Summary
Content
Due to the increased humanitarian logistics co-ordination demands resulting from persistent insecurity, the deployment of a Multi-National Force (MNF), a planned peace-keeping mission, and common humanitarian transport services being introduced in country by WFP, the UNCT recently met and agreed to recommend the deployment of a UNJLC Team for coordinating humanitarian logistics operations in Haiti for a three-month period, beginning mid-April.
The UNJLC Team would consist of two experienced Officers and would assist the UNCT by providing expert advice on logistics planning and related information management, and de-confliction/movement coordination with the MNF and later PKO. Given its small size, the Team would be attached to the WFP office and report to the UNCT through the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC). The Core UNJLC Unit in Rome will support the UNJLC team and launch a dedicated UNJLC/Haiti web page for disseminating relevant information.
The essential role for the UNJLC Team would be to:
- Establish appropriate in-country logistics co-ordination mechanisms.
- Collectand analyse information on humanitarian logistics operations.
- Assess available logistics capacity, including warehouses and trucks, in the areas of operation.
- Anticipate possible bottlenecks and advise on how to resolve these bottlenecks.
- Coordinate and disseminate information on logistics movements.
- Make WFP spare sea transport and trucking capacity available to other UN/NGO and prioritise such use.
- Compile and disseminate logistics data, including any technical assessments.
After the initial relief phase, as humanitarian activities re-focus on rehabilitation, the UNJLC Team will endeavour to leave in place a viable and suitable inter-agency humanitarian logistics coordination structure at each level of operation. Any possible extension beyhond the initial three month period would be duly deliberated by the UNCT and would depend on the level of humanitarian logistics support required at that stage.