User:Brandon Zietsman/sandbox

Initial response
On November the 19th 2019, the government of the Republic of Congo declared a humanitarian disaster and state of emergency in the departments of Likoula, Cuvette and Plateux, while seeking assistance from the international community. Between the 14th and 18th of December, a rapid humanitarian assessment was undertaken by the government and the United Nations.

Access problems and minimal operational presence hampered coordination efforts. A UN report suggested that the government had limited capacity to deal with the emergency and that there was insufficient human and financial resources to ensure coverage of those affected. The United Nations Emergency Relief Fund was rapidly mobilised.

Local responsibility for coordination was assigned to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Humanitarian Action.

Local

 * Civil Protection, an agency of the Ministry of Social Affairs
 * The Water Hygiene and Sanitation Technical Committee
 * Congolese Red Cross

United Nations agencies involved

 * Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF)
 * World Food Program (WFP)
 * United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF (UNICEF)
 * Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)
 * UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)
 * United Nations Office for the Coordination of Human Affairs (OCHA)
 * United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA)

Financial assistance

 * Government of the Republic of Congo
 * UN Agencies (various)
 * Red Cross Disaster Relief Emergency Fund
 * Humanitarian Aid Department of the European Commission
 * Government of Canada Emergency Disaster Assistance Fund
 * Government of the United States USAID
 * Chinese cooperation

United Nations response plan
The strategic objective was to “preserve the lives of populations affected by floods, covering their basic necessities through emergency humanitarian assistance”. The following needs were identified and strategies formulated: CERF placed a high priority to the protection of women, girls and minorities, with UNFPA, UNICEF and FAO also focusing on equitable access to services and protection.

Success of UN response
In a CERF report covering the response up to 12th August 2020, a disappointing $12m had been disbursed of an updated $42.4m required. Nevertheless, CERF estimates that nearly 250 000 people received direct assistance, while another 190 000 benefited indirectly.