Description of project

Haiti’s earthquake hit the country on the 12th of January. The following day, the Head of the Spanish Cooperation’s (AECID) Humanitarian Office contacted DARA to receive its support for the international emergency response. Spain in the context of the EU Presidency has a responsibility and role in facilitating the EU humanitarian coordination for the response. To assist this process, DARA deployed a team of senior experts to provide technical support and help define measures that would provide for an efficient coordination among Member States, the EC and the UN system and help provide a common understanding of the needs and policies and approaches for the response.

The main objective of the TA is therefore to provide inputs to the EU Spanish Presidency on the coordination and first response both in the initial humanitarian phase and in preparation for the reconstruction phase.

The Technical Assistance has involved the following:

• Technical support to the Spanish Cooperation

• Input for the international conference on the reconstruction of Haiti held on January 25 in Montreal

• Input for COHAFA (Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and Food Aid)

• Guides on coordination

• Liaison with the UN, particularly with OCHA

• Liaison/and consultation with donors, especially with European donors

• Review of materials on needs assessments

• Guidance on prioritization

• Early recovery planning

• Support to EU Member States

• Organisation of field visits

• Review of Shelter/host family policies

• Review of assessments

• Review of ECHO and OCHA’s set up summary

Deliverables

The team has delivered the following products to the Spanish Cooperation in a sole compiled report:

• An expanded note for COHAFA including analysis per sector/cluster

• General recommendations for Spain on Haiti

• Specific recommendations based on the OCHA/ACAPS needs assessment

• Note on priorities for the Spain and the EU in the reconstruction phase