Project Document Template

III.Results and Partnerships

Expected Results

In response to the needs and priority areas identified, the project will provide a process to strengthen integrated EWS through consolidation of best practices, knowledge transfer for targeted solutions, and concrete actions in target countries. In doing so, the project will strengthen community and institutional preparedness, reinforce the need for a 4-pillared approach to EWS, foster capacity and knowledge exchanges between Caribbean countries and linkages with institutions such as CDEMA and the Red Cross, and enhance advocacy for investing in and sustaining an integrated EWS.

The project principal objective is “to strengthen integrated early warning systems for more effective disaster risk reduction in the Caribbean” and will contribute to UNDP Strategic Plan 2014-2017, Outcome 5 “Countries are able to reduce the likelihood of conflict and lower the risk of natural disasters, including from climate change”, especially to Output 5.4. “Preparedness systems in place to effectively address the consequences of and response to natural hazards (e.g. geo-physical and climate related) and man-made crisis at all levels of government and community”.

The project objective will be achieved through 4 expected results:

Result 1: Increase access to tools and knowledge of EWS at a national and regional level.

Activities under this result will help increase access to existing EWS tools and include the expansion of the existing online EWS Toolkit, with new relevant tools and case studies. Effort will be made to include specific tools or case studies that provide direction or model how to better incorporate the considerations of vulnerable groups, including gender, in EWS. The updated toolkit, will be promoted to increase awareness in the region, thorough the development of communication plan that may include email blasts utilizing communications channels of various partners. Other activities include the update of the IFRC Community-based EWS Toolkit, and the translation of tools into Spanish, French, Creole and English.. Under this result, UNDP Regional Hub will also support the integration of DRR in Haiti through advocacy efforts, dissemination of toolkits and promotion of the Country Document to stakeholders and decision makers. This approach envisions working at regional level, making all EWS existing tools accessible to Caribbean countries, as well as working at community level, improving EWS communication mechanisms and products for end-users.

This project envisions addressing this problem, developing a EWS checklist, as an assessing tool to guide next steps in addressing specific EWS gaps.

Result 2: Provide integrated EWS solutions and actions in five target countries through knowledge sharing.

This result helps establish an integrated EWS through the sharing of knowledge and capacity in EWS, drawing on Cuban and IFRC expertise known for respective successes in areas such as policy level, SOPs, drills and public education, communications flow, performance assessment and organization and structure, among others. Activities include the use of EWS checklist and IFRC community assessment tool, the identification, consolidation and testing of Cuban best practices, and the production of pedagogical materials in preparation of horizontal transfer. Best practices, models and tools of integrated EWS will be identified and adapted for target countries at each country level in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, EWS will be enhanced through revision and updating of existing tools as well as technical assistance by Cuban and/or Red Cross experts to build on existing advances. EWS tools will be identified, adapted and converted into a solutions tool package, leading to a roadmap designed to address specifics gaps. Support will be provided to create better linkages between the community and national authorities and improve community awareness.

Result 3: Increase EWS effectiveness in five target countries through concrete priority actions.

This result is reached through the prioritization of targeted actions to address identified gaps in EWS at each country level; attention will be paid to ensuring the inclusion of vulnerable communities, including specific groups such as persons with disabilities, women and youth in the project activities and facilitate improved community-national linkages. Depending on the prioritization process, in Dominica and SVG, possible actions could include improved feedback strategies for community readiness, risk maps and signage, community risk information, further capacity building in the use and maintenance of CAP EWS system, and actions to strengthen the CEWS coordination mechanisms. In Dominica, a possible solution to gaps in alert communications could be the development and ratification of SOP templates with CAP specific data. In SVG a solution to address alert communications, may be supporting the development of the new National Emergency Warning System Protocols through the inclusion of CAP specific data. The RC NS and NDOs in Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica may conduct activities such as full scale simulations involving key agencies, joint Community Response Team training (whilst adhering to the CRT minimum standards and guidelines), activation of working groups on mutual thematic areas of interest, and standardization of templates for preparedness and response activities (e.g. VCA report templates, DANAs etc). Hazard-specific early communication packages for improved public awareness and education messaging and training in effective community early warning preparation and response are other possible concrete actions. A EWS roadmap or action plan will be developed, building on the model used in the CDEMA/JICA Caribbean Disaster Management projects (CADM1 and CADM2). To a lesser extent, support will be provided for use of tools in Antigua and Barbuda.

In the Dominican Republic, possible solutions addressing EWS governance and advocacy could include mainstreaming EWS in CNE DRM policy, strengthening mechanisms for hazard monitoring, building capacity for alert issuing and providing capacity building for response. Community level actions responding to gaps in alert dissemination and local response capacity may include the engagement of communication media; identification of local level mechanisms for dissemination of alerts; standardization and sharing messages with the communities; development of detailed zoning maps with vulnerable communities; training vulnerable communities in response capacities; design of community awareness material; improved PMR Operational Procedures and capacities for response; and the promotion of local responsibility for EWS implementation and operation. The tools developed will be handed over to the National School of Integrated Disaster Risk Management that has a National Plan for building capacities in Integrated DRM, including training programmes in EWS.

Finally, a national dialogue, led by CDEMA, on sustainability and cost-benefit of an integrated approach, as well as a handover process, will be conducted at each country level to emphasize national ownership and continual investment in EWS.

Result 4: Ensure EWS knowledge transfer, documentation and communication.

This result intends to provide regional technical assistance and support for horizontal transfer of tools and knowledge in EWS. Project planning will include preparatory (April 2017) and planning meetings (Dominican Republic, July 2017) as well as a mid-term EWS-solutions sharing session and meeting at the Comprehensive Disaster Management conference (Bahamas Dec. 2017) to monitor project activities and plan for effective handover. A workshop to strengthen capacity for horizontal transfer will be held in September 2017; ongoing technical assistance from UNDP and IFRC will ensure the quality and methodology of the solutions packages. Establishment of a baseline will be key for measuring increase in awareness as well as community level impact of tool use. UNDP will coordinate efforts with the Oxfam and partners for project communication, visibility and the documentation of the handover process, including a high level ministerial meeting - organized with CDEMA.

These results will be achieved through efficient coordination between UNDP regional and country office actors, as well with partners such as IFRC and CDEMA. Key stakeholders and target group per country, including national DDR governing bodies, Government Ministries, forecasting agencies, EWS technical staff, first responders, CERTs/CERDs, and selected communities will be involved in the gap analysis, road map process and enacting priority concrete actions as per country needs.

Resources Required to Achieve the Expected Results

The Project investment is primarily in human and institutional resources who can offer tools and technical assistance. These include:

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  UNDP Staff that includes UNDP Regional Hub and COs teams, for project coordination and implementation.
  
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  UNDP SSC and Gender Teams that will be responsible of supporting gender analysis and providing SSC training to Cuban experts for implementing effective horizontal transfer. A member of the gender team will be invited to be part of the project regional coordination team.
  
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  IFRC project coordination and technical staff to support the integration of community component in the project
  
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  CDEMA project coordination staff to support the roadmap and national sustainability dialogues
  
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  Cuban institutions such as the National Institute for Hydrology and National Meteorological Institute who will provide technical assistance and tools
  
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  Key national and community stakeholders in each country, including national DDR governing bodies, relevant government ministries, forecasting agencies, EWS technical staff, first responders, CERTs/CERDs, and selected communities.
  

Partnerships

Collaboration and coordination with other relevant actors in the region in EWS and DRR is essential for avoiding duplication of efforts, strengthening project visibility, ensuring sustainability and promoting handover and institutionalization of EWS tools. Partnership between UNDP and key actors in the region, such as IFRC and CDEMA, will enhance the project’s efficiency and scope, ensuring the integration of community level EWS into national systems, and regional support for sustainability.

UNDP has been a key contributor to DRR in the Caribbean for the last fifty years. UNDP has consolidated experience in implementing EWS, providing support to DRR and EWS through regional and national level initiatives, coordinated with CDEMA and national governmental bodies in the region. UNDP, through its Country Offices (COs) carry out strategic interventions in DRR and EWS, in communication with the corresponding National Systems.

UNDP brings experience working with DIPECHO for strengthening DRR and EWS in the region and has recently implemented several DIPECHO project at country level focused on EWS, and coordinated by the COs of Barbados & the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Cuba, and Dominican Republic:

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  UNDP CO for Barbados & the OECS, covering 10 Caribbean countries (all CDEMA PSs), has provided support to building resilience to the impacts of climate change and natural hazards, enhancing the integration of DRR into development planning, and improving disaster response and recovery since the 1990s. Since 2009, UNDP has implemented 2 DIPECHO projects related to EWS: the 2013 “CAP” project and the 2015 “Strengthening resilience and coping capacities in the Caribbean through integrated EWS”. The projects have contributed to reducing vulnerability of communities at risk in the region.
  
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  UNDP CO in Cuba have focused on disaster preparedness and EWS since 1975. Recently, UNDP supported the enhancement of hazard vulnerability risk assessment and the hydro-meteorological systems in the provinces of Granma (2009 DIPECHO project), eastern provinces (2013 DIPECHO project), and Sancti Spíritus and Villa Clara (2015 DIPECHO “FORSAT” project). The projects have contributed to improving the effectiveness of EWS and ensuring the systematic monitoring of activities and actions.
  
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  UNDP CO in the Dominican Republic has supported activities aimed at strengthening resilience and institutional capacities for DRM under the National System for Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Response (SN-PMDR). It provided technical support to the General Directorate of Territorial Development (DGODT) to elaborate the National Seismic Risk Reduction Plan. Under the 2011 DIPECHO project focused on strengthening local capacities for response to seismic events in the Provinces of Puerto Plata and Santiago UNDP developed technical tools and processes for planning and strengthening capacities of national and local entities for preparedness against seismic and tsunami events. Further, 2 DIPECHO projects worked on earthquake and tsunami preparedness in Puerto Plata (2013 DIPECHO) and south coast (2015 “Life-Saving Actions” project). UNDP has worked with the Dominican Red Cross for several years, carrying out community preparedness and response activities through various EU funded projects.
  

At a national level, the project’s strategic partners will be national DRR and hydro-meteorological bodies; at a regional level, partners such as CDEMA, IFRC and DIPECHO partners implementing complementary projects in the Caribbean, such as Oxfam, will be significant in the project undertaking. UNDP's presence in the region and experience in facilitating horizontal transfer will bring added value.

Partnership with CDEMA and IFRC will be key to provide long-term regional leadership in EWS, promote regional collaboration and commitment of communities and governments to EWS and sustainability of the investments.

CDEMA, as inter-governmental agency for disaster management in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has been present in the Caribbean since 1991, when it was first established as CDERA, transitioning to CDEMA in 2009 to fully embrace the principles and practice of the CDM. CDEMA presently comprises 18 Participating States (PS): Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Republic of Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, Suriname, Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands and the Virgin Islands. CDEMA’s mandate has expanded to position the regional disaster management body more strategically to fully take up its role as facilitator, driver, coordinator and motivating force for the promotion and engineering of CDM in all Participating States. Its functions include mobilising and coordinating disaster relief; mitigating consequences of disasters in PS, providing coordinated response to PS; securing, coordinating and providing to inter-governmental and non-governmental organisations comprehensive information on disasters affecting PS; encouraging the adoption of disaster loss reduction and mitigation policies and practices at the national and regional level, as well as cooperative arrangements and mechanisms to facilitate the development of a culture of disaster loss reduction; and coordinating the establishment, enhancement and maintenance of adequate emergency disaster response capabilities among the Participating States.

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  Working with CDEMA to achieve regional alignment under the CDM, achieve documentation of knowledge, transfer best practices and strengthen regional linkages undergirds this project. CDEMA, as implementing partner of this project, will lead the implementation of several activities such as the development of the EWS checklist (R2), the coordination and support for integrated EWS in Saint Lucia (R2), the national sustainability dialogues at each country level (R3) and the high-level meeting for handover (R4). In addition, CDEMA will provide support to the expansion of the existing Toolkit (R1), collaborate with IFRC and UNDP in accompanying the solutions packages and roadmap process in Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Dominican Republic and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (R2) and in implementing priority concrete actions in each target country (R3). CDEMA will be a full collaborating partner in project planning, provision of technical assistance, monitoring community-level tool use, developing communication products, and documenting the handover process (R4). CDEMA will also help make linkages with the Regional EWS Consortium initiative.
  

IFRC has been engaged in humanitarian work in the Caribbean for over 60 years. It is present in every country and Overseas Territories (OSTs) through its national societies and branches. All local Red Cross National Societies (RC NS) are engaged in emergency response, Community Based Disaster Management (CBDM), Health and First Aid training (CBHFA), Their DRM 3-pillar approach to community resilience programming involves institutional strengthening, knowledge management and communication and advocacy, and is built on previous initiatives implemented under the 2015-2016 DIPECHO Action Plan. through the CCOPE programme. The Red Cross continues to scale up its delivery and strengthen partnerships to address increasing risk. In 2016, the Caribbean Red Cross launched its Community Resilience Framework and Action plan (aligned to the Global Framework for Community Resilience, the CDM Strategy and the Sendai Framework). They envision Community resilience programming as a collaborative program that will be achieved through improved communication, advocacy and the use of strengthened information.

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  UNDP and IFRC will work in coordination throughout the project, with IFRC focused on the community component. IFRC, as implementing partner of this action, will be full responsible of activities such as the improvement of the Community based EWS Toolkit (R1), the provision of targeted support to Antigua and Barbuda to address EWS gaps (R2) and the implementation of priority actions in Antigua and Barbuda, in collaboration with CDEMA (R3). IFRC will also lead the technical assistance for Community EWS (R4). IFRC will assist in the expansion of the online toolkit (R1), the development of the EWS checklist and the provision of targeted support to Dominica, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, collaborating with CDEMA and UNDP, to ensure that the question of community integration with national EWS architecture is reflected in the solutions package, and road map (R2). IFRC will also support the implementation of the concrete priority actions in those countries, targeting community-national linkages, coordination and end-user impact (R3). The community component of this program is an integral part of the regional IFRC Caribbean Community resilience program which will scale up and replicate achievements of the previous IFRC DIPECHO program. IFRC will provide support in project planning, provision of technical assistance, measuring and evaluating community use and impact of tools (in collaboration with UNDP and CDEMA), contributing to the development of the communications materials and in the handover process (R4).
  

The donor has requested that UNDP coordinate with Oxfam Intermón-Plan International-Habitat for Humanity-Handicap International that is implementing the other DIPECHO funded project in the region “Be Alert Caribbean: Harmonizing Disaster Risk Management strategies and tools with an inclusive approach in the Caribbean”; this project will facilitate south-south cooperation activities between the Dominican Republic and Cuba. Oxfam and UNDP will coordinate their actions in areas of communication and visibility, a final high-level ministerial meeting and documentation of the handover process in the region to avoid duplication and maximize the regional efforts. While there will be no exchange of monetary resources, the two projects will sign a memorandum of understanding to outline joint actions and a coordination mechanism, with the goal of greater awareness and actions on disaster risk reduction in the region.

At a regional level, CDEMA, IFRC and UNDP will collaborate to engage in a roadmap process, providing technical support and promoting implementation of EWS and DRR concrete actions. Synergies and alignment with the development priorities of partners such as the Government of Canada, Department for International Development (DFID) and the EU will be addressed.

Risks and Assumptions

The project was designed and takes into account the priority of EWS in the Caribbean, the existence of EWS tools developed by different agencies, the potential for south-south cooperation, the commitment of the five National Systems to integrated EWS and to the sustainability of EWS, through a roadmap process and prioritization process.

The project makes the following assumptions:

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  Effective coordination with Oxfam for joint events;
  
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  Commitment and support of IFRC and CDEMA to project activities;
  
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  Authorities and public official show institutional will to implement project activities;
  
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  The direct beneficiaries maintain their commitment to improve capacity and adopt best practices, as well as to provide human and material resources for DRR;
  
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  Training and capacity building activities will target both political and technical authorities and personnel as well as non-government agencies to ensure sustainability;
  
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  The alignment of the project with the CDM Strategy 2014-2024 will ensure continued buy in and commitment of the national partners to the process and to the continuation and future enhancement of project results;
  
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  The hurricane season and other potential hazards in the project zone do not impede the implementation of the project activities;
  
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  The Cuban model can be successfully interpreted and transmitted to address specific gaps and barriers in other social-economic-political contexts;
  
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  Project implementation and trajectory will be sustained through deliberate sustainability and costing dialogues;
  
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  Willingness to work on community-national coherency in EWS.
  

Some risks may threaten the achievements of the results. The following table shows the main risks identified and the correspondent mitigation and contingency measures to implement in case that those risks occur

#	Risks	Mitigation measures
1	Occurrence of a disaster, particularly during the hurricane season, at national or regional level that may require urgent emergency measures and change of priorities due to response and recovery actions (Environmental)	Plan project management mainly during the season not affected by hurricanes. In case that a disaster occurs, support will be provided for coordination in the management of emergencies.
2	Staff turnover in national institution may alter the efficiency and sustainability of the project (Operational/Organizational)	Involve key stakeholders and strengthen the network of DRM people at national and community level
3	Fluctuations in the price of the currency (euro) may lead to the reduction of project budget (Financial)	Constantly monitor price fluctuation and take mitigation measures
4	Changes in institutional priorities that may result in delays in project activities (Operational/Political)	Provide permanent advocacy, accompaniment and involvement of decision makers and technicians in follow-up and coordination activities.
5	Election or change of Government in the beneficiary country may mean a change in priorities and commitment of the new Government. This may result in an unwillingness to support the initiative (Political)	Promote communication and advocacy with government institutions for strengthen their commitment and ensure proper communication with newly elected government.
6	Limited participation of institution (Political)	Promote constant dialogue and involvement of institutions for strengthening their commitment
7	Weak involvement of decision makers in strategic project activities (Political)	Maintain of a direct dialogue with the decision-making level of the national entities so that channels of communication and coordination can find alternative solutions in a timely manner against any contingency across the project.
8	Difficulties in accessing technical information to develop outreach activities (Strategic/Operational)	Maintain a constant and direct dialogue with IFRC and CDEMA as an implementing partners for coordinated and cohesive project implementation.
9	Possible delays with project and TOR approval in Cuba (Operational/Organizational)	Provide the necessary information for the preparation of the annexes of the TORs to the national counterparts through the MINCEX, since the formulation of the project. Once completed, follow up with the MINCEX on the process of the TORs approval by the National counterparts.
10	Administrative challenges of hiring of 3 National Technical Specialists and 1 Knowledge Management Coordinator and coordinating national level inputs (Project management)	These risks will be managed by timely planning of procurement of national level consultant, with TORs that clearly outline deliverables and timelines.

Stakeholder Engagement.

Activities will be developed in coordination with national institutions involved in DRM, development planning and decision making processes. Coordination and knowledge sharing is at the core of this project with direct and constant engagement with the beneficiary organizations.

Direct beneficiaries - as listed below - will benefit from clear identification of gaps and targeted solutions packages for an integrated EWS as well as regional linkages. National and community level beneficiaries have been involved in the development of the project, and will continue active engagement as follows:

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  DRM national institutions: authorities and technical staff that will participate in the identification, revision and dissemination of successful experiences in EWS through a gap analysis in EWS, the development and testing of the solutions tool package, the consultations and decisions on the EWS road map, and prioritizing the concrete actions;
  
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  Public and private institutions and organizations considered relevant in the humanitarian and development decision making processes;
  
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  EWS technical staff: will be involved in revising and adapting existing EWS tools, testing the EWS tool package to assess its effectiveness in addressing specific gaps, formulating the integrated EWS road map and applying the actions. Technical staff will be selected taking into account gender balance;
  
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  Red Cross National Societies that are involved with IFRC community level activities;
  
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  Selected communities that will benefit from community level activities and will be involved in pilot public awareness campaign, testing hazard specific materials and engaging in training and use of the Community Early Warning tool kit. These communities are representative of the end-user beneficiaries of better national and community coherence, stronger partnerships, more focused information management and knowledge sharing, as they are most at risk from negative impact of disasters.
  

In Cuba, the DRM and EWS institutions, at both national and provincial level, such as the EMNDC, Meteorological Institute (INSMET), the Institute of Hydraulic Resources (INRH), the Risk and RVH Assessment Group of AMA (Environmental Agency), Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba (CITMA) - and Provincial Environmental Units (UMA), and provincial governments will benefit from national validation process of tools, and specific capacity development directed at effective transmission of practices and approaches. In Cuba, activities will be conducted in close coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Trade (MINCEX), CITMA, EMNDC, INSMET, AMA, and INRH. A focal point in each contributing EWS institution will sit on a technical committee to guide the systematization and the transfer process, ensuring that the EWS solution responds to the identified and prioritized gap.

In the Eastern Caribbean, national disaster managers and country focal points for UNDP implemented DRR projects were involved in developing the proposal. In Saint Lucia, Dominica and SVG, and Antigua Barbuda to a lesser extent, beneficiaries will be the national institutions whose capacities and knowledge base will be enhanced by gap analysis, solutions through SSC, and a roadmap process, in addition to greater online access to tools. This includes the National Office for Disaster Services (NODS) in Antigua and Barbuda, the Office of Disaster Management (ODM) in Dominica, and the National Emergency Management Organisation (NEMO) of Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, forecasting agencies, first responders, NGOs such as National Red Cross Societies, and Government Ministries. At the community level, the Community Emergency/Disaster Response Teams (CERTs/CDTRs) would be beneficiaries of the action.

In the Dominican Republic, the Civil Defense authorities, including the National Emergency Commission (CNE), with its Technical Committee (CTN) and the National School of Risk Management will be key actors involved in the solutions and roadmap process, which compliance with the Law 147-02 275-13 (National Plan of Integrated Risk Management). Coordination will be conducted with other actors working on EWS, such as with the advisory team on Gender, Age and Protection of the CNE, promoted by the ECHO-funded project “Drought resilience” of the FAO, WFP, Plan International and OXFAM. Appropriation of project inputs by the national level will be aided by a strategy to involve decision-makers in the solutions and roadmap exercises and to manage effective participation of officials and technicians to maximize the proposed process. The primary beneficiaries are representatives of institutions at the national level which will participate in the processes of diagnosis, exchanges and input into a solutions package and road map: Government Ministries, the CNE and its Technical Committee (CTN) and the National School of Risk Management. The Emergency Operations Center (COE), the National Meteorology Office (ONAMET), the National Institute of Water Resources (INDRHI), the National Geological Service (SGN), the Dominican Red Cross (CRD), First responders, and Armed Forces will also benefit from this action. At a community level, the PMR-Committees will benefit.

Haiti will benefit from regional support through the translation of good practices and toolkit into French and/or Creole, as well as supporting the dissemination of the Country Document to main stakeholders.

One way in which the project will facilitate stakeholder engagement will to measure, at the outset and the end, the impact of the use of tools at the community level, as part of the solutions package and concrete actions. This activity will seek to ascertain and affirm the relevance, effective, and appropriateness of the tools, actions and priorities identified to the community end-user.

Estimated direct beneficiaries include 88 organizations and 14,705 individuals. In addition, it is estimated that 33,500 community members will benefit indirectly from the action, as the EWS improves in integration and capacity to prepare and protect communities and livelihoods, and that the catchment area for improved public awareness and campaigns would indirectly benefit 307,000 across the five target countries.

Knowledge Management and Capacity Development

Due to the existence of EWS tools in the region, the project strategy does not prioritize the development of new EWS tools, but aims at increasing access to existing tools in the region, promoting communication and advocacy. The project will expand and update the existing toolkits (UNDP-CDEMA EWS toolkit and IFRC Community based EWS Toolkit) with new tools and case studies in the main Caribbean languages (English, Spanish, and French/Creole). Knowledge products for the horizontal transfer, such as pedagogical materials, will be produced in Cuba.

The capacity development component will be conducted through targeted technical assistance, workshops, and information exchange. Technical specialists from Cuban institutions will help with the analysis and the review of the EWS solutions packages and roadmaps, sharing their expertise and contributing to enhance capacities in EWS. Community level actions will involve building community preparedness capacity through training.

The project knowledge products will constitute building blocks for improved awareness related to EWS and preparedness. Communication and advocacy with national and community stakeholders is a key strategy of the process; the development and implementation of the roadmap process and the sustainability dialogues that will take place at each country level will ensure stakeholders engagement and commitment. At a regional level, the high-level meeting on handover will be a venue for advocating for sustainability.

A joint communication strategy and products will be developed and shared together with Oxfam, IFRC and CDEMA, for enhancing visibility of the project. The handover process that will finalize with a High-level handover meeting, including the donor community, will be documented at regional level, so that other actors in the region could benefit from the project experience.

Sustainability and Scaling Up

Sustaining and scaling up the results is central to the project; advocacy and handover of tools will be promoted throughout the project, with specific activities dedicated to communication and advocacy, sustainability and handover. UNDP recognises the importance of this clear transition phase-out plan as a key step for effectiveness of the project, and future replication and scaling up. CDEMA, in its capacity as the regional agency for disaster and emergency management, will lead a national sustainability dialogue series which will address long-term planning and costing solutions. The handover documentation and the sustainability dialogues are designed to cement national ownership of the project results and commitments to EWS.

South-South Cooperation

As a development tool, South-South Cooperation (SSC) promotes cooperation among countries through the sharing of best practices and the diversification and expansion of development options and economic links. Knowledge transfer about EWS is central to the project. The Framework of Operational Guidelines defines SSC as “a process whereby two or more developing countries pursue their individual and/or national capacity development objectives through exchanges of knowledge, skills, resources and technical know-how and through regional and interregional collective actions, including partnership involving governments, regional organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector, for their individual and /or mutual benefit across regions.” To be effective, SSC should respond to clearly documented needs identified by the country looking to benefit from the experience of another.

This project intends to use SSC as a development tool to strengthen integrated EWS, based on the Cuban experience in the region, sharing their best practices and tools, with Cuban experts supporting the adaptation of tools to other countries context, and the design of solutions packages and roadmaps at each country level. Cuba has a comparatively advanced integrated EWS with coherency at a community, provincial and national level. The Cuban model highlights effective hazard monitoring, comprehensive risk analysis through risk studies, tools and methodologies, coordinated alerting systems and flow, and response capacity at community, provincial and national levels. The Cuban experience provides a model for EWS, and requires consolidation and testing of the best practices for horizontal transfer. Additionally, the involvement of the IFRC will allow for greater drawing on experiences from the Caribbean in support of community engagement with national EWS.