PNG DISASTER MANAGEMENT TEAM MEETING Tuesday 17 May 2016 at 1010hrs National Disaster Centre Conference Room Present Martin Mose Acting Director NDC/DMT Co-Chair Roy Trivedy UN Resident Coordinator/DMT Co-Chair Eileen Turare Australian High Commission Regina Nukundj Department of Agriculture and Livestock Sai Kamnanaya IOM Simon Kafu IOM Farshad Tami Food Security Cluster Kathleen Pearce New Zealand High Commission John Gugumi Oxfam Dr Monjur Hossain UNICEF Ruby Noble UNICEF Ahmed Zakaria WFP Dr Venkat Dheeravath WFP Dr Boris Pavlin WHO Gerard Ng UNDP/DMT Secretariat Apologies Patrick Castellan UN OHCHR Follow-Up Actions Item No. Action Action By 6 To improve reporting of seed availability to match partner Food Security requirements Cluster coordinator Item 1. Opening Remarks by Co-Chairs: Acting Director NDC and UN Resident Coordinator The co-chairs welcomed DMT members present and called the meeting to order with a round of introduction. Mr Trivedy updated that there have been more incidents of flooding reported such as in Gembogl in Chumbu which Dir NDC would share in his updates. On the CERF implementation, he noted that progress was being made which would be shared during updates by WFP and UNICEF colleagues. He also noted that the World Humanitarian Summit was taking place from 23-24 May in Istanbul and PNG would be represented by both the official delegation (led by PNG’s High Commissioner to the UK) and members of local non-governmental organisations (including civil society and academia). He added that the UN System in PNG was actively supporting preparations for PNG’s delegation and that Australia was proposing that Pacific countries presented a “Pacific Commitment” at the Summit. Page 1 of 5 Item 2. Adoption of Agenda The proposed agenda was adopted. Item 3. Review of Minutes and Matters Arising The previous meeting minutes were passed without amendments. For matters arising: Support PDCs in drafting of assessment reports for submission to NDC. Mr Ng updated that PNG Red Cross was in the process of doing so with Western Province’s PDC while the DMT Secretariat would continue engaging with partners to do so. Access baseline food security data from Dr Mike Bourke. To be addressed in food security update. Submission of planting material requirements to Food Security Cluster Coordinator. To be addressed in food security update. Extend formal invitation to NDoH to co-chair WASH cluster. Mr Ng updated that this has been completed. Resume function of Protection Cluster. Mr Trivedy noted that the cluster lead has had to prioritise efforts on supporting PNG’s Universal Periodic Review process. He assured members that a cluster coordination meeting would be called within a few weeks. Item 4: Updates by NDC Mr Mose provided an update on the flooding situation based on reports from humanitarian partners and the media: East Sepik (Angorum District). Assistance has been provided to 250 households with food relief from the District Authorities as well as WASH NFIs from Save the Children ad Oxfam. Western Highlands (Tambul-Nebilyer District). PNG Red Cross was supporting PDC to submit formal report to NDC. Jiwaka (South Waghi District). 70 households in Water Lilly Section have received family kits from IOM in partnership with the PDC. Chimbu (Kundiawa-Gembogl District). Post-Courier reported that up to 70 households (1000 people) were affected by recent floods. Mr Mose also updated that NDC had sent letters to respective provincial administrators in flood affected areas encouraging them to leverage on the available humanitarian capacity in their respective provinces. Page 2 of 5 Item 5: Updates on CERF Implementation WFP Mr Zakaria noted that WFP’s team was presently facing staffing issues due to two team members needing to be medically evacuated due to dengue. However, replacements were being urgently deployed to fill the gaps. He updated that the project’s operational apparatus was in place and suppliers would be confirmed within the week. Given that food relief supplies were already in country, he expected distributions to commence within the month (May). On partnerships, Mr Zakaria noted that negotiations with CARE PNG had been concluded and both parties had reached an agreement for CARE to be an implementing partner. He added that WFP would also be coordinating closely with UNICEF and other partners to leverage on supply chain that WFP would establish. In terms of resource mobilisation, he updated that WFP’s emergency operation (EMOP) was presently 50% funded and WFP would continue to encourage donors and government to support the project. On the Milne Bay survey, Mr Zakaria shared that the draft report was currently being finalised and the findings presented to members very soon. He added that the joint inter- agency mission was only a verification exercise as the most critically affected areas and sectoral needs had already been identified by provincial authorities. UNICEF Dr Hossain updated that UNICEF had engaged with the governor and the provincial administration of Enga province and both were extremely committed to support the project. As such, the funding for Enga province component had been released for programming. UNICEF staff would be engaging Hela provincial authorities this week. UNICEF would be working primarily with the government health structure as there were very few NGOs operating in the locations being targeted. Dr Hossain assured members that UNICEF would be coordinating with WFP on supply chain matters. Item 6: Updates by Cluster/Sector Food Security Mr Tami updated that to date the cluster had received seed requests from partners (e.g. CARE, IOM, and World Vision). However, it has been found that seeds/planting material at certain source locations were not available at the reported volumes. According to IOM, approximately 30% of their requirements were available at the identified NARI station. Mr Tami assured members that he would look into this matter through more accurate and timely reporting of seed availability to match partner requirements. He also updated that CARE has been nominated to be the NGO-co-chair that the Cluster has accepted. On the concept notes supporting the El-Niño Response Plan, the cluster was in the process of establishing a vetting committee to look into the concept notes as part of the process. To Mr Tami’s query on any donor interest to support the response plan, Mr Ng shared that the DMT Secretariat has been engaging with potential donors regularly to advocate for support Page 3 of 5 but noted that this was not a straightforward process. He assured Mr Tami that any positive indications would be shared with the relevant clusters and partners. Mr Tami also shared that draft Agricultural Response Plan was being developed by the Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL) and will be shared with the cluster before it was finalised. Ms Nukundj updated that DAL was also working on developing national agricultural seed policy based on an existing national drought agricultural framework. To Mr Mose’s query on the expected timeframe for the proposed work, Mr Tami noted that the agricultural response plan was expected to be formalised by end of the month while the seed policy was to be confirmed. Mr Mose urged the need to move quickly on these urgent matters and not allow for unnecessary delays. Health Dr Pavlin updated that WHO and NDoH had recently undertaken a joint sanitation survey of health facilities in Western and East New Britain Provinces. He added that as part of their integrated programming in Eastern Highlands, Morobe and Simbu, CARE had provided 5000 immunisations, distributed 16,000 HH wash kits; trained 460 health staff in hygiene promotion and conducted MUAC screening of more than 1000 children. Regarding mobilising funding for the response plan, WHO was continuing to seek additional funding support for the health sector’s response through internal WHO funding mechanisms and donors. Dr Pavlin noted that many of the activities would support WASH and health priorities. Nutrition Dr Monjur updated that cluster would be calling for a cluster meeting on 23 May with a view on compiling a 4Ws for the cluster. He added that Save the Children was working with UNICEF on treatment of SAM. Education Ms Noble updated that UNICEF’s prepositioned supplies in Wewak had been released from the port with the support from NDC, Save the Children and the DMT Secretariat. The supplies were now stored in Save the Children’s warehouse in Wewak of which some would be immediately utilised to support the flood response. Shelter/NFI/CCCM Mr Kafu update that IOM had undertaken distributions of NFIs in Oro, Jiwaka, Morobe and Chimbu provinces. More details would be share in due course. Logistics Regarding the ongoing distributions in North Fly District Western Province, Mr Zakaria updated that the first stage of distribution was partially complete with more than 95 mt of rice having been distributed to more than 8000 people across 38 villages in Olsobip LLG. Another 527 people in Kiunga LLG would be receiving supplies next week. Concurrently, the second stage of distribution to Nomad Rural LLG has commenced, with more than 15mt of rice moved over the previous 2 days. Distribution was expected to take approximately 50 days, and includes the delivery of 276mt of rice to at least 12 airstrip locations. Regarding the DFAT-MFAT supported distribution in South and Middle Fly, Ms Turare updated that monitoring had revealed incidences of uneven distribution amongst communities which was being resolved with the subsequent round of distributions. Page 4 of 5 Action: To look into accurate reporting of seed availability to match partner requirements (Food Security Cluster Coordinator). Item 7: AOB World Humanitarian Summit Ms Turare updated Australia had received ministerial approval to propose a joint declaration of Pacific countries (“Pacific Commitment”) to be made at the upcoming Summit.