OCHA - CDEMA Joint Interoperability Manual Interoperability in Action Lessons Learned What you Need to Know Case Studies Gender Matters Remember Disclaimer: This is a first version of the OCHA-CDEMA Joint Interoperability Manual. It is a working draft which is to be finalized after the After Action Review from Hurricane Dorian as well as the Review of the Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) have been completed, and following the approval of the document by both CDEMA and OCHA. A second version of the manual will be produced after the 2020 hurricane season. The information in this Manual has been sourced from existing CDEMA, OCHA and IASC documents. All external sources used have been appropriately cited. This document covers humanitarian aid activities implemented through the project “Strengthen integrated and cohesive preparedness capacity at a regional, national and community level in the Caribbean”. This project is a joint initiative with the Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the United Nations Develop- ment Programme (UNDP), the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) and the Interna- tional Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). Financial assistance was provided by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO). This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union (EU). The views expressed herein should not be taken, in any way, to reflect the official opinion of any of the partners involved in this project, nor the EU. Neither the partners, nor the EU are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained in this document. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................1 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................5 SECTION 2: CDEMA AND OCHA: WORKING TOGETHER ...........................................................................................9 SECTION 3: CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA) ......................................13 a. CDEMA’s mandate ...................................................................................................................................13 b. CDEMA governance mechanism ............................................................................................................13 i. The Council ...............................................................................................................................................13 ii. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) ..............................................................................................14 iii. Coordinating Unit (CU) .............................................................................................................................14 c. Basic principles of the Regional Disaster Response Support Doctrine (RDRSD) .....................................14 d. Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) ..........................................................................................15 SECTION 4: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (OCHA) .......................................16 a. OCHA’s mandate ..........................................................................................................................................16 b. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) ...........................................................................................17 c. Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) ..........................................................................................................17 d. Humanitarian principles ..............................................................................................................................18 e. OCHA Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OCHA ROLAC) ..........................................19 SECTION 5: KEY REGIONAL FORUMS AND PARTNERS ..........................................................................................20 a. National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs) .........................................................................20 b. United Nations agencies .............................................................................................................................20 c. International Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement .................................................................21 d. The Regional Group for Risk, Emergencies and Disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC) ............................................................................................................................................21 e. The Eastern Caribbean Development Partner Group (ECDPG) ..................................................................22 i. ECDPG for Disaster Management (ECDPG/DM) ....................................................................................23 SECTION 6: CDEMA’s REGIONAL COORDINATION ARCHITECTURE AND MECHANISMS ...................................24 a. CDEMA Participating States (PSs) .............................................................................................................24 b. CDEMA Sub-Regional Focal Points (SRFPs) ..............................................................................................24 c. The Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis (DANA) Continuum .........................................................25 d. The Regional Response Mechanism (RRM) ...............................................................................................26 i. Regional Coordination Centre (RCC) .......................................................................................................26 ii. Regional Coordination Plan (RCP) ..........................................................................................................27 ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................1 SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................................5 SECTION 2: CDEMA AND OCHA: WORKING TOGETHER ...........................................................................................9 SECTION 3: CARIBBEAN DISASTER EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY (CDEMA) ......................................13 a. CDEMA’s mandate ...................................................................................................................................13 b. CDEMA governance mechanism ............................................................................................................13 i. The Council ...............................................................................................................................................13 ii. The Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) ..............................................................................................14 iii. Coordinating Unit (CU) .............................................................................................................................14 c. Basic principles of the Regional Disaster Response Support Doctrine (RDRSD) .....................................14 d. Comprehensive Disaster Management (CDM) ..........................................................................................15 SECTION 4: OFFICE FOR THE COORDINATION OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS (OCHA) .......................................16 a. OCHA’s mandate ..........................................................................................................................................16 b. The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) ...........................................................................................17 c. Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) ..........................................................................................................17 d. Humanitarian principles ..............................................................................................................................18 e. OCHA Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean (OCHA ROLAC) ..........................................19 SECTION 5: KEY REGIONAL FORUMS AND PARTNERS ..........................................................................................20 a. National Disaster Management Organizations (NDMOs) .........................................................................20 b. United Nations agencies .............................................................................................................................20 c. International Red Cross and Red Crescent (RCRC) Movement .................................................................21 d. The Regional Group for Risk, Emergencies and Disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean (REDLAC) ............................................................................................................................................21 e. The Eastern Caribbean Development Partner Group (ECDPG) ..................................................................22 i. ECDPG for Disaster Management (ECDPG/DM) ....................................................................................23 SECTION 6: CDEMA’s REGIONAL COORDINATION ARCHITECTURE AND