VZCZCXYZ0009
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHNR #3016/01 1920600
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 110600Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2981
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6973
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1709
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 4977
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 3981
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS NAIROBI 003016 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AIDAC 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR AF/E, EPRATT 
AID/W FOR AA/DCHA, WGARVELINK, LROGERS 
DCHA/OFDA FOR GGOTTLIEB, AFERRARA, ACONVERY, PMORRIS, 
CGOTTSCHALK, CPRATT 
DCHA/FFP FOR JDWORKEN 
AFR/EA FOR JBORNS, JESCALONA 
USUN FOR EMALY 
BRUSSELS FOR PLERNER 
ROME FOR FODAG 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NSC FOR TSHORTLEY 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF SOCI UN XA
 
SUBJECT:  PROCEEDINGS FROM 19TH SEMI-ANNUAL ALNAP 
MEETING 
 
 
Summary 
 
¶1.  From June 13 to 15, 2006, the Active Learning 
Network for Accountability and Performance in 
Humanitarian Action (ALNAP) convened its 19th semi- 
annual conference.  The aim of the meeting was for 
humanitarian actors to draw out key aspects of 
learning, accountability, and performance related to 
food security, and to identify actions for ALNAP to 
encourage positive system-wide change. 
USAID/DCHA/OFDA's Humanitarian Coordination Specialist 
attended the conference, as USAID's representative on 
ALNAP's Steering Committee.  End Summary. 
 
Background 
 
¶2.  Born in 1997 in the aftermath of the Rwanda 
genocide, ALNAP is a collective response by the 
humanitarian community, dedicated to improving 
humanitarian performance through increased learning and 
accountability.  ALNAP incorporates many key 
humanitarian organizations and experts, including 
members from donor, non-governmental, Red 
Cross/Crescent, United Nations, independent, and 
academic organizations.  ALNAP focuses on improving 
humanitarian performance, based on the findings of 
evaluations and studies.  ALNAP now includes 60 Full 
Members and 600 Observer Members.  USAID is part of the 
nine-member Steering Committee, and funds both the 
ALNAP Secretariat and various evaluations. 
 
¶3.  The theme of the 19th semiannual conference was 
food security, and discussions included:  non-food 
related sectors and alternatives to food aid; the role 
of participation by disaster-affected communities in 
food security interventions; early warning, 
preparedness, and mitigation; the objectives of real 
time evaluations; and impact assessment.  In addition, 
the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's (FAO) 
Somalia Food Security Analysis Unit (FSAU) presented 
its proposed "phase classification" as a common 
analytical framework or format for describing the 
nature and severity of humanitarian crises. 
 
¶4.  A scheduled food aid workshop was cancelled because 
conference participants felt strongly that the subject 
had been exhausted in other fora and there was far 
greater appetite for exploring alternatives to food 
aid.  Some ALNAP members questioned the need for 
"holism," referring to the call for humanitarians to 
provide "developmental relief" that includes a broad 
range of livelihoods activities.  The majority of 
conference participants, comprising Nairobi-based 
practitioners, espoused an "economic security" 
approach, i.e., providing aid that moves beyond food 
security interventions.  This fueled debate surrounding 
the parameters of emergency humanitarian action. 
 
Steering Committee 
 
¶5.  As the current Steering Committee Chairperson from 
Oxfam is stepping down to take a position in the 
private sector, USAID/OFDA proposed Eleanor Monbiot of 
World Vision as a replacement, and the proposal was 
accepted.  As a nurse practitioner based in Nairobi and 
with considerable field experience, Ms. Monbiot 
represents one of the two dominant sub-groups within 
ALNAP: aid practitioners and academics. 
 
¶6.  USAID/OFDA supported Ms. Monbiot's candidacy in 
light of the need to keep ALNAP grounded in its 
connection to field work.  Monbiot and other relatively 
new members of the Steering Committee concurred with 
 
the USAID/OFDA representative on this point, as well as 
on the need to diversify ALNAP's membership to include 
greater gender and geographic balance. 
 
ALNAP's Workplan 
 
¶7.  Following are highlights from ALNAP's current 
Workplan: 
 
  The Review of Humanitarian Action (RHA):  The RHA is 
ALNAP's flagship publication.  Published annually, it 
aims to monitor humanitarian performance and key issues 
for the sector, while also highlighting key findings 
from recent evaluative reports for a wider audience. 
  Evaluation Synthesis Report:  ALNAP publishes an 
annual synthesis of current evaluation findings as part 
of the Review of Humanitarian Action series.  It aims 
to promote learning by amplifying evaluation, and 
acting as a monitor for performance and emerging trends 
over time.  This year's Synthesis will highlight 
"neglected emergencies," among other subjects. 
  Utilization study:  This study aims to explore the 
reasons (e.g., political) behind the decisions by 
humanitarian actors to either assimilate or not act on 
evaluation findings. 
 
  ALNAP is considering an Arabic version of its 
Protection Guide, as well as the manual "How to 
Evaluate Humanitarian Action". 
 
  ALNAP has launched a new website, www.alnap.org, 
providing detailed information on its background and 
structure, and showcasing past and current evaluations. 
 
  ALNAP members approved a new category of Honorary 
Membership as an award for those who have made a 
substantial contribution to learning in the 
humanitarian field.  In 2006, Honorary Membership will 
be conferred on Larry Minear, Director of the 
Humanitarianism and War Project at the Feinstein 
International Famine Center at Tufts University, as he 
officially retires from humanitarian work. 
 
Shaping ALNAP's Future 
 
¶8.  The ALNAP Secretariat has asked the Steering 
Committee for a strategy session to discuss ALNAP's 
direction for the next five years.  Although ALNAP's 
membership has grown consistently, some members point 
out that the Tsunami Evaluation, which is to be 
launched on July 14, raises many of the same issues and 
areas for improvement as the Joint Evaluation of 
Emergency Assistance to Rwanda (JEEAR) did a decade 
ago, pointing to a failure by aid agencies to 
assimilate evaluation findings.  The Secretariat points 
to the fact that during 2002 to 2003, 23 out of 51 Full 
Members provided funding for ALNAP's core budget (now 
at 467,000 British pounds), whereas in the 2006 to 2007 
period, 33 out of 56 Full Members contribute.  (Note: 
The USG, through USAID/OFDA, has provided USD 150,000 
per year to ALNAP's core budget over the past few 
years, in addition to funding various studies conducted 
by ALNAP.  End note.)  Moreover, since 2002, only three 
members have withdrawn from ALNAP while 10 have joined. 
 
¶9.  There are different schools of thought within the 
ALNAP membership as to how prescriptive ALNAP should be 
in following-up on evaluation results.  Generally, 
ALNAP's donor members and the UN Office for the 
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) would like 
to see a more hands-on role in ensuring that the 
various stakeholders incorporate findings from 
evaluations such as the Tsunami Evaluation.  (Note: 
 
This is the largest and potentially most seminal piece 
of introspection by the humanitarian community since 
the JEEAR, and will have no "home" once the Evaluation 
is launched on July 14 and the Tsunami Evaluation 
Coalition (TEC) secretariat is disbanded in August. 
USAID/OFDA considers ALNAP an appropriate mechanism to 
monitor and pursue follow-up on the Evaluation's 
impressive list of recommended actions.  End note.) 
 
¶10.  The next ALNAP conference will be held in Rome in 
December, and will be hosted by FAO and the UN World 
Food Program (WFP).  The conference will focus on the 
role of the media in emergencies, as well as on the 
Tsunami Evaluation.  In addition, NGOs working on the 
 
SIPDIS 
Gates' Emergency Capacity Building Project (ECBP) will 
convene in Rome at approximately the same time and will 
provide a readout of the status of the ECBP at the 
ALNAP conference. 
 
ROWE