Conclusions and Recommendations
1. The
Department were successful in responding rapidly and effectively
to the Tsunami disaster on 26 December 2004. The Department's
emergency response team, which remains on continuous stand-by,
was able to respond quickly to news of the disaster and to take
action with partner organisations such as the Red Cross to airlift
supplies to the affected areas. The Department should seek to
share their techniques for achieving an effective needs-based
response with others in the international community e.g. Governments,
Non-Governmental Organisations and Charities.
2. The
Department adopted a structured approach to the selection of partners,
and provided funds to many well-recognised aid organisations that
they work with on a regular basis. Developing a broader capacity
base in the humanitarian relief sector would provide the Department
with a wider choice of partners to work with in the future and
could enable them to deliver an even better level of humanitarian
assistance.
3. The
process of co-ordination of relief efforts between the Department
and the Ministry of Defence could be more systematic. Military
assets can provide valuable assistance in emergencies, and the
Department recognise that they and the Ministry of Defence need
to develop a more systematic framework for co-ordination and working
together. The two departments should now set a firm timetable
for agreeing such a framework, so that it might be in place before
another humanitarian emergency occurs.
4. The
public in the UK were generous in donating money and items to
tsunami disaster appeals, but the items donated could not always
be used. Over £300 million was raised by the Disasters Emergency
Committee. Other items, such as tents and blankets, were also
donated. Advice on how best to provide assistance for disaster
relief is available from Global Hand's website and the Disasters
Emergency Committee, but the Department, with the voluntary sector,
should publicise that advice more widely to enable the public
to make more appropriate donations.
5. Over
£50 million in project grants were made to third parties
such as United Nations agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations
(NGOs), but 16 months after the disaster some £9 million
had still to be spent by recipients. Until final accounts are
rendered by grant recipients no audit can be undertaken, and without
audited accounts there can be no independent assurance that moneys
provided by the UK taxpayer were used for the purposes for which
they were provided. The Department needs to obtain audited figures
from grant recipients for grants provided, and to recover unspent
balances where appropriate.
6. The
UN humanitarian aid system needs to be strengthened particularly
in the areas of leadership and co-ordination. The Department have
put forward an eight-point plan aimed at improving the system.
Some progress has been made in implementing this plan, in particular
with the development of a UN Response Fund. The Department need
to continue working with bodies such as other Governments, NGOs,
and voluntary organisations in the international community to
raise awareness of their proposals and so to influence the implementation
of beneficial change.
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