntary contributions • Decentralized structure: some 80 country offices, 6 Regional Bureaux, 9 liaison offices, 5 support offices and HQ in Rome • Double mandate - operations aim to: meet emergency needs support economic & social development • WFP works to put hunger at the centre of the international agenda, promoting policies, strategies and operations that directly benefit the poor and hungry

4. The Reality of Hunger • Over 850 million people worldwide face hunger, more than the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union combined • Over 52 million people suffer from hunger and undernutrition in LAC • Hunger and undernutrition are the main cause of mortality in the region • Natural and man-made disasters perpetuate the intergenerational hunger cycle

5. WFP’s Strategic Objectives • Save lives in crisis situations, protect livelihoods and enhance resilience to shocks • Support the improved nutrition and health status of children, mothers and other vulnerable people • Support access to education and reduce gender disparity in access to education and skills training • Strengthen countries and regions capacities to establish and manage food-assistance and hunger reduction / eradication programmes

6. Programme Categories • WFP operates through various four “programme categories”: • Emergency Operations (EMOP) • Protracted Relief and Recovery Operations (PRRO) • Development Operations (Development Projects and Country Programmes) • Special Operations • All WFP operations are funded on a voluntary basis

7. WFP in Figures, 2006 • Operational activities in 78 countries • 88 million beneficiaries including 59 million children • Of these, 64 million beneficiaries in emergency and recovery operations • Total expenditure: US$ 2.9 billion • A total of 4 million metric tons of food delivered by land, sea & air • Total number of employees: 12,000 • 3,200 international and local NGOs partners

8. WFP in Latin America & the Caribbean • Field network • 12 country offices • 33 sub-offices • over 1,000 partners incl. national and local counterparts • 6 million beneficiaries on average / year • Regional Bureau in Panama

9. Strategic Focus in LAC • TWO MAIN PILLARS: • Advocacy and Support to Governments in Eradicating Child Chronic Undernutrition (i.e. the hunger side of Millennium Development Goal 1) • Disaster Preparedness and Response- enhancing resilience through capacity development efforts and initiatives at the national and regional level • The impact of disasters compounds the pre-existent vulnerability, perpetuating the cycle of hunger and food insecurity • Cross-cutting aspects • Strategic alliances with national and regional institutions and international organizations (OAS, SICA, CDERA, ISDR, UN, OPS, AGCI, White Helmets) • Public policy development and standard setting initiatives • Emphasis on institutional capacity development at local, national &regional level

10. WFP’s Areas of Excellence in Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) in LAC • Extensive presence at field level (knowledge of local context) • Public policies on food security and nutrition • At the heart of the UN System in emergencies • Food security analysis and nutritional surveillance systems • Vulnerability analysis and risk mapping (VAM) • Early warning, contingency planning, operational response • Logistics management and coordination • Development of innovative IM systems

11. UN Humanitarian Response Depots (UNHRD) and LACERN Network BRINDISI DUBAI PANAMA MALAYSIA El Salvador Barbados GHANA Ecuador LACERN Latin America and the Caribbean Emergency Response Network

12. Logistics Support Hurricane Dean - Aug 07 WFP Strengthening Capacities in EPR EFSA Training Warehouse and Commodity Management Training Central America Preparedness Workshop EFSA Training Needs Assessment Hurricane Stan - Oct 05 EFSA Training EFSA training Warehouse and Commodity Management Training Logistics Support & Needs Assessment Hurricane Felix - Aug 07 EFSA Training Logistics Support Floods - Feb 05 Assessment Support Floods - Nov 06 EFSA Training Logistics Support Floods - May 06 Needs Assessment Frosts in Highlands - Aug 07 Logistics Support & Assessment Earthquake – Aug 07 Food Security and Nutritional Surveillance Workshop Logistics Support Floods – May 07 EFSA Training Logistics Support Floods - Dec 06 EPR Capacity Development Activities & Emergency Preparedness and Response,2005-2007

13. WFP’s Responses to Natural Disasters LAC, 2005- 2007

14. Recent Response Operations in support to LAC Countries Functioning hubs and triangular cooperation HURRICANE DEANAUGUST 2007 HURRICANE FELIXSEPTEMBER 2007 PERUVIAN EARTHQUAKE AUGUST 2007 Support to Latest Emergencies: Hubs Activated, Governments Engaged, Roster Staff Deployed

16. OAS & WFP - Areas of Potential Collaboration in EPR • Analysis and Knowledge on Disaster Reduction, Mitigation and Management / Emerging Issues – Contribution to Public Policies • Disaster Risk Reduction and Mitigation • Disaster Preparedness and Response in Emergencies • Food and Nutritional Security in Emergencies • Climate Change Issues

17. OAS & WFP - Areas of Potential Collaboration in EPR 2. Operational Preparedness: EPR Knowledge, Capacities and Systems Development • Disaster Early Warning Systems • Contingency and Operational Planning • Logistics Capacity Assessments • Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (VAM) • Food and Nutrition Monitoring Systems • Hazard and Risk Mapping systems and services • Emergency Needs Assessments • Information Management • Training, Capacity building, Simulations and Best practice

18. OAS & WFP - Areas of Potential Collaboration in EPR 3. Operational Coordination and Support in Disaster Response • Emergency and Recovery Needs Assessments • Food Security Emergency Response and Rehabilitation Operations • Logistics Coordination and Commodity Tracking (Food and Non-Food) • Information Management • Civil-Military Interface, Support and Coordination

19. Organization of American States Meeting of the Committee on Hemispheric Security Washington, 23 October 2007 Latin America & the Caribbean Forging Partnerships in Preparing for and Responding to Natural Disaster in Latin America & the Caribbean Delivered by: Gordana JergerDeputy Regional DirectorUnited Nations World Food ProgrammeLatin America and the Caribbean Regional Bureau