WFP West Africa Regional Bureau REGIONAL SPECIAL OPERATION SO

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1 WFP West Africa Regional Bureau REGIONAL SPECIAL OPERATION SO Country: West Africa Regional Bureau (OMD) Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia Type of project: Special Operation Title: Logistics Common Services for the Humanitarian Community s Response to the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in West Africa Total cost (US$): US $ 87,000,000 Duration: Four and a half months (15 October 2014 to 28 February 2015) Executive Summary: 1. On 23 March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the Guinean Ministry of Health had notified WHO of a rapidly evolving outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD, or Ebola ) in forested areas in south eastern Guinea. Despite the efforts made by the governments, the spread of the disease has affected Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Senegal, claiming over 3,000 lives, and potentially affecting over one million people, as regular trade and services are disrupted. The scale of outbreak is unprecedented, and has the serious social, economic and security implications for the affected countries, and the region. 2. On 19 September the UN Secretary-General established the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) with a main coordinating hub and office in Accra and operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. The Mission will provide the operational framework and unity of purpose to ensure the rapid, effective and coherent action necessary to stop the outbreak, to treat the infected, to ensure essential services, to preserve stability, and to prevent the spread to countries currently unaffected. The UN Security Council has declared the Ebola crisis a threat to peace and security, and WFP has received, through the Executive Director, a request to provide support to the UNMEER mission. 3. This Special Operation is established to augment the capacity of the humanitarian response under the United Nations System umbrella, and to support UNMEER efforts to stop the spread of Ebola. Through this Special Operation, WFP aims to 1) provide logistics, infrastructural support to UNMEER to enhance the efficiency of the humanitarian response; 2) provide access to humanitarian personnel to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance and 3) support strategic management of WFP s preparedness and response for Ebola and other related hazards globally. This Special Operation will also consolidate and supersede the existing Special Operations already in place for the Ebola response. 4. WFP aims to implement the following activities: A. Establishment of logistics staging areas in Accra, national hubs in the three capitals and forward logistics bases in the affected countries B. Provision of Humanitarian Air Services and Strategic Airlifts C. Interagency Logistics Coordination D. Logistics and Telecommunications Infrastructure E. Supply chain capacity augmentation 1

2 F. Strategic preparedness measures 5. The Special Operation will be implemented for an initial duration of four and a half months at a total cost of US $87,000,000. The scope of the project and the budget will be revised as necessary, as the situation evolves and further requirements become apparent. Project Background: 6. On 23 March 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the Guinean Ministry of Health had notified WHO of a rapidly evolving outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD, or Ebola ) in forested areas in south eastern Guinea. The spread of the disease has now affected Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Senegal. The numbers of newly confirmed and suspected cases are increasing, indirectly affecting over one million people as regular supply routes and services are disrupted. 7. On 28 August 2014, as part of a global coordination approach to the threat of Ebola, WHO issued a Roadmap to scale up the international response to the EVD outbreak in West Africa, with the aim to stop transmission in affected countries within the next 6 to 9 months and further prevent the spread of the disease across international borders. The Roadmap provides the framework for international coordination and support to assist governments and partners in the revision and resourcing of country-specific operational plans for Ebola response. The Roadmap has three key objectives: a. To achieve full geographic coverage with complementary Ebola response activities in countries with widespread and intense rates of transmission; b. To ensure emergency and immediate application of comprehensive Ebola response interventions in countries with initial case(s) or with localized transmission; c. To strengthen preparedness of all countries to rapidly detect and respond to an Ebola exposure, especially those sharing land borders with an intense transmission area and those with international transportation hubs. 8. In response to the crisis, the regional Ebola emergency operation in West Africa was declared as a WFP Level 3 Corporate Emergency, to employ WFP s corporate capabilities and resources in full. Currently, WFP is providing food assistance to Ebola-affected populations in cooperation with governments, WHO, and other partners under Regional Emergency Operation (EMOP) To complement the EMOP, WFP has also launched Special Operations and for the provision of common services support including Logistics and Emergency Telecommunications coordination as well as the provision of humanitarian passenger and cargo support through the WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service. Project Justification 9. On 19 September the UN Secretary-General established the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) with a main coordinating hub and office in Accra and operations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea. The Mission will provide the operational framework and unity of purpose to ensure the rapid, effective and coherent action 2

3 necessary to stop the outbreak, to treat the infected, to ensure essential services, to preserve stability, and to prevent the spread to countries currently unaffected. The UN Security Council has declared the Ebola crisis a threat to peace and security, and WFP has received, through the Executive Director, a request to provide logistics support to the UNMEER mission. 10. Functioning operations logistics platforms are essential to enhance the UN Ebola response and to serve as a conduit to supporting the broader international response. Due to the rate of spread of the virus, there is an urgent need to operationalize the logistics networks. With the number of Ebola cases assed to be doubling every every twenty to thirty days there is a crucial window in the System s efforts to stop the transmission of Ebola and prevent its spread, and without the immediate up scaling of logistics capabilities, an opportunity to halt the virus will be lost with severe consequences. 11. Furthermore, in line with the WHO Roadmap, WFP and other agencies must work to address a number of priority preparedness activities identified in Objective 3 of the WHO Roadmap. In addition to specific operational responses covered through WFP s Regional EMOP and Special Operations, WFP must also update wider preparedness and response measures, including technical guidance and contingency planning efforts outside the OMD Region, for Ebola and for other related hazard contexts. Project design and implementation is in line with consultations with WHO and UNMEER. Project Objectives 12. This Special Operation is established to provide logistics services to UNMEER for its effort to stop the spread of Ebola. Through this Special Operation, WFP aims to: 1) provide the required logistics, infrastructural, and supply chain capabilities to UN- MEER, leveraging its expertise in logistics, to enhance the efficiency of the humanitarian response to stop the spread of Ebola, and minimize the economic damages to the affected and neighboring countries; 2) provide access to humanitarian personnel to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and 3) support strategic management of WFP s preparedness and response for Ebola and other related hazards globally. This Special Operation will also align and consolidate the existing Special Operations already in place for the Ebola response. The objectives above are linked to WFP s Strategic Results Framework under Strategic Objective 1: Save lives and protect livelihoods in emergencies. Project Implementation 13. This project will have a duration of four and a half months and will be adapted and revised as the situation evolves, as further requests emerge from UNMEER or the wider humanitarian community, and as results from situational assessments become available. 14. The following activities will be implemented: 3

4 A. Establishment of a logistics staging area in Accra, national hubs in the three capitals and forward logistics bases in the affected countries B. Provision of Humanitarian Air Services and Strategic Airlifts C. Interagency Logistics Coordination D. Logistics and Telecommunications Infrastructure E. Supply Chain capacity augmentation F. Strategic preparedness measures A. Establishment of a Logistics Staging area in Accra, national hubs in the three capitals and forward logistics bases in the affected countries: Accra UNHRD Staging Area: Leveraging on the existing UNHRD capability in Accra, a logistics staging area will be setup at the UNHRD facilities. The assembly of WHO health kits (comprising the Community Care Centres and vital supplies for the running of the treatment centres) is the major function of this Staging Area. Kits will be assembled in Accra, and transported directly to the affected countries. Furthermore, the staging area will be established to support the air and ocean transport operations within the region, to the affected countries. Contingency stocks of the health kits will also be kept in storage in the Accra Staging Area for rapid deployment direct to new locations of outbreaks of EVD. Main Logistics Hubs (national): The national logistics hubs ( Main Logistics Hubs ) will be set-up in Conakry, Liberia and Freetown to consolidate the incoming cargo for the reception, temporary storage, dispatch and transshipment of international shipments arriving by sea and/or air. The hubs will be run by the in-country Logistics Clusters. Forward Logistics Bases: Furthermore, it is envisioned to establish at least three Forward Logistics Bases (FLB) in each of the affected countries, to give as much coverage as possible to the affected area (by helicopter sorties and dedicated truck fleet movements.) These bases will be the most crucial response node, and will be setup to ensure immediate response to call-forwards of Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs), Ebola Care Units (ECUs) and all essential supporting operational equipment. The key logistics handling equipment for the operation will be procured or leased for the Accra staging area as well as for the country main logistics hubs and forwarding bases to ensure rapid handling of the life-saving cargo. B. Provision of Humanitarian Air Services and Strategic Airlifts United Nations Humanitarian Air Services: The UNHAS fleet will be part of the unified response under the UNMEER umbrella. UNHAS will continue to operate a fleet of one 19-seat fixed-wing aircraft, one medium-size jet and two medium-size helicopters for passengers and light cargo. The 19-seat fixed-wing is based in Conakry and will serve field locations close to treatment centres and quarantine areas within Guinea and complement the medium-size jet through providing a link between the capitals of the affected countries when required. One medium-size helicopter will continue to operate out of Monrovia, primarily to locations within Liberia for reaching remote locations, especially those not accessible by fixed-wing aircraft. A second 4

5 helicopter is being deployed to Conakry. Further, the medium-size-jet is providing a reliable link of humanitarian workers to functioning commercial airlines for movements in and out of the region. In addition, since the ongoing flight restrictions also have an impact on commercial air freight services, the project caters for ad hoc chartering of a light aircraft to facilitate the urgent transport of relief cargo such as medical supplies and personnel protection equipment. The staffing structure of the UNHAS component of the operation is being strengthened with the addition of the senior aviation staff to the structure which will liaise between all WFP aviation activities including regular UNHAS and airlift operations with UNMEER hierarchy, other humanitarian organizations and government institutions. Additional Aviation Staff (Air Transport Officers, Air Movement Officers and Air Movement Assistants) are being deployed to the affected countries and Dakar to ensure sufficient technical and operational support. Further, appropriate operational support staff in Finance and Administration services will be deployed to several locations. In addition, an UNHAS presence is being established in Accra and Las Palmas. A number of UN/DFS contracted aircraft will be made available along with UNHAS assets under a unified daily schedule. UNHAS will coordinate with UNMEER for all passenger movements for the humanitarian community and will attempt to provide a coordination platform for members states deploying air assets to the region. With the fluid nature of the EVD crisis, UNHAS will exhibit ample flexibility to adapt the operational set-up to realities of the situation. Hence, regular consultations with users and other key stakeholders will continue through UGC meetings, informal consultations and surveys to adjust destinations, frequency of flights and other operational components to meet most updated needs of the users. Further, UNHAS will be available for special missions upon request. The Special Operation does not cater for the transportation of EVD patients. Strategic Airlifts: To facilitate the delivery of food items, relief supplies and other Non- Food Items, 20 strategic airlifts with large cargo aircraft from different locations outside the sub-region and tactical airlifts to and from the Forward Logistics Bases are included. C. Interagency Logistics coordination and service provision: As the lead agency of the Logistics Cluster, WFP aims to provide logistics coordination and information management support, as well as facilitating the handling of the incoming cargo. Crucially, the Logistics Clusters will prioritize the in-out movements from the Main Logistics Hubs in the capitals to ensure that the most urgently needed items are moved up-country to the Forward Logistics Bases in the most efficient way. Free storage and transport services may be provided for the initial three months, subject to the funding received and cargo priority at UNHRD Accra staging area, and in the national logistics hubs and forwarding logistics bases. WFP s truck fleet will be augmented to provide additional capacity to the UN Mission in the three affected countries where dedicated fleets will be available for the movements from the Forward Logistics Bases. 5

6 D. Logistics and Telecommunications Infrastructure Support: 1. Infrastructure Support: To ensure the rapid response, engineering capabilities are required for the establishment of the Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) and Ebola Community Centres (ECCs.) Based on the requirements identified by UNMEER, WFP will support the establishment of the ETUs and ECCs in the affected areas. The project plans to construct 30 ETUs across the three affected countries, approximately 10 in each country catering for up to 3,000 patients. UNMEER will be responsible for the management of the established ETUs and ECCs. 2. Staff Safety and Security - rehabilitation of United Nations clinics and Training on Medical Protocol for non-medical personnel and partners: As part of infrastructure support, WFP aims to rehabilitate the existing capacity of the United Nations Clinics in Guinea and Sierra Leone. With the current Ebola epidemic, the available healthcare in these countries is not only sub-standard, but also dangerous. With the establishment of UNMEER and additional personnel both medical and non-medical deployed, adequate access to quality healthcare is critical to ensure the staff safety. The recent assessment of the UN Clinics in these two locations carried out by the UN Medical Service shows that they are below the acceptable standards. Staff safety and security are the utmost importance, in ensuring effective response for Ebola. WFP therefore aims to increase the capacity of the existing clinics by providing augmented Medical Service Support to UN Missions in Sierra Leone and Guinea Conakry for non-ebola affected patients. This will initially be done through the outsourcing, by WFP, of a private healthcare provider to work with the UN clinics and provide healthcare to UN staff and their dependents. The approach was endorsed by Medical Director of the Medical Service Division New York, UN Medical Directors Working Group and Special DSG for Ebola Coordination, Dr. David Nabarro. The contractor will provide trained and certified health care professionals, build upon the existing clinics and infrastructure, modernise, equip and provide management support to medical facilities in Freetown and Conakry. Through the enhanced clinics, WFP also aims to facilitate training of staff being deployed on medical protocol, in coordination with WHO and UNMEER for the non-medical staff and counterparts to raise awareness and implement stringent preventative measures in delivery of life-saving cargo to the beneficiaries. 3. Emergency Telecommunication Support: a. Provide critical emergency telecommunications coordination and information sharing mechanisms to support the humanitarian response to the Ebola outbreak. 6

7 b. Provision of internet connectivity services to the humanitarian community in five (5) common operating areas in each of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. c. Implementation of UN and NGO security communications - COMCENs (Communications Centres) will be augmented in thirteen (13) common operating hubs in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone to provide security telecommunications services to the humanitarian community. Both UN and NGO channels will be provided in all three countries as well as technical and user training. E. Supply Chain Support: a. UNHRD will provide procurement oversight and operational support to WFP, and deployment of support teams for the construction of logistics hubs and cargo consolidation. b. Facilitation of ad-hoc equipment procurement, including the management of the supply chain information in coordination with the government and other humanitarian partners. c. Procurement of supplies for the Ebola Treatment Units and Ebola Community Units for the governments. F. Emergency Preparedness and Response measures: WFP will develop policy and guidance related to the Ebola and other related hazard preparedness and response, and support integration of this into wider WFP policy and guidance, in particular the Emergency Preparedness and Response Package (EPRP). This includes business continuity planning and analysis of potential consequential effects that may cause disruption to public and commercial sector services as well as impact staff health and safety. Project Management 15. The Regional Director will be responsible for overall project oversight and funds management. The Regional Finance Officer will be responsible for the allotment of funds. 16. A logistics coordination structure responsible for the project activities will be based in Accra as a regional platform, to coordinate with UNMEER. Country-level coordination cells will also be based in the main logistics hubs of each of the countries, and a regional coordination team in Dakar (if so required), reporting to the logistics coordinator in Accra. In each location, a logistics coordinator, an information management officer, engineers, aviation officers will be supporting the logistics activities. Supporting structure will also be enhanced to manage the operational risks in the affected countries, and in Accra. 17. For emergency preparedness and response activities, staff will be based in Rome. Project Cost and Benefits 18. This Special Operation has a total budget of US $87,000,000 accounting for the activities outlined here, and aims to provide critical, emergency logistics and coordination mechanisms to support the humanitarian response to the Ebola outbreak. 7

8 19. Working closely with UNMEER, humanitarian and government partners will have the added benefit of strengthening existing partnerships and enhancing the response capabilities of the local government for this and future crises. 20. Where possible, approved services under this Special Operation may be provided to humanitarian agencies at no cost. Considering that the market rates for the life-saving supplies and services can be volatile during such emergencies, the consolidation of logistics and infrastructure services will provide value for money and increased response capacity. Risk Management 21. A number of contextual, operational, and programmatic risk factors could impact the successful implementation of this Special Operation. Possible mitigation measures are also included below. A. Closure of corridors due to insecurity or political developments This risk will be mitigated through maintenance of standby arrangements for alternative corridors in close coordination with UNMEER, UN HCT, DPKO/UNMIL (Liberia only), and other relevant authorities to intervene or resolve issues with the appropriate authorities on behalf of the humanitarian community. B. Demands for common services exceeds current forecasts This risk will be mitigated through: Ability to scale up staffing through rosters and identification of surge capacity; Availability of adequate storage facilities; and Availability of prepositioned equipment to meet the needs of the humanitarian community. C. Customs / transit delays for the equipment arrival that might shift the duration of the project duration The risk will be mitigated through: Field assistance team to ship equipment on time and CO to start customs clearance procedure early. Request the HC/RC to intervene / resolve the issue with the appropriate authorities on behalf of the UN system. Monitoring and Evaluation 22. WFP will monitor: 1) the establishment of the Accra staging area, the hubs and the forward logistics bases in the affected countries; 2) the utility and use of services by partners; 3) the compilation and dissemination of relevant transport and logistics information; 4) risk factors that arise that may impact the logistics component of the Ebola response operation. Regular assessments will be made to ensure that lessons identified will be applied to improve the humanitarian response. 23. The key performance indicators for this project will be: A. No. of agencies and organizations utilizing the common services; B. No. of SitReps, maps and other information packages produced and shared; 8

9 C. Organizations receiving services through common services and responding to a survey rate service satisfaction as 80% or above (or similar); D. If needed, total storage and transport services made available (m3) in the established logistics bases and hubs; E. Percentage of Forward Logistics Bases established against UNMEER request; (100%); F. Percentage of ETUs and ECUs established against the request (100%); G. Number of UN clinics rehabilitated (2); H. Number of non-medical staff and counterparts trained in the medical procedures (600); I. Percentage of non-food items procured and delivered against requests (100%); and J. Comprehensive corporate strategy, norms, and guidance developed to enhance WFP s capabilities for operational response in future related emergencies. 24. Regular assessments will be made to ensure that lessons identified will be applied to improve the common services support. Following the completion of the operation, WFP will conduct a detailed lessons learned exercise in order to ensure that best practices highlighted during the operation are compiled and made available. This will ultimately contribute for a faster, more tailored and cost effective response mechanisms for future emergencies. RECOMMENDATION 25. This Special Operation covering the period from 15 October 2014 to 28 February 2015 at a total cost to WFP of US $87,000,000 is recommended for approval by the Executive Director. APPROVAL... Ertharin COUSIN Executive Director 9

10 Annex Maps Guinea: Liberia: 10

11 Sierra Leone: 11

12 UNHAS Route Map as of 19 th September 2014: 12