User:Tinomungoni/sandbox

UNHRD Article evaluation
The article lacks mention of any work the UNHRD has done in the world or any of its hubs.
 * The background of the article is vague
 * The article is missing relevant dates such as the year the UNHRD was formed.
 * The aims are not clear and specific.
 * The article does not delve into what items and equipment the UNHRD carries for crisis response.
 * The article is barely referenced.
 * Not much is said about the locations

Background
The UNHRD is a network of hubs that responds to global emergencies and provides relief items and equipment. Italy played a significant role in the formation of the UNHRD since the mid 80’s where its government stored crisis relief items to support WHO and WFP. It was formed under the United Nations[ and it aimed to assist people in countries affected by disasters and other emergencies. The relief items stocked include ready to eat items, shelter, and medical kits among other things. Resolution 46 of the United Nations General Assembly states that the United Nations is responsible for setting up and coordinating a humanitarian relief system. The 27th paragraph states that the UN should work together with existing organizations as the core of a structure with equipment and services available within the UN to ensure an effect emergency response system is in place. All responsible including the governmental and non-governmental organizations should be able to respond in an efficient and effective manner. The Inter Agency Standing Committee IASC decided to pass the responsibility to the WFP as it was the most relevant arm in the United Nations, all things considered, to take up this responsibility. The first UNHRD based in Italy, Pisa, and it was managed by IASC. The WFP with the obligation to save lives in emergency situations such as refugee camps, with the aim to ensure that food and nutritional needs of the victims were met. After having established this relationship and management was passed down, the UNHRD was established in 2000, located in Brindisi, Italy. This location was co-located with the United Nations Logistics Base at the military airport. The UNHRD was then managed by the Peacekeeping department. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the UNHRD and Italy in November 1994. A Brindisi model was adopted by the WFP in 2006, to cater for their needs and to do so cost effectively. This was through inter-agency, partnership and preparedness from strategic locations worldwide. The locations were Africa, South East, Middle East and Latin America.

Aims
Partners The UNHRD works with 86 official partners to ensure the smooth operation of the emergency services. Partners include World Vision, Plan International, Australian Aid, Usaid, Swiss Red Cross and Save the children, Shelter Box, UNICEF, MEDAIR, Mercy Corps among others.
 * The UNHRD aims to deploy the necessary relief in the event of a crisis within 24-48hrs
 * To have a training facility for humanitarian organizations and workers
 * To maintain quality standards of relied items
 * To promote a lend and borrow relationship among relievers.
 * To have staff trained in the deployment of relief that will respond in an emergency

Locations
There are six UNHRD hubs strategically located close to disaster prone areas for efficiency and convenience. The locations are close to airports, ports, and main roads to ensure timely delivery of relief. Dubai is located in the International Humanitarian City and it was built in 1998. The UAE government maintains it. This location has a training centre, temperature control, and both an open and a closed storage. Since 2001, the hub has been dispatching food, shelter and other necessities to disaster victims. Dubai is the largest hub in the world and it has provided to over 90 million people in 80 countries. It has 22 500m2 packed with essentials. The hub also stores collected goods such as temporary shelters and tents from other partners and organizations which it delivers to areas such as Iraq and South Sudan. In the past, the hub responded to Typhoon Haiyan and the Syrian crisis. In that year alone it aided more than double the entire population of Dubai. 4.8 million people were assisted by the UNHRD Dubai. The location has other arms, which include the Global Vehicle Leasing Programme which leases light vehicles for supply and staff member, Fast IT & Telecommunications Emergency and Support Team (FITTEST) and the aid hub. The FITTEST team aims to establish internet and telecommunication services for communication between the UN, the depots and other organizations in partnership with the UNHRD. From 2013, Dubai had 537 ship outs. Every working day there are at least two ship outs to somewhere in the world. In 2014 Accra hosted the UN mission for Ebola Response. The Secretary General Anthony Banbury on the 29th of September. The Accra location is near the airport. It stored emergency items to cater for the WFP. Medical items were also stored by WHO and to cater for drug storage there was need for a transformation. Due to an increased rate of storage needs from delivered items, there was need to upsize and the refurbishment was courteous of the Ghanaian government. The new space had four offices erected for staff and there were roads constructed for transportation of goods. Accra has dispatched in a number of areas including Haiti, marking the first dispatch outside Africa. Recently Accra dispatched 4,8 million worth of goods, intervening in supporting 25 countries. In 2006, the establishment of Ghana was formalized. It operated in a 350m2 space which inevitably became insufficient with all the goods to be stored. Mobile storage units were erected as part of the warehouse. In 2008, there was an agreement signed to acquire more land for more storage space. Though there was a lot of work to be done, in 2009, some storage items began to be moved to the new space. The new space is 5000m2 internally and 7500m2 externally. After the floods in Ghana, the UNHRD in Accra delivered high energy biscuits to the flood victims. A consignment of 25 metric tonnes of biscuits was dispatched to the host country for the first time since 2006. 200 000 people living in the Northern, Upper East and West regions were affected and reprieved by the Accra hub. There was a reduction in delivery time and the consignment was cost efficient showing a vast improvement in the operation of the depot. The UNHRD in Kuala Lumpur serves Asia. In 2016, 179MT emergency supply was dispatched. The goods were worth US$1 million. The depot was established in 2010 and it is strategically located close to Sultan Abdul Samada and Port Klang. It has 1000m2 as a cold room and 4000m2 is used for storage of dry goods. It also stores mobile storage units that are used at disaster zones for storage purposes, generators, tents and blankets. In 2008, there were 27 shipments of relief good sent out to various places across the world from Kuala Lumpur by air and 13 by sea. These goods aided victims of Typhoon Haiyan. The location offers supply and procurement services when UN agencies and both governmental and non-governmental organizations purchase goods for distribution. In some cases military vehicles delivers the goods as well as commercial and charter transportation. The Malaysian government contributes 50% to the hub. The location is owned by the Defence Ministry. Located at the Panamá Pacífico International Airport, the UNHRD Panama operates from a 5000m2 warehouse. It has training facilities and offices soon to be opened at the Howard base. 2000m2 is used as cold storage at the Panama depot. The hub can be accessed from the Canal rail, Tocumen International Airport and Balboa port. The warehouse is secure with 24/7 guards and patrols and it is fenced. This structure is built according to the US military standards as they used it prior. The warehouse is protected with fire alarms and strong metal gates. This depot services the Caribbean region as well as Latin America. This year the depot is set to be launched when it moves to the Logistics Centre for Humanitarian Assistance. Currently the government of Panama is facilitating it. In 2014, the depot aided Bolivia after severe floods that affected families in some regions. It dispatched goods worth US$900,000. In 2016, partners that used Panama UNHRD include Shelter Box, Government of Panama, UNICEF, WHO, World Vision and WFP. Brindisi is located at a military airport in Southern Italy. The depot was the first UNHRD and it was set up in 2000. Italy has invested more than 2 million euros. The UNHRD lab is located at the Brindisi location. This is a research and development unit. It basically reviews, tests and develops innovative products that are used in disaster relief. At this hub, there is buying and storing of supplies that are sent to the disaster zones. The depot dispatched more than US$4.2 million in supplies to victims. When staff is deployed, UNHRD Brindisi checks all the necessities such as vaccinations, visa and health requirements. They do this through the Protocol and Medical service units in Rome. They are responsible for organizing emergency short term travel and accommodation. The depot recently moved to better facilities that are refurbished. The facilities are in San Vito, courteous of the government of Italy. Partners who used UNHRD in 2016 include Save the children, UNDP, WEF and UNICEF. This depot facilitates training, practical exams and emergency drills to ensure all parties are better prepared in the event of a disaster. The UNHRD Brindisi staff occasionally visits schools to raise awareness of their responsibility and role in humanitarian aid. Las Palmas location is the latest addition of the UNHRD. It played a pivotal role during the Ebola crisis together with the WFP. Spain donated $US15 million to the WFP to open a response depot. This included 1,200m2 for the UNHRD. Las Palmas was convenient because of its competitive time efficiency, cost effectiveness and a good connection spot. The temperature is also favorable with an average of 21 degrees. This region is well known for empty containers which are useful to the depots for packaging and storing goods. Sailing times to West Africa are 15 days or less. The positioning of this hub also allows for assistance to the Accra and Panama locations. In 2014 after the agreement was signed, Las Palmas was actively involved in the Ebola response.
 * Dubai
 * Accra
 * Kuala Lumpar
 * Panama City
 * Brindisi
 * Las Palmas

User Benefits
The UNHRD network of users includes the United Nations organizations and other governmental and non-governmental actors that are involved in humanitarian aid and use the UNHRD network. They sign an agreement called the Technical Agreement with the WPF. This and another document with guidelines of operation and any legal agreement act as a bridge between the parties involved. Users can request UNHRD services such as procurement and transportation. Users are required to comply with the above mentioned documents. The UNHRPD provides a variety of services and incentives for the network of hubs. These include:


 * Free storage
 * Timely response
 * Cost efficiency
 * Procurement
 * Coordination
 * Inspection
 * Technical innovation
 * Real time stock visibility

Stock
Stocks kept are not for long term storage or stock without emergency value. Users repossess their stock after 24 months of no movement. Users have real time access to their stocks 24/7. White stocks upon request can be procured by the UNHRD and this can be on a long term agreement. White stocks are straight from the suppliers and do not belong to any agency. They solely belong to the supplier with not emblem or logo on them hence the name “White stock”. Users are allowed to trade, sell and buy stocks. These interactions are subject to agreement between the two parties. The UNHRD can procure the goods after agreement however; they can replace the stock themselves. All the additions and subtractions are taken note of by the depot managers for accountability purposes. Stock that is not physically available is called virtual stock. This is stock that physically has space in the depots but is not in place while processing the purchasing order. The time frame allows for negotiations regarding prices and quantity. When stocks expire, they are destroyed after notifying users of the expiration. Standard regulations and protocols are to be followed when destroying or disabling expired stock. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure disposal costs are covered. In some cases, users fail to maintain their stock in the best possible state, and it is the responsibility of the depots’ manager to advise the users and propose the owner to get rid of the stock, sell, or return the goods if they are expired. Annually in December, the depots do a physical stock count and this is mandatory. Users can request additional physical stock count which will be arranged at any time during the year. Users are responsible for releasing their stocks and the authorities are responsible for the procedure. Unless there is written consent, stocks can not be released, bought, sold or loaned.

Imports and Exports
Users should give at least a week notice to the depot before a shipment ETA. The UNHRD will inform the users in the event of insufficient space at the hub. Shipping documents must state the UNHRD and country to ensure a smooth custom clearing process. To assist with packing, users are required to package their stock appropriately. This will also allow inspection to be swift. Stocks should be packed, wrapped and strapped onto pallets with a height up to 1.1m-2.10m. The required documents for imports are air waybill, commercial invoice, bill of lading, packing list and certificate of origin. UNHRD may request additional documents and it reserves the right to do so. Depots are to email users acknowledgement of receipt of stocks.

In the event of exportation, the following is basic documentation requirements to export items from the depot:
 * Stock owner authority release
 * Description of stock
 * Quantity
 * Consignee, destination and delivery terms; Terms of delivery, destination country, consignee
 * Delivery address for the cargo
 * Delivery address of document shipping
 * Destination point of contact
 * Type of Specific Service, if requested
 * Agreement established or import authorization granted with the recipient country
 * Authorities for tax exemption or any other import fees
 * import procedure certification in the recipient country
 * Any other particular recommendation
 * Proforma Invoice, signed
 * Spending authorization for special services request