SWC INGO Coordination meeting
news_date: 30 April 2015 Venue: SWC Meeting Hall
Brief notes
Presence: Former Deputy PM Sujata Koirala, Social Development advisor to PM Dr. Bijan Pant, Administrative Advisor to PM Baburam Acharya, Secretary Ministry of Women Children & Social Welfare Ganesh Tamang, SWC Member Secretary Ravindra Kumar and Director Madan Rimal and other SWC Directors
150 Plus INGOs and International Agencies
The meeting was called by SWC to discuss on coordination and collaboration for Earthquake Relief, to learn about INGO efforts and challenges, Government plans and expectations from INGOs.
INGO Concerns and Issues:
1. INGOs keen to work together with government to optimize impact on response yet there are many hurdles. Lot of supplies and support coming out of country hence need to cut Red Tapism to maximize efficiency.
2. Security Issue: Safe disbursement of relief materials. Incnews_idence of looting materials before reaching the victim's site. Request to create easy way for access, if possible support from military and police. If possible create a Central coordination desk, access to army transportation, vehicles and drivers.
3. Do INGOs need to do Project Agreement with SWC for Response and Relief work?
4. What happens to new INGOs who have just come to do relief work and who does not have any PAs done with SWC?
5. Visa issue for Experts coming from abroad, request to treat them differently than the normal cases
6. What are the provisions for Organizations importing semi permanent housing materials for relief?
7. Though there is cash there is limited supply of immediate relief materials in the market
8. INGOs facing problems and hassles in custom clearance
9. Lack of helicopters to dispatch relief packages (waiting since three days). Though the materials are there no proper transportation system
10. Give flexibility to INGOs who are ready to expand their work for relief apart from their regular work
11. Government need to help in facilitating for quick distribution of immediate need supplies in districts, stock coordination and collaboration
11. Government should giver certain gunews_idance and play instrumental role
12. INGOs are already in the ground but CDOs are not responding properly nor cooperating (they never call back). District Disaster Management Committee hard to connect. Nuwakot hard to connect
SWC/Government: views/expectations:
1. AIN should show strength as a network, INGOs should do more than the regular business to reach out to more. INGO should handle and manage their relief work effectively, go hand in hand with the government
2. Government accepts Security as a big challenge, management and coordination has been a huge issue but they are doing their best. Government has opened Emergency Relief Centre and INGOs can connect directly, INGOs can request for Military and Police Escort for safe deployment of consignments.
3. SWC informed that there is NO NEED to do Project agreement for immediate Relief and Rescue work, INGOs can go directly to the CDO office in the districts and later share the information with SWC. But for long term Rehabilitation work INGOs need to take approval from SWC.
4. The CDOs have been leading in every Earth Quake hit districts. Apply one door policy and do not overlap your programs/relief interventions. Go to Government prioritized area. Do not channel political parties to do relief work but go through CDOs. The CDOs are experiencing this for the first time hence they need to be pushed in case they do not act timely.
5. Government has some limitations for giving tax exemption and duty free to all items but certain Relief items and equipments have been made duty free (flat cabinet decision). Organization should have proper documents an Invoice and Donation letter to have easy access through the Airport customs.
6. Government assured to show flexibility. For tax exemption INGOs can go through the fast track with the help of Shiva Basnet and Bhagwati at SWC. For overall coordination for Rescue and relief contact Subhadra Dahal and for NGO coordination contact Sanjay Mallik.
7. There is helpdesk in Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Health and Population
8. There are only 15 Helicopters and only 13 are functional. All are booked and being used by various channels for relief hence it has been difficult
9. For CARGO Management contact: Bansi Acharya (Cell not provnews_ided)
10. Requested to help victims in hospitals, who have delivered babies and for reaching home safely within 2 days so that there would be space for new patients. Some government and private hospitals are in need of doctors
11. Urged INGOs to share with SWC who is doing where and what and how much. SWC has developed a format through which INGOs could fill in information about their relief and rescue work. Format is available in SWC website. A taskforce has been formed at SWC to coordinate INGO relief work. SWC is planning to take care of homeless and orphaned children as well as the aging people. They are making long term plans for rehabilitation of victims
12. Requested INGOs to keep their landline phones or any mobile number reachable so that it would be easy for SWC to contact whenever they need
13. Decision are yet to be made for expat volunteers who come for relief work but not mentioned in PAs
14. Government is ready to make a Relief and Rescue Coordination committee comprising of INGOs, SWC and related Ministries if required.
15. PM's Social Advisor Dr. Bijan Pant also assured that AIN would be invited in the next emergency meeting being held in Singhadurbar
Important contact numbers:
• PAFC Coordinator Narayan Prasad Kafle: 9841518852
• Under Secretary Laxmi Narayan 9841252625
• PM's Administrative Advisor, Baburam Acharya: 9851003374