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Consultative Group Meeting: Linking
Response: Integrating Early Warning and Vulnerability Assessment (EW/VA) in Sub-Saharan Africa. The frequency and severity of natural and manmade crises have increased in recent years, and these trends are expected to continue well into the next century. Therefore there is a strong need to develop decision-support strategies that aim to decrease the incidence and effects of crises and disasters. The successful application of what has been known to the development community as Early Warning and Vulnerability Assessment (EW/VA) is a key tool for timely response to prevent and mitigate disasters. An effective EW/VA strategy depends on the practical relationships between science and technology; an understanding of social and economic implications of disasters in the context of sustainable development; and the organization and capabilities of human systems to consume and use information. There has been very little attempt to design EW/VA systems that address the breadth of “crisis” as a development problem, technological advance, and the practical needs and capabilities of the humanitarian assistance community. This one day workshop will bring an interdisciplinary and interorganizational perspective to EW/VA, focusing on application in Sub-Saharan Africa(SSA). The purpose of this meeting is to: -Review current operational approaches to EW/VA,
identifying strengths, limitations Participants of this workshop will include technology and methodology specialists, subject matter experts, development planners and implementing organizations in the humanitarian assistance community. Venue : NSF headquarters Introduction –
8.30-9.00
Session I -
9.00-11.00
Current Operational Early Warning (EW) and Vulnerability Assessment (VA) Systems: Lessons learned and opportunities for improvement The session will begin with a panel presentation of currently operational systems and approaches. Lessons learned will focus on adequacy of information, linkages to response, and appropriate use of technology
Moderator - RAND Panel:FEWS(Chuck Chopak); HINAP(Eric Nojie); VAM(Pablo Ricalde); Conflict EW(Ted Gurr); HEWS/Reliefweb(UNOCHA) Break-
11.00-11.30
Session
II-11.30-13.00
State-of-the-art Tools & Technologies in EW/VA The goal of this session is to review the state-of-the-art tools and technologies that are available to improve EW/VA in Sub-Saharan Africa. These tools include new conceptual frameworks, data standardization, uses of remote sensing, text parsing/analysis, forecasting, computer-assisted learning systems, and advances in Geographic Information Systems(GIS). Moderator: Rita Colwell, NSF Panel:PANDA, Doug Bond(Harvard/COE); CENTAUR, Jim Rogers(COE); Open GIS in the field, Helen Wood(NOAA/NESDIS); VA frameworks, Uwe Deichmann(World Bank); Epidemic forecasting techniques(Focks) ; Remote sensing, Jim Tucker(NASA/Goddard) Lunch 13.00-14.00Lunch presentation (30 minutes): Outline of key issues 1) bringing technology to the field 2) how to effectively link information to response Speaker John Flynn-USAID Afternoon14.00-14.30Discussion of session II Session III
14.30-5.30
Moving forward: Towards field oriented EW/VA approaches The goal of this session is to synthesize lessons from the morning sessions and to consider problems and prospects for operationalizing integrated EW/VA approaches in Sub-Saharan Africa. The session will take the form of a panel discussion with each speaker taking not more than 10 minutes for a presentation. A major portion of the time will be devoted to a discussion with strong audience participation. 14.00-14.30 Towards
an integrated approach to EW/VA in SSA
Stanley W. Samarasinghe- Tulane University 14.30-17.00
Roundtable and plenary discussion on the issues and challenges surrounding EW/VA(refreshments
will be served during the session) Moderator: Bill Bertrand- Tulane University PanelistsThe politics of EW /VA: The prospects for its Success in Sub-Saharan Africa, Dr. David Bassiouani(UNOCHA) View from Uganda Parliament, Gilbert Bukenya An NGO perspective, Jim Bishop(INTERACTION) Capacity building and training, David Merrill(Utah State University) Assessment and evaluation of EW/VA interventions, Katherine Blanchard(USAID) Closing statements
– 17.00-17.30 NSF Invitee
list: Carl Johnson, Pacific Disaster Center Nat Colletta, World Bank Steve Holtzman, World Bank Eamon Kelly, NSB Grad Hagmeyer-Gaverus, Stockholm Institute for Peace Research Rodrigo Guerrero, Peace Plan Program, Colombia Gary Eilerts, FAO/WFP Ollie Davidson, Consultant Doug Bond, Harvard/COE Tami Halmrast-Sanchez, USAID John Lewis, USAID Bill Rennison, USAID Jim Kunder, consultant George Frercks, Clingendael Chadwick Alger, Ohio State University Rita Colwell, NSF Barbara Harff(Naval Academy) Helen Wood NOAA/NESDIS Dennis Mileti, Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center Ave Joseph Anoma, African Development Bank Payne Lucas, AFRICARE Dayton Maxwell, World Vision Relief and Development Terry Jeggle, IDNDR Frederick Burkle, COE Jim Rogers, COE Sarah Gavian, Abt and Associates Eric Nojie, WHO/CDC Russ Johnson, ESRI Elaine Padovani, USGS ACCORD Save UK Chris Bernabo, RAND Corp Allan Auclaire, RAND Corp Nancy Mock, Tulane Bill Bertrand, Tulane Stanley Samarrasinghe, Tulane David Merrill, Utah State instructional design and information technology program Mary Anderson, Management Systems International Andrienne Yande Diop, ECOWAS Karie Mbuende, SADC Bill Zartman, JHU Computer-Aided Systems for Analysis of Conflict, MIT Jiro Mizuno, Humanitarian Early Warning System, UNOCHA Lester Pearson, Canadian International Peacekeeping Training Center Michael Lund, Creative Associates International GDIN Compton Tucker, NASA John Davies, Global Events Data System, U of MD Jeffrey Freibaum, consultant John Scott, Center for Public Service Communications Andrew Natsios, US Institute for Peace Chris Bakaesegha, OAU Michael Stohl, Purdue University Dana Focks, USDA |
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