Like many other regions, East Africa has been facing an ever increasing number of humanitarian crises, which have put an increasing strain on responders. As part of the ongoing efforts to bolster the effectiveness of the emergency response system in the region, the humanitarian community, in collaboration with business partners and the Government of Kenya, launched the Humanitarian Private Sector Partnership Platform – East Africa, in Nairobi, on the 8th of March.
The platform brings together the private sector, government, and international humanitarian agencies, to pool resources and expertise, and create sustainable partnerships that they hope will increase the effectiveness and reach of humanitarian responses in East Africa. The Partnering Initiative worked with platform stakeholders through the initial stages and the launch, to support the design and development of the platform model.
“The launch of this partnership is a milestone. Private sector partners play a key role in improving the reach, quality and timeliness of the humanitarian system and in helping to strengthen disaster management across the region,” said Mr. Pete Manfield, Head of UNOCHA, Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa.
Cross-sector partnerships in the region have however been ad-hoc, with engagement focused on single responses or one-off donations. “The challenge however is how the Government and stakeholders can transform this kind of engagements into continuous and sustainable partnerships, in light of surging crises,” stated Mr. Wycliffe Ogallo, Secretary, Liaison Affairs, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, who officially launched the Platform.
The HPPP aims to provide structured and cost-efficient ways to connect humanitarian, business and government actors in helping communities minimize the impact of disasters and forge faster recovery.
For more info, check out the HPPP’s website.
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