Bridgetown, Barbados, February 8th, 2016 (CDEMA) - In efforts to further the region’s capacity in providing humanitarian assistance to affected Participating States of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), the region’s institution with responsibility for disaster risk management participated in the second annual meeting of the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week (HNPW).
The event was held under the theme ‘Effective Preparedness and Response’ from February 1st - 4th, 2016 in Geneva, Switzerland. The purpose of the event was to provide a platform for networks and partnerships to explore ways to strengthen their interoperability, and to improve their cooperation in areas of common interest. As co-chairs of the Consultative Group, the Department for International Development (DFID UK) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) led the event.
CDEMA’s representative, Joanne Persad, Programme Manager Preparedness and Response participated in the week’s activities on behalf of the region. She participated in the International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) sessions as the Regional Focal Point.
“Some of the key issues being addressed at the regional level include the development of regional and national search and rescue capacity, the damage assessment and needs analysis (DANA) continuum and building interoperability among national, regional and international networks towards strengthening of the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) managed by the CDEMA”, said Persad.
The HNPW brought operational and service-oriented response and preparedness networks together on the basis of shared, practical challenges that cannot be solved by any singular network or organization. The forum enabled participants to inspire and learn from one another, compelled networks to explore new and innovative approaches to perennial challenges and facilitated the development of collective solutions and the mobilization of shared resources towards these ends.
Building on the success of the first HNPW, the second annual meeting brought together 825 representatives from several emergency preparedness and response networks supported by UNOCHA’s Emergency Services Branch including national institutions, regional organizations, research and academic institutions, NGOs, UN agencies, the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and the private sector.