GPP Partner Agencies: Update on Activities – September 29, 2017

Note: All public GPP information is available on the ‘Agenda for Humanity’ (A4H) website, in the initiatives section - http://www.agendaforhumanity.org/initiatives/3840.

Documentation

The ‘Country Application Template’, ‘Step-by-Step Guide’, and a V20 member state guide were all approved and shared with V20 countries. Options papers were developed on; country selection criteria, resource mobilisation, steering committee membership and the GPP scope of operations. These have been shared and are open for comment leading up the to the second Operational Subcommittee meeting. An update for the A4H website was developed, with a new section in the ‘News Section’ and a revamped first information page.

Meetings

The GPP Secretariat met with the MPTF Office to discuss strategies to promote capitilisation of the MPTF. Resulting suggestions are incorporated in to the resource mobilisation options paper. GFDRR presented the funding planning to FAO, OCHA, UNDP and WFP, with the key message being that the GPP ‘kick start’ funding will be made available from the ACP/EU via WB regional representatives. The Humanitarian Partnerships Network Meeting was attended by GPP and two sessions booked for the mornings of Thursday 8th and Friday 9th February 2018. These two sessions will likely be Operational Subcommittee and MPTF Steering Committee Meetings respectively. The GPP Secretariat met with the DRR focal point from Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia, and with the new focal point from the Ethiopia Mission in Geneva for briefings. A discussion was also held with UNDP ASG of BBPS to discuss resource mobilisation and UNDP corporate awareness of the GPP. Country briefings with Bhutan, Ghana, Philippines and Malawi were held in relation to GPP country applications.

V20 GPP Operational Subcommittee

The first GPP Operational Subcommittee meeting was held on September 6th, in Geneva, co-chaired by the Geneva Ambassadors of Barbados and the Philippines. The Country Application template was approved, and invitations were forwarded to; V20 focal points in capitals, V20 missions in Geneva and New York and UN and WB country teams, on September 7th. A number of issues were discussed initially, with the group requesting options papers be developed as listed above. These will be taken further or decided upon at the next meeting, planned tentatively for October 12th. A meeting report is available on request or on the website.

Country Applications Status

The invitation to apply for support was forwarded to V20 focal points in respective Ministries of Finance, and cc’ed to Mission Focal Points in Geneva and New York. A separate message was sent to the Resident Coordinators of all V20 countries, cc’ed to FAO, OCHA, UNDP, WB and WFP country directors and relevant technical staff where present. The application for support, the step by step guide and a briefing note on the GPP were shared with all. This first round of applications closes on October 8th, and after a short period of consultations with countries applying, the Steering Committee will finalise which will be the first ten countries to receive GPP support. At 29 September, six countries have confirmed that they are applying and a further ten confirm that they are very likely to apply. Only one country has indicated that they will wait until the next round of applications, and the final number of applicants is likely to be over half the V20 countries. The collaboration between Disaster Management Authorities and the UN and WB country teams has already been positive in the joint effort in applying.

For more details please contact Matthew Serventy – matthew.serventy@undp.org or global@preparednesspartnership.org