Leading logistics companies and the United Nations World Food Programme will meet in Copenhagen on July 1st and 2nd, to discuss new support strategies aimed at strengthening the global humanitarian response to emergencies.
Hosted at the Maersk Group headquarters, the two-day gathering comes at a time when the world faces an unprecedented number of emergencies, and cooperation between the private sector and the humanitarian community is recognized as being instrumental in increasing the effectiveness of humanitarian assistance to crisis-affected countries.
According to Wolfgang Herbinger, Director of WFP’s Logistics Division, the humanitarian community is under more pressure than ever. “Disasters strike more often and they last longer,” Herbinger says. “The international humanitarian community is strong, but the resources available cannot keep up with rapidly escalating disasters. New types of support are needed and innovative partnerships with private companies can provide essential back-up for the strained humanitarian community.”
When disasters strike, the Maersk Group, Agility and UPS, support the humanitarian community with lifesaving logistics solutions in collaboration with WFP, lead agency of the Logistics Cluster. These companies are joining forces under a partnership called Logistics Emergency Teams (LET), facilitated by the World Economic Forum in 2005 with the purpose of bringing key resources, global networks, and expertise into play where they are most needed.
“Last year, when the Ebola-affected countries were at risk of total isolation from the world, LET partners stepped in to provide essential support,” explains Anne Poulsen, Director of WFP’s Nordic Office. “Maersk kept its shipping routes open, and supported ocean transport of Ebola response relief items coming from all over the world, to the affected countries. Meanwhile, UPS supported ground handling for airlifts of urgently required medicines and protective equipment. Right now instead, Agility is helping WFP in Nepal with the import of essential relief materials, ensuring they reach affected communities promptly.”
“We take social responsibility seriously in the countries in which we operate, and when disasters hit, we can provide support through our logistics expertise and global network,” adds Annette Strube, Head of Group Sustainability at Maersk Group. “The LET partnership ensures that our expertise is used where the need is greatest and where it can add the most value to the disaster response. When the Ebola-affected countries last year were at risk of isolation, we were able to ensure that trade and normal business activities, as well as the delivery of urgently needed relief supplies, could continue. That effort supported the affected countries, helped diminish the effect of the crisis on our own business as well as supported our long-term engagement in these countries.”
When LET partners meet with WFP in July, they will not only evaluate the results of their partnership so far, but also develop new ways of moving forward together.
“These new and innovative partnerships are critically needed for the humanitarian community to meet the challenges posed by the high number of complex disasters, and at the same time, to ensure that we effectively save lives when the next disaster hits. We are looking forward to the meeting and fruitful discussions in Copenhagen,” says Wolfgang Herbinger.