Security Management in European Disaster Response Operations

Transcription

1 Security Management in European Disaster Response Operations Peter Billing European Commission Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations ECHO Unit A.2: Emergency Preparedness and Security

2 Structure of the Presentation The changing global security environment: new challenges The EU as a player in international disaster response: its role and mandate; Interface disaster management and tourism The EU in action: prevention, preparedness, response

3 Security challenges on the rise Increasing frequency and complexity of natural disasters Technological hazards and risks Terrorist attacks and violent conflict

4 Natural Disasters

5 Conflict and Displacement 2015: 65 Million persons displaced Sources: UNHCR, Global Trends 2014

6 Terrorist Attacks 6

7 Why is all of this relevant for tourism? Travel destinations may be disaster-prone Tourists may become targets of terrorist activities Tourists may be caught in sudden outbreaks of violence Tourists may be affected by breakdowns of traffic infrastructure while traveling Pandemics may break out while traveling

8 What is Europe doing to better protect EU citizens affected by disasters? The Union Civil Protection Mechanism 34 Participating States, 35 m per year, coordinated by DG ECHO Prevention Early warning systems (e.g. GDACS) Preparedness Training and exercises for EU disaster response teams Pool of response assets for rapid deployment Risk analysis Disaster Response

9 Why a European approach? Transnational character of risks Size and complexity: no single country can be sufficiently prepared for all kinds of disasters Efficiency gains through cooperation and coordination at EU level Solidarity and Responsibility - "Wertegemeinschaft" European Civil Protection Mechanism established in 2001 The European safety net kicks in when national resources are overwhelmed +200 disaster response operations since 2001

10 Mechanism in action: response operations Assistance to the victims of natural disasters Earthquakes: Haiti 2010 Forest Fires: Portugal 2016 Floods: Albania 2016 Tropical Storms: Haiti 2016 Tsunamis: Indian Ocean 2004 Assistance to victims of man-made disasters Syria: refugee crisis 2016 Consular assistance: Repatriation of EU citizens Mumbai 2008 Libya 2011

11 Disaster stricken country Request for assistance Acceptance / rejection of offers Information update ERCC Offer of assistance Deployment of EUCP Teams Coordination of Transport Activation of the Mechanism

12 Terrorist Attack, Mumbai / India Nov /11: terrorist attacks hit Mumbai, more than 170 people dead, more than 330 wounded 29/11: Swedish MEDEVAC aircraft and team, experts (SE, FR) launched heavily wounded citizens repatriated to EU

13 Libya Crisis 2011 DG ECHO supports consular evacuation operations from Libya: Europeans and third country nationals repatriated 11 Member States provided aerial and sea transport capacity through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for the repatriation EU provided 10 m

14 Other examples: Portugal Forest fires 2016: fire fighting planes West Africa: Ebola crisis 2014: Medevac Nepal 2015: water supply

15 Iraq: Humanitarian Assistance Mosul, Dec 2016 In 2016 DG ECHO spent 2.2 bn for humanitarian assistance worldwide, reaching 120 million beneficiaries, 200 implementing partners

16 Duty of Care: DG ECHO's Internal Security Management System More than 800 staff in HQ and 48 field offices Frquent "field missions" to monitor humanitrarian projects in crisis areas "Zero-risk" situation does not exist Risk Management - Not Risk Avoidance Security Threat Analysis Tailor-made Risk Mitigation Measures

17 ECHO's Internal Security Management: Rules and Procedures: ECHO Safety and Security Manual High-risk country (HRC) list Pre-mission security clearance missions to high risk zones Pre-mission security briefing Security training for HQ and field staff ECHO Office security plans and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) Tailor-made risk mitigation measures for missions and infrastructure Information sharing with security experts from other EU and international actors (e.g. UNDSS) Capacity building projects with ECHO partners

18 Conclusions Security challenges are on the increase: natural disasters, terrorism, violent conflict All of these dramatically affect tourism industry, no matter where, no matter when National preparedness is primordial, but no country (and no industry) alone can face all those challenges Strong cooperation at EU level is necessary to prevent and prepare properly, to bundle available resources and to use them efficiently in case of disaster Together with the EU Member States the European Commission has established strong coordination mechanisms to support and protect the European citizens in case of disaster We owe it to our citizens to further strengthen those mechanisms

19 Thank you for your attention