Sudan Humanitarian Fund Operational Manual, April 2020
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1. Introduction
1 . The Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) is a multi-donor Country-Based Pooled Fund (CBPF) established in 2006 with the aim of ensuring coordinated, timely, strategic and flexible humanitarian organizations working to address the most critical needs of people affected by humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Funding is available to a wide range of humanitarian actors operating in the framework of the Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP)1 . Funding decisions are made in-country in consultation with the humanitarian community, ensuring collective ownership of the humanitarian response and prioritization by those responding directly to the people in need. The SHF is managed locally by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) in Sudan.
2 . The UNDP Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office (MPTF Office) serves as the Administrative Agent (AA) of the SHF. The AA receives contributions to the SHF from donors, disburses funds upon decision of the Humanitarian Coordinator to the respective Participating UN Organisations (hereafter “the PUNOs”), and provides related financial reports and statements. The PUNOs assume full financial and programmatic accountability for the funds disbursed to them by the AA, use the funds to undertake projects approved by the HC, and provide related narrative and financial reports.
3 . The Operational Manual for the SHF is issued by the HC and the Advisory Board (AB). The HC will revisit the Manual as needed to adjust the general direction and programmatic focus of the Fund, thereby ensuring its relevance and effectiveness.
1.1 Purpose
4 . The purpose of the Operational Manual for SHF is to describe the governance arrangements, objective, allocation modalities, and accountability mechanisms of the Fund, as well as to detail the roles and responsibilities of the stakeholders involved. This Manual is issued by the HC and endorsed by the AB to:
i. Provide clarification and instructions for all stakeholders involved in the management of the CBPF on effective management and governance practices.
ii. Describe the steps and requirements of the allocation processes with the aim of enhancing timely and strategic allocation decisions.
iii. Provide an overview of the general direction and programmatic focus of the SHF.
5 . The goal of this Manual is to guide implementing partners and facilitate the role of OCHA Humanitarian Financing Section/HFS, members of the Review Committees, and sector coordinators.
1.2 Scope
6 . This Manual should be considered in conjunction with the global Operational Handbook for CBPFs2. The Manual defines the country-specific regulations that govern the SHF. It is designed within the framework provided by the Handbook, which describes the global set of rules that apply to all CBPFs worldwide and adapt aspects of the global guidelines that are pertinent to the context of humanitarian response in Sudan. Adherence to the guidance provided in the two documents is mandatory so as to ensure standard and transparent processes.