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RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0321
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA IMMEDIATE
INFO HAITI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
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RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO IMMEDIATE
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RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE

UNCLAS PORT AU PRINCE 000134 
 
AIDAC 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID ECON PGOV PINR PREL PREF HA
SUBJECT: USAID/DART Humanitarian Coordination Overview of Haiti 
Response 
 
REF: PORT A 0054; PORT A 0058; PORT A 0060 
 
¶1.  (U) Summary.  Following the devastating impact of the 7.0 
magnitude earthquake in Haiti on January 12, the international 
humanitarian community has made significant progress in 
establishing humanitarian coordination structures and responding to 
needs in Port-au-Prince and other affected areas.  The U.N. Office 
for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimates that 
more than 400 aid agencies are actively operating in the country, 
with varying degrees of experience and capabilities.  USAID 
Disaster Assistance Response Team (USAID/DART) staff highlight the 
critical role of the internationally-recognized humanitarian 
cluster system in coordinating response efforts.  To address the 
challenges associated with the magnitude of the disaster and the 
logistical, security, and environmental conditions in Haiti, clear 
humanitarian leadership, strategic analysis, and demonstrated 
commitment to the cluster coordination system is required.  End 
summary. 
 
 
 
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UNDERSTANDING THE HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION SYSTEM 
 
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¶2.  (U) In past international responses to humanitarian crises, 
some sectors have benefited from having clearly mandated lead 
agencies, while others have not, resulting in ad hoc, unpredictable 
humanitarian responses, and contributing to capacity and response 
gaps in some areas.  Following an extensive review of the 
humanitarian system in 2005, the Inter-Agency Standing Committee 
(IASC) agreed to implement a sector-specific cluster approach as a 
way of addressing gaps and strengthening the effectiveness of 
response efforts.  USAID, through the Office of U.S. Foreign 
Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA), has provided substantial monetary 
and technical support to all pillars of the global and 
country-specific humanitarian reform efforts over the last four 
years and has been actively engaged in the policy discussions with 
the U.N. and other donors. 
 
 
 
¶3.  (U) Clusters provide a forum for humanitarian organizations to 
coordinate response efforts by sector, such as health, nutrition, 
shelter, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and are led by 
designated agencies with relevant technical expertise.  The cluster 
system seeks to ensure greater predictability and accountability in 
response efforts, while simultaneously strengthening partnerships 
between NGOs, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent 
Movement, and U.N. agencies.  Application of the cluster system has 
contributed to significant progress on a range of issues, including 
broadened partnerships with NGOs; agreement on common sector 
standards, tools, and guidance; development of common training 
modules; creation of common stockpiles; and development of surge 
deployment rosters.  Clusters operate at both a global and field 
level and have been rolled out in 25 countries to date.  At the 
field level, while agencies are responsible for individual cluster 
performance, the overall architecture of the system and strategic 
guidance comes from the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator. 
 
 
 
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THE HAITI CONTEXT: U.N STRUCTURE AND CLUSTER SYSTEM 
 
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¶4. (U) Immediately following the earthquake, the U.N. deployed a 
U.N. Disaster Assessment and Coordination Team (UNDAC) to initially 
coordinate the arrival of search and rescue and other assistance. 
 
 
As surge staff from various U.N. agencies arrived, UNDAC 
transitioned to individual U.N. agency emergency operations and the 
cluster system.  Within the U.N. structure for Haiti, the Acting 
Special Representative to the Secretary General (SRSG) is supported 
by two deputies, including the Acting Principal Deputy to SRSG 
(DSRSG) responsible for political and field operations with the 
U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and a second DSRSG 
responsible for humanitarian and development issues.  However, the 
second DSRSG for humanitarian and development issues simultaneously 
serves as the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator, Resident Coordinator, 
and Resident Representative for the U.N. Development Program 
(UNDP).  USAID/DART staff highlight that the quadruple-hatting of 
the DSRSG has caused significant concern among donors and aid 
organizations who emphasize that the magnitude of the current 
crisis necessitates full time leadership on humanitarian issues. 
 
 
 
¶5. (U) Mandated to mobilize and coordinate effective and principled 
humanitarian action, OCHA activated twelve sector-specific clusters 
within the first ten days following the crisis.  The active 
clusters include:  Camp Coordination and Camp Management; 
Education; Emergency Shelter and Non-Food Items; Food Aid; 
Logistics; Nutrition; Protection; WASH; Agriculture; Early 
Recovery; Emergency Telecommunications; and Health.  Ten 
international humanitarian agencies and the Government of Haiti 
(GoH) are currently serving as led agencies managing the twelve 
clusters.  OCHA has also established field coordination offices in 
Leogane and Jacmel to facilitate cluster coordination and is 
considering other field locations depending on identified needs. 
In addition, the humanitarian community has established six 
"shadow" clusters in logistics and telecommunications, health, 
emergency shelter, WASH, nutrition, and protection in the Dominican 
Republic to coordinate support services for Haiti operations. 
 
 
 
¶6.  (U) The cluster system has been instrumental in vetting and 
prioritizing critical needs and addressing coverage in gap areas. 
Representatives from the various GoH line Ministries are also 
beginning to participate in cluster meetings or in some cases, 
actually lead the cluster as in the case of the WASH sector, with 
heavy support from U.N. agencies.  Beyond each of the twelve 
general cluster meetings, cluster participants have also 
established a series of working groups to focus on specific areas 
of concern, such as camp management and site planning or child 
protection. 
 
 
 
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INEXPERIENCED ORGANIZATIONS AND INAPPROPRIATE AID 
 
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¶7.  (U) The volume of humanitarian actors on the ground, including 
a significant number of well-intentioned groups that arrived with 
little to no experience in humanitarian response, has created 
extensive challenges for coordination.  Agencies or individuals 
that have sought to rush and respond to an individual hospital, 
church group, or community without coordinating with the 
operational humanitarian actors on the ground and through the 
cluster system have often served as an impediment to effective 
response efforts and in the case of distributions, have sometimes 
caused confusion or chaos.  All agencies repeatedly underscore the 
need for a "pull" factor of goods, services, and personnel based on 
need, rather than a "push" factor of assuming what is needed from 
abroad.  A key challenge to the legitimate humanitarian actors on 
the ground has been dealing with massive quantities of unsolicited 
commodities and well-intentioned organizations who do not take the 
time to coordinate. 
 
 
 
¶8.  (U) The U.N. and humanitarian actors on the ground, including 
the USAID/DART, strongly urge well-intentioned groups abroad to not 
send donations-in-kind - unless explicitly requested - to prevent 
further clogging of the critical humanitarian pipeline and 
associated delays.  Many of these in-kind donations are not 
appropriate or needed by affected communities.  Consistent messages 
from all humanitarian actors is that "cash is best" to support the 
Haitian people.  All U.S. Government (USG) agencies are strongly 
urged to convey this message to the public whenever special 
requests are made for the USG to facilitate transport and 
distribution of donations from the U.S. to Haiti. 
 
 
 
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MULTIPLE COORDINATION LEVELS 
 
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¶9.  (U) Four key levels of coordination among humanitarian actors 
are taking place within Haiti linked to the cluster system: 1) NGO 
coordination, 2) U.N. country team coordination, 3) the U.N. 
Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) and military 
coordination, and 4) donor coordination, which all feed into the 
international cluster system. 
 
 
 
--- NGO Coordination--- 
 
 
 
¶10.  (U) Most NGOs operating in Haiti are participating in the 
cluster coordination structure, due in large part to a consistent 
message from the U.N., donors, other NGOs, and the GoH that if 
agencies want to be involved in the response, participation in the 
coordination and planning structure is critical.  USAID/OFDA is 
also funding a NGO coordination group through the U.S.-based NGO 
advocacy consortium InterAction to facilitate better communication 
among NGOs, create linkages and partnerships with local Haitian 
organizations unfamiliar with the international humanitarian system 
(details forthcoming SEPTEL), and ensure that key NGO issues of 
concern are heard. 
 
 
 
---U.N. Coordination--- 
 
 
 
¶11.  (U) The U.N. also coordinates through the U.N. country team 
comprised of all operational U.N. agencies.  Normally activated 
during a crisis, a Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), under the 
leadership of the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator is an important 
component of the humanitarian coordination structure.  The U.N. 
activated the HCT in Haiti during the week of February 1.  The 
Haiti HCT is comprised of heads of agencies from seven U.N. 
agencies, seven lead NGOs, InterAction, and the International 
Federation and chaired by the Humanitarian Coordinator.  The 
objective of the HCT is to ensure that humanitarian organization 
activities are coordinated at the strategic level; provide guidance 
to cluster lead agencies; and ensure that humanitarian action 
in-country is principled, timely, effective, efficient, and 
contributes to longer-term recovery.  The USAID/DART views the HCT 
as an important tool to constructive ongoing dialogue with 
humanitarian actors under the leadership of the HC and has 
officially requested that key humanitarian donors also be included 
on an exceptional basis. 
 
 
 
---MINUSTAH AND MILITARY COORDINATION--- 
 
 
 
¶12. (U) On January 26, MINUSTAH, in coordination with OCHA and 
other key partners, established a Joint Operations and Tasking 
Centre (JOTC) to facilitate the provision of military assistance 
from the broad range of military forces present in Haiti, including 
the U.N. Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), the U.S. 
Military, and other international military forces, to NGOs 
operating in Haiti.  The JOTC, composed of representatives from 
OCHA, MINUSTAH, other international militaries, and the USAID/DART, 
is intended to serve as a centralized coordinating body for the use 
of military assets for logistics support, security assistance, and 
technical assistance in support of humanitarian relief operations, 
enabling country-wide coordination to avoid duplication of support 
effort. 
 
 
 
¶13.  (U) Requests for military assistance with transport of 
humanitarian commodities or other support is vetted through each 
cluster lead and will only be considered if endorsed by the cluster 
and no other U.N. humanitarian assets are available.  As a matter 
of principle, military assets will only be used as a last resort. 
USAID/DART staff comment that the structure continues to evolve. 
[Note:  The USAID/DART is part of the JOTC, participates in 
planning meetings, and when an intervention is deemed appropriate 
by the cluster and the U.S. is best placed to provide support, the 
USAID/DART then clears the formal request and provides a tasking to 
the U.S. military to implement.  End note.] 
 
 
 
---Donor Coordination--- 
 
 
 
¶14.  (U) Key humanitarian donors, including USAID represented by 
the USAID/DART, European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO), 
Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), U.K. Department 
for International Development (DFID), Spanish Cooperation (AECID), 
and occasionally other donors, meet daily to discuss key issues, 
program strategies, and most importantly, develop common messaging 
on core areas of concern.  The humanitarian donor group regularly 
meets with heads of U.N. agencies, cluster leads, and key NGOs on 
specific issues.  In recognition of OCHA's key role in overall 
coordination, OCHA has also been invited to participate in the 
donor meetings.  The humanitarian donor group has served as a 
powerful advocacy tool in addressing bottlenecks, particularly when 
combined with simultaneous capital-level demarches to U.N. agencies 
and has proven more effective than individual messaging. 
 
 
 
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HUMANITARIAN COORDINATION: STRENGTHS AND CHALLENGES 
 
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¶15.  (U) USAID/DART staff note that humanitarian coordination 
mechanisms are considered to be stronger than in most recent crises 
by the international community, due to the speed and quantity of 
cluster activation - twelve clusters activated in the first ten 
days of the crisis-; broad support for prioritizing needs through 
the cluster system; and strong OCHA operational capacity.  In 
addition, the significant surge capacity demonstrated by NGOs and 
U.N. agencies in the deployment of more than four hundred surge 
program staff has greatly enhanced response capacity.  Furthermore, 
strong humanitarian donor coordination has enabled common 
messaging, joint donor missions to the field, and joint meetings, 
to support efforts to streamline requests and expedite response 
efforts. 
 
 
 
¶16.  (SBU) Donors and aid agencies have expressed deep reservations 
about the quadruple-hatted function of the DSRSG, Humanitarian 
Coordinator, Resident Coordinator, and Resident Representative for 
UNDP.  Given the magnitude of the crisis, humanitarian donors have 
strongly recommended, at a minimum, that the Under-Secretary 
General for Humanitarian Affairs appoint a very senior-level and 
well-respected Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator to support the HC 
role in engaging with the humanitarian community.  OCHA is expected 
to announce the official appointment of a Deputy Humanitarian 
Coordinator in the coming days. 
 
 
¶17.  (SBU)  Although the U.N. Security Council has recently 
modified the MINUSTAH mandate to include support of humanitarian 
operations, USAID/DART staff note concern regarding MINUSTAH 
capacity and planning to support an expanded mandate.  The U.N. 
reports that MINUSTAH is currently evaluating additional types of 
support needed to assist humanitarian operations.  MINUSTAH support 
and engagement will continue to be critical in the near future. 
 
 
 
¶18.  (SBU) Humanitarian donors also recommend strengthened guidance 
and coordination on humanitarian issues with the GoH.  The 
humanitarian donor group has recommended seconding Senior 
Humanitarian Advisors to the GoH. 
 
 
 
¶19.  (U) Despite demonstrated U.N. and NGO surge capacity, 
USAID/DART staff and other key donors note the need for additional 
senior surge capacity to fulfill individual cluster 
responsibilities as well as augment program staff.  USAID/DART 
staff also note opportunities for enhanced inter-cluster 
coordination and delays in compiling and sharing comprehensive data 
on the number, location, and activities of humanitarian 
organizations operating in Haiti.  Delays are attributed, in large 
part, to a lack of NGO willingness to prioritize reporting on 
activities, particularly at the onset of the disaster.  Cluster 
efforts remain ongoing to strengthen and expand reporting and 
information consolidation. 
 
 
 
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CONCLUSION 
 
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¶20.  USAID/DART staff emphasize that strong and pro-active 
inter-cluster coordination is essential, under the leadership of 
the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator and with OCHA's support, to 
effectively and efficiently address the humanitarian needs of 
affected populations.  Co-located within the U.N. logistics base to 
ensure constant communication, coordination, and tracking of U.N., 
donor, and NGO issues, the USAID/DART continues to closely monitor 
and advance humanitarian coordination issues on the ground. 
 
 
 
 
 
MINIMIZE CONSIDERED 
MERTEN