DAKAR – Humanitarian organizations and the world’s leading logistics companies have teamed up to conduct the first in a series of assessments to help countries strengthen their ability to respond to emergencies.
A.P. Moller-Maersk and UPS joined the Logistics Cluster, led by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), to undertake a Logistics Capacity Assessment in Nigeria, which focused on potential natural disasters and pandemics. Future assessments around the world will build on the results of this pilot project.
The Logistics Capacity Assessment examined standard logistics components such as roads, bridges, ports and airports, as well as issues such as milling capacity, quarantine procedures and telecoms infrastructure. The assessment also mapped out disaster contingency plans, including for the movement of goods and supplies into and throughout the country. The lessons learned from these scenarios could be life-saving in the case of a disaster or pandemic.
The Logistics Cluster, comprised of representatives from UN agencies and non-governmental organizations, acts a coordination mechanism for the logistical response during emergencies. A.P. Moller-Maersk and UPS, along with TNT Express and Agility, are members of the Logistics Emergency Teams (LETs), a cross-company partnership that supports humanitarian relief efforts during natural disasters.
“Preparation is key to a country’s ability to manage disasters of any kind,” said Eduardo Martinez, LET chair and UPS director of philanthropy and corporate relations. “With the data from the assessments, emergency responders will be better able to assess and manage the flow of goods to those in need.”
In 2011, the Logistics Cluster and the LETs worked together to provide humanitarian assistance to millions of people suffering from drought in the Horn of Africa. By providing the Logistics Cluster with airlifts of supplies and equipment, the LETs enabled the humanitarian community to reach those in need more quickly and efficiently. The LETs also assisted WFP’s relief support to the Government of Japan following the April 2011 tsunami.
“The LET companies are key players in the humanitarian community, as they can provide experienced local personnel in countries where WFP does not otherwise operate,” said WFP Logistics Officer Pietro Terranera, who led the assessment in Nigeria. “This allows data collection and verification to take place more quickly and accurately.”
Although WFP does not have any humanitarian operations in Nigeria, it supports the government in the fields of logistics and emergency preparedness. In May 2011, WFP and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) of Nigeria signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote and reinforce the country’s emergency preparedness and response capacity.
“We have strong links to Nigeria, and with our knowledge about logistics and West Africa, we are happy that our employees have contributed to the assessment,” said Jens Munch Lund-Nielsen, Group Lead Advisor on Corporate Social Responsibility in A.P. Moller-Maersk. “WFP is doing important work that we are proud to support.”
For more information please contact:
WFP Media Contact:
Molly Slotznick Tel: +39 06 6513 3873 (office)/ +39 345 644 3105
molly.slotznick@wfp.org
Agility Media Contact:
Nita Bhatkar Tel: +965-2498-1154 (office) /+965-97223703 (cell)
nbhatkar@agilitylogistics.com
Maersk Media Contact:
Louise Münter, Group Relations Tel: +45 33 63 19 12 (office)
Louise.munter@maersk.com
TNT Express Media Relations:
Cyril Gilbot Tel: +31 651 65 113 04 (office) / +31 65 113 3104 (cell)
cyrille.gibot@tnt.com
UPS Media Contact:
Ronna Charles Branch Tel: + 404.828.4393 (office)
rcbranch@ups.com
About WFP
As the United Nations frontline agency in the fight against hunger, WFP is continually responding to emergencies. We save lives by getting food to the hungry fast. A key element in this response is the WFP-managed network of UN Humanitarian Response Depots. These are hubs, positioned near disaster-prone areas around the world, where emergency supplies are stored in readiness. WFP's expertise in logistics meant that in 2005 the agency was mandated to lead logistics operations whenever a humanitarian emergency requires a joint response from UN agencies and the humanitarian community. But WFP also works to help prevent hunger in the future, through programmes that use food as a means to build assets, spread knowledge and nurture stronger, more dynamic communities. WFP has developed expertise in a range of areas including Food Security Analysis, Nutrition, Food Procurement and Logistics to ensure the best solutions for the world's hungry. Each year, WFP aims to feed more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries.
About the Logistics Cluster
As the global lead of the Logistics Cluster, WFP, through the Global Logistics Cluster Support Cell (GLCSC), is responsible for ensuring that a well coordinated, efficient, effective and timely logistics response takes place for each and every emergency. This applies not only in terms of WFP food assistance, but for all humanitarian actors participating in the response to sudden onset emergencies. The GLCSC ensures predictable leadership, partnership with other humanitarian actors and, where necessary, becomes the 'provider of last resort' in emergencies. The Logistics Cluster provides surge support with trained logisticians able to deploy to emergencies on short notice and to support those ongoing operations by providing high quality guidance, information management (IM), as well as the dissemination of information through the Logistics Cluster web site. In addition the Logistics Cluster maintains partnerships at the global level to ensure that high levels of preparedness are maintained and that appropriate strategies are adopted to cope with risks worldwide.
Logistics Emergency Teams:
In the wake of the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, three companies, Agility, TNT and UPS, decided to look into a coordinated, industry-wide emergency support to humanitarian organizations. Under the auspices of the World Economic Forum and initiated by TNT CEO Peter Bakker, the companies started sharing best practices from their bilateral humanitarian partnerships. They developed a joint operating structure – today’s LETs – to lend a collective hand to humanitarian organizations. The Logistics Emergency Teams add to the member companies’ respective humanitarian partnerships. The LET humanitarian assistance program has supported operations in Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, West Sumatra, Haiti and Pakistan.
About UPS
UPS (NYSE: UPS) is a global leader in logistics, offering a broad range of solutions including the transportation of packages and freight, the facilitation of international trade, and the deployment of advanced technology to more efficiently manage the world of business. Since its founding in 1907, UPS has built a legacy as a caring and responsible corporate citizen, supporting programs that provide long-term solutions to community needs. Founded in 1951, The UPS Foundation, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2011, is responsible for facilitating community involvement to local, national, and global communities. In 2010, UPS and its employees, active and retired, invested more than $95 million in charitable giving around the world. The UPS foundation can be found on the web at UPS.com/foundation. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.
About Maersk
The A.P. Moller - Maersk Group is a worldwide conglomerate. The Group operates in more than 140 countries and have a workforce of some 108,000 employees. In addition to owning one of the world’s largest shipping companies, Maersk is involved in a wide range of activities in the energy, logistics, retail and manufacturing industries. For more than 100 years, the deeply held values of A.P. Moller - Maersk have governed the way the Group deals with our employees, customers, and society in general. Employees may come from every corner of the world, and may work in many fields and business areas, yet all share a common heritage and the same set of basic values. These values guide the Group’s focus on issues such as safety and environmental stewardship. Since 2009, A.P. Moller - Maersk has been a signatory to the UN Global Compact and is now a LEAD member. For more information about Maersk, visit www.maersk.com
About TNT
TNT provides businesses and consumers worldwide with an extensive range of services for their mail and express delivery needs. Headquartered in the Netherlands, TNT offers efficient network infrastructures in Europe and Asia, serves more than 200 countries and employs about 160,000 people. Over 2009, TNT reported €10.4 billion in revenues and an operating income of €648 million. TNT is officially quoted on the Amsterdam Stock Exchange. TNT recognises its social responsibility and has formed partnerships with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and in 2010, TNT was again awarded “Supersector leader” for ‘Industrial Goods and Services’ (including ‘Industrial transportation’) of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). To date TNT has invested €46 million in the partnership with WFP in the form of hands-on support in emergencies, knowledge transfer projects to help WFP to be more efficient and effective, and advocacy and fundraising activities. On top of this, TNT employees have raised an additional €9 million for WFP’s School Feeding Projects. More information about TNT can be found on its website http://group.tnt.com.
