1. UNDMTP Presentation, Session V: Early Warning Symposium 24 May 2006
Capacity Development for Integrating Early Warning into Planning, Preparedness & Response
UNDMTP Presentation,
Session V: Early Warning Symposium
24 May 2006

2. DMTP Global Meeting February 2006, 88 participants, 33 countries.
Rethinking Capacity Development for Disaster Risk Reduction: Action
Three conceptual underpinnings:
- Hyogo Framework for Action (HFA)
-OECD DAC Network on Governance: The Challenge of Capacity Development: Working Towards Good Practice
-Multi-Stakeholder planning methodology- common ground for action taking.

3. Why Focus on Capacity?
One of the most important elements of aid effectiveness –but remains a challenge.
More than US $15 billion (1/4 of donor aid) spent on “technical cooperation”, most of which dealt with capacity development.
2004 Global Monitoring Report for MDGs-public sector capacity lagged behind all other MDG benchmarks.
CD as a cross-cutting element of the HFA.
Not a new discipline – been part of the development agenda since the 1950s.
Tech cooperation –seen more as a technical process, involving the transfer of know-how from north to south –not enough emphasis on leadership, national commitment-ownership.

4. Key Discussion Points
We know what capacities are needed – “how to do it” in practice is the challenge.
Integration of disaster risk with development and political agendas.
What have we learned from past experience for technical cooperation?
How to make technical assistance more demand driven and not a supply driven business.
Capacity involves skills and organizational performance, as well as incentives and good governance.
Increasingly recognized as important –but difficult to achieve.
Many challenges – now have a better understanding of what they are –including the importance of national ownership and leadership as critical factors.
If country capacity is key to effective integrated early warning system, then country ownership is essential.

5. Integrating Early Warning into Preparedness and Response
Major EWS Challenges –Global Survey
Inadequate political commitment
Weak coordination among the various actors
Lack of public awareness and public participation in the development and operation of early warning systems
Gaps related to equipment, skills and resources.
Weak areas- warning dissemination and preparedness to act.

6. Some Promising Practices
Common frameworks for early warning, risk management, change management and capacity development.
Specialized/ technical as well as cross-cutting capacities.
Capacity issues at three linked levels –enabling environment, organizational, individual/group.
CD as an explicit objective of policies and plans.
Integrated systems and network of systems approach.
Linking training to org and inter-org effectiveness, cross-training.
Harmonized technical cooperation/support.
Local ownership –people centered, multi-stakeholder engagement/processes and accountability.
Shared frameworks –promote common understanding, language around which to talk about something. Not enough to only have the technical –if sustainable capacity and change are what is required –need conceptual framework and principles for those interventions as well.
Generic or cross-cutting capacities – ability to plan, convene multi-stakeholder dialogue, manage organizational change, service improvements.
Technical capacities –risk assessment, planning, public education and awareness, technology.
Systemic factors –relationships between the three levels –clear in the survey and in this meeting that the linkages are there – and the concept of a network of systems.
Enabling Environment – institutional framework, power and structure, legislation, champion, etc.
Organizational level – systems, procedures and rules. Can be across organizations as well –particularly for EW as there is a high need for coordination/interdependence.
Individual Level – experience, knowledge and technical skills.
Country ownership –for integrating EW into national preparedness and response systems –involves a range of actors and different levels – technical and scientific, government decision makers, media, emergency services, security agencies, vulnerable communities. Linked but differentiated approach –if they do not see themselves in the bigger context and understand the whole –hard to foster the linkages.

7. Role of Partner Countries & Donors in Capacity Development
Facilitating access to knowledge
Brokering multi-stakeholders agreements
Participating in policy dialogue & advocacy
Creating space for learning by doing
Providing incremental resources
Capacity development
Technical assistance