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Helping Haiti

January 25, 2010

In a catastrophe like the earthquake in Haiti, the demands on rescue logistics are immense. Find survivors, treat the wounded, provide shelter, water and food - coordinating such aid is the job of one UN agency.

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UN trucks loaded with bottled water
International aid has been struggling with logistical problemsImage: AP

"Red Earthquake Alert Haiti" - this short text message on January 12 sparked one of the largest aid operations in United Nations history. Just an hour after the disastrous quake shook Haiti, the UN's Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System alarmed thousands of aid workers around the world.

'Red alert' means that an international humanitarian mission is very likely imminent. Seated at his computer at the Geneva offices of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) that night, Thomas Peter immediately alerted an assessment team, which was ready to leave within six hours.

"They flew to Haiti for a firsthand look at the situation, which gave us a bridgehead on the ground there," he said.

"Mobilizing and sending aid needs to happen as a sort of reflex," said Peter. "The worst thing that can happen is to be turned back at the airport, because you realize that the aid wasn't needed after all. But you don't want to risk miscalculating."

No time to lose

OCHA assessment teams are trained emergency experts who are part of a global pool available at short notice in case of a catastrophe. They are professionals like doctors and geologists and they are among the first to arrive at the scene of a catastrophe.

"They assess the situation and inform the humanitarian organizations about what is needed. They establish an assessment center - over the next few days of the operation, everything develops from there," said OCHA spokeswoman Elisabeth Byrs.

U.S. Army soldiers unloading food and supplies from a U.S. helicopter
The US military operates the airport in Port-au-PrinceImage: AP

In Haiti, several UN agencies were already present, so coordination there was not a problem. And while cooperation with independent relief groups has improved, Thomas Peter has made it clear that they really should coordinate with the UN.

The airport in Port-au-Prince, currently operated by the US military, is too small for the stream of incoming aid planes. "While planes are being unloaded, others have to turn back or circle. That makes for a lot of frustration," Peter said.

In view of the many Haitian and international helpers who are working to the point of exhaustion, OCHA spokeswoman Byrs has rejected complaints that the aid for Haiti was too late and too uncoordinated.

"It is impossible," she said, "to establish a relief operation of this magnitude overnight."

Author: Claudia Witte (db)
Editor: Rob Turner

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