Drought Preparedness and Response in the Horn of Africa: An agenda for collective action: Learning the lessons and doing things differently A JOINT RHPT & IAWG MEETING

1^st MARCH 2012, MAYFAIR SOUTHERN SUN HOTEL

BACKGROUND

Chairs of IAWG and RHPT noted the large number of reports and initiatives that have been launched in second half of 2011, analysing the response to the Horn Drought and making recommendations for areas and issues to be addressed collectively by the humanitarian community in order to ensure more effective recovery and disaster preparedness in the aftermath of this crisis, alongside recommendations for better response to future droughts.

These initiatives have included, inter alia:

nter-Agency Horn of Africa Plan of Action (launched in 2010, yet finding new momentum of a result of the current crisis)

- IASC and DEC Real Time Evaluations

- IAWG Resolutions for 2012 and Briefing Note on CC/DRR

- Save/Oxfam Report “A dangerous delay”

- ODI Report “System Failure: Time to reboot”

- FSNWG “ Food for thought on the HoA crisis”

Much of the analysis forthcoming does not necessarily highlight new issues, but rather underlines issues that repeatedly emerge during drought crises, and for which the challenge remains effective implementation.

The start of 2012 represents an opportunity to take stock of lessons learned and propose collective action that can secure progress on implementation of recommendation. The RHPT IAWG, FSNWG therefore proposes the holding of a joint roundtable / workshop, identifying key themes emerging from these reports, and exploring proposals for ways forward.

We would also like to propose that the event could be co-hosted by IGAD - as a key regional partner in managing drought emergencies in the Horn, playing an increasingly strong leadership role on resilience and drought preparedness and with the mandate at the September 2011 Nairobi Conference to coordinate the activities of Member States, and official co-chair of the FSNWG

Outcomes from the workshop should consist of a set of action for follow up from key groups, including RHPT, IAWG, FSNWG, and Horn of Africa Plan of Action.

DRAFT AGENDA

8.45- 9.00: Introduction – Gabriella/Matt

· Purpose of this round table, agenda (20mn) – Fran Equiza (Oxfam Regional Director)

9.00-10.30: Introduction & Report Presentation (World Cafe):

FACILITATOR: Maxine Clayton

- Horn of Africa Plan of Action – Jordi Renart (WFP)

- Oxfam/Save the Children’s Early Warning Late Response Report – Philippa Crosland-Taylor (Oxfam)

- IAWG Resolutions – Matt Croucher (SCF) /Steve McDowell (IFRC)

- IGAD Regional Platform – Mohammed Moussa (IGAD)

- ODI System Failure - Simon Levine (ODI)

- FSNWG Food for Thought – Astrid de Valon (FAO)

10.30-10.45: questions/comments

10.45-11.15: BREAK

11.15-12.30: Risk Management, Early Warning, Early Action and Accountability

- GROUP 1 (Risk Management)

Facilitators: Oxfam (Philippa Crosland Taylor), IGAD (Mohammed Moussa)

(i) What are the biggest impediments to an approach of risk management and what steps can we take to reduce risk aversion (i.e. failure to act on basis of predictions rather than actual crisis) for donors, governments, UN, NGOs and the ICRC movement? How do we develop a common risk management strategy?

Rapporteur: OCHA (Gabriella Waaijman)

- GROUP 2 (Early Warning, Early Action)

Facilitators: Alexandra Crosskey (independent consultant), Kenya Red Cross (IFRC to advise)

(i) How can we undertake more refined (but not prohibitively expensive) collective monitoring and ensure early warning results in early action? What new tools may be required and who should lead? How can we develop a toolbox of early response / ‘no regrets’ interventions to ensure their rapid implementation in response to crisis? What role for drought preparedness?

Rapporteur: Oxfam (Elise Ford)

- GROUP 3 (Accountability)

Facilitators: Massimo Nicoletti Altimari (ECB) and Paul O’Hagan (PFIM)

(ii) What kind of organizational changes we need to have to ensure downward accountability is streamlined across the project cycle management as it is the upward accountability? What are some practical steps necessary at National and Local levels to ensure downward accountability? How can we close the gap between system and people?

Rapporteur: IFRC (Maxine Clayton)

12.30-13.00: Report Back, Key Actions for Follow-up

13.00-14.00: LUNCH

13.45-15.00: Funding, Partnership and Understanding Vulnerability

- GROUP 1 (Funding)

Facilitators: Alastair Fernie (DFID), OCHA (name to be confirmed)

(i) Discussion: What changes in funding mechanisms could help ensure better combined humanitarian/development response, building resilience and more effective action to end drought emergencies? What concrete steps to go ahead? What strategy, who to lead and who to be involved?

Rapporteur: Save (Matt Croucher)

- GROUP 2 (Partnership)

Facilitators: James Onuor (Head of NDMA, Kenyan Government) Jarso Mokku (Northern Aid), Sanda Ojiambo (Safaricom),

(i) Discussion: In a rapidly evolving world, where the role of humanitarian community and government is changing, what partnerships (private sector, non-traditional donors, diaspora groups, etc) should we prioritise that can improve our collective action? What actions should we take to reinforce these partnerships and complement existing initiatives?

N.B. What should we do collectively? Which partnerships do certain organisations have specific added value for?

Rapporteur: Oxfam (Philippa Crosland-Taylor)

- GROUP 3 (Vulnerability, coping mechanism & livelihoods)

Facilitators: Steve McDowell (IFRC), Vanessa Tilstone (REGLAP)

(i) How do we better integrate our understanding of vulnerabilities, coping mechanisms and livelihoods into response decision-making to ensure an effective resilience-building approach? What are the gaps in our knowledge and what practical steps can we take to address this? How can we establish better links between analysis and programming?

Rapporteur: OCHA (Ben Parker)

15.00-15.30: Report Back, Key Actions for Follow-up

15.30-16.00: BREAK

16.00-17.30: Wrap-up

- Conclusion of key recommendation

- Next steps. Representative of (i) RHPT/RTE (ii) IAWG (iii)Horn of Africa Plan of Action (iv) FSNWG (v) IGAD on how outcomes relate to them and how they can contribute to taking forward.

- What does this mean for how the “system” works together more effectively in the future?

17h30: Reception