Pandemicflu.gov Preparedness Checklists

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global flu pandemic after holding an emergency meeting, according to reports. It means the swine flu virus is preading in at least two regions of the world with rising cases being seen in the UK, Australia, Japan and Chile. The move does not necessarily mean the virus is causing more severe illness or more deaths. Official reports say there have been 28,000 cases globally and 141 deaths and figures are rising daily It is the first flu pandemic in 40 years - the last in 1968 with Hong Kong flu killed about one million people.

Pandemicflu.gov recommends: You can prepare for an influenza pandemic now. You should know both the magnitude of what can happen during a pandemic outbreak and what actions you can take to help lessen the impact of an influenza pandemic on you and your family. This checklist will help you gather the information and resources you may need in case of a flu pandemic.

To plan for a pandemic: Store a two week supply of water and food. During a pandemic, if you cannot get to a store, or if stores are out of supplies, it will be important for you to have extra supplies on hand. This can be useful in other types of emergencies, such as power outages and disasters. Periodically check your regular prescription drugs to ensure a continuous supply in your home.

Have any nonprescription drugs and other health supplies on hand, including pain relievers, stomach remedies, cough and cold medicines, fluids with electrolytes, and vitamins.

Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in your home. Volunteer with local groups to prepare and assist with emergency response. Get involved in your community as it works to prepare for an influenza pandemic.

To limit the spread of germs and prevent infection:
- Teach your children to wash hands frequently with soap and water, and model the correct behavior.
- Teach your children to cover coughs and sneezes with tissues, and be sure to model that behavior.
- Teach your children to stay away from others as much as possible if they are sick. Stay home from work and school if sick.

Click HERE for a series of pandemic preparedness checklists.

From West Coast to West Africa, Navy Doctor Spans Care World Over

Navy Visual News Service
Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class David Holmes
Date: 05.28.2009
Posted: 05.28.2009 04:42USS NASHVILLE, At Sea – Capt. Dennis Amundson understands the importance of secure andfunctioning healthcare, whether it be in the United States or a world away in Africa.

And giving care in a foreign land such as Africa is no new feat for Amundson. The 37-year veteran's experience runs deep having served aboard USNS Mercy, completed deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and served in humanitarian assistance efforts in Indonesia, Mexico and the Philippines. The seasoned Navy doctor is also a 2006 graduate of San Diego State University where he earned a master's degree in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response.

Additionally, he and his wife help run an orphanage in Uganda catering to children whose mothers have died of AIDS.

When Amundson isn't traveling to distant corners of the Earth, his usual duties take place at San Diego Naval Hospital as a pulmonary/critical care doctor while he serves as staff in the Intensive Care Unit. But for the past three months, he has brought his medical and academic expertise to West and Central Africa while deployed with Africa Partnership Station Nashville as officer-in-charge of the embarked Department of Defense medical and dental team.

Since Amundson and his team's rendezvous with USS Nashville in Sekondi, Ghana, Feb. 20, more than 3,000 patients were seen ranging from simple check-ups to observing or assisting in surgeries alongside local doctors.

"A normal internal medicine specialist sees an average of 2,000- 2,500 patients in a year, and we did that in just two months, often seeing 40-70 patients a day," said Amundson.

Amundson's team, comprised of Army and Navy service members, hit the ground running to overcome varied obstacles such as treating large numbers of patients in local clinics and working through language barriers in the French-speaking African countries.

"None of the team members had done this type of care-giving in Africa except for me," said Amundson. "We were pushed to do a quick start-up and find out what skill sets could be used. We had Petty Officer 2nd Class Sule Abiodum, hospital corpsman, a surgical technician, refracting for eyeglasses and becoming our optometry specialist. We actually gave out more than 800 pairs of glasses during our visits."

Amundson says the knowledge he and his team gained were irreplaceable because of the unique chance to experience first-hand the medical hurdles and triumphs the local care-givers accomplished.

"Altruistically, it's wonderful and medically you learn a lot and you see how other people do business," said Amundson. "You see how [local doctors and nurses] take care of patients with practically nothing. Back in San Diego at the ICU, I have every technology known to man and every sub-specialist I could possibly want, and these guys are taking care of patients with a shoestring and a band-aid [so to speak]...and they save lives. They have their difficulties, but they overcome, and work very hard."

Amundson and his team, along with the crew and staff members of APS Nashville, have made stops in Cameroon, Gabon, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. APS's central mission is working with host countries and their militaries to assist the enhancement of maritime safety and security for the continent of Africa. Amundson concurs that this main mission allows the other much needed humanitarian assistance aspects to prosper.

"Seventy-five percent of the world's population lives within 50 miles of a coastline," said Amundson. "Of the mega-urban areas that are growing such as Accra and Dakar, the Navy has the biggest opportunity to engage them in a very robust way. It's all interconnected," said Amundson. "Security is key. If you can establish some form of security and then follow that with basic health care, then we're on the right track to a safer maritime domain and a more secure future for everyone. The whole APS evolution has been a wonderful experience for us, and to be able to be here and do this is truly gratifying."

The APS team, consisting of the USS Nashville crew and an embarked staff of Destroyer Squadron 60 and international maritime professionals, are deployed as part the international APS initiative developed by Naval Forces Europe and Africa. APS Nashville, a Norfolk-based amphibious transport dock ship and largest APS platform to date, is focused on collaborative efforts in West and Central Africa.

To learn more about Africa Partnership Station and its mission, visit the APS website at www.c6f.navy.mil/apshome.html

Aid workers’ expulsion is a risk to life in Darfur

James Reinl, United Nations Correspondent
Last Updated: March 11. 2009 8:30AM UAE / March 11. 2009 4:30AM GMT
People queue for measles vaccinations by Médecins Sans Frontières in Sudan. Kevin PQ Phelan / Medecins Sans Frontieres via AP NEW YORK //

The expulsion of relief workers from Sudan’s western province of Darfur could spawn outbreaks of killer diseases and see water supplies dry up within days, the UN’s aid director says.

Sir John Holmes said Darfur’s humanitarian crisis was poised to deteriorate rapidly following the government’s “unexpected” decision to throw out 13 foreign agencies that ran life-saving aid projects.

The expulsion of aid workers by the Sudanese president, Omar al Bashir, is widely seen as a politically motivated response to an arrest warrant issued against him by the International Criminal Court (ICC), although this is denied by Khartoum.

“This decision is likely to have a major impact on millions of people in Darfur who need a daily basis of life-saving humanitarian assistance,” Sir John, the UN’s undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, said on Monday.

“Our major concerns are in the field of water, where water installations have been managed by international non-governmental organizations … If they disappear, how is that job going to be taken up? It may not affect water delivery today, but it certainly will in a few days if the maintenance is not done and fuel is not provided.”

A spokesman for one of the aid groups forced to vacate Darfur said some tanks in Darfur’s refugee camps “will only provide water for a week or 10 days” before supplies dry up and refuges are left thirsty.

“After that, it is a question mark, and we are just trying to figure that out because we have no international staff remaining,” the spokesman said. “The logisticians, the engineers and the co-coordinators of these operations have already left the country.”
Food stockpiles are expected to sustain Darfur’s 4.7 million aid-dependent people over coming weeks. Additionally, the expulsion of foreign specialists could lead to outbreaks of meningitis in refugee camps, Sir John said.

One of the targeted aid groups, Médecins Sans Frontières-Netherlands, had been responding to a meningitis outbreak by vaccinating people in Nyala, the capital of South Darfur, when aid workers were ordered to leave. Sudanese officials told a dozen other aid groups and three charities last week that their operating licenses had been revoked amid allegations they had collaborated with ICC prosecutors.

The expelled groups include Oxfam GB, Care International, ¬Médecins Sans Frontières, Mercy Corps and Save the Children.

Mr. al Bashir, who seized control of Africa’s biggest country in a coup in 1989, has accused the UN and aid organizations of conspiring to destabilize his power base as part of a new “colonialism”.

Khartoum announced expulsions only hours after ICC judges issued a warrant for Mr. al Bashir’s arrest based on allegations of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Darfur. About 300,000 people have been killed and at least 2.7 million forced from their homes since fighting erupted in 2003, with most of the displaced now holed up in refugee camps in the vast, arid region.

In inhospitable terrain and tackling what has been dubbed “the world’s worst humanitarian disaster”, aid workers distribute sorghum and other staples and provide medical care, clean water and sanitation.

Sudanese officials have confiscated aid workers’ vehicles, mobile telephones and computers, and threatened the remaining staff by their “intimidating behavior”, the humanitarian chief said.

Sudan’s UN ambassador, Abdalmahmoud Abdalhaleem, said the government would have no problem filling in any gaps in aid distribution created by the expulsion of aid workers.

But Mr. Holmes said neither the Sudanese government nor the UN – nor Darfur’s remaining aid groups – “have the capacity to replace all the activities that have been going on”.

Government allegations that charity workers provided witnesses and helped ICC prosecutors build their case were “far fetched and implausible”, Mr. Holmes said.

A coalition of forces, including the Arab League and the African Union, has urged the Security Council to invoke an article of the ICC rules and delay proceedings against Mr. al Bashir for one year. Critics say the court’s first arrest warrant against a sitting head of state will deepen the Darfur crisis and destabilize a peace process between Khartoum and the country’s Christian-dominated south.

UK: Reconstruction of Gaza

LOCATION Sharm el-Sheikh
SPEAKER Foreign Secretary, David Miliband
DATE 02/03/2009
Foreign Secretary, David Miliband, made a speech at the Gaza reconstruction conference in Sharm el-Sheikh.

We are here because the Gaza conflict was a disaster for the Palestinian people. It cost 1400 lives. It deepened division between the West Bank and Gaza. It fuelled despair and rage across the region. It exposed the weaknesses of our peace process.

Our responsibility is not just to rebuild gaza, but to work to prevent further conflict. So in 2009 we need to do things differently.

There must be:

1. Physical reconstruction in the West Bank and Gaza: visble signs of progress to give people hope.

2. Political reconstruction to give the Palestinian people a single government.

3. International engagement of a wholly different order, led by an energised US Administration, and energetically backed by the whole international community.

4. And a convincing peace plan

Aid is desperately needed for short term humanitarian relief and long term reconstruction. Prime Minister Fayyad has powerfully set out the scale of the challenge and also the right plan to meet it. The UK is proud to support his plan. All of us here are fortunate to have him as a partner.

My colleague Douglas Alexander, the British International Development Secretary, announced yesterday that of the 0m pledged in Paris in 2008, Britain would dedicate m for "early recovery" activities in Gaza to add to the m extra resources given since the Gaza conflict by the UK.

But we need more than pledges of aid. The aid needs to get in; it needs to be well spent; and then it needs to be sustained. Otherwise the saga of reconstruction and destruction will go on and on.

The aid we commit needs the sustained cooperation of Israel for it to enter Gaza. The UK strongly supports the humanitarian framework which has been developed by the UN. I congratulate Secretary General Ban and his team for their work. UNSC Resolution 1860 spelt out the need for comprehensive opening of crossings on the basis of the 2005 Movement and Access agreement. It must be put into practice.

But there will be only limited physical reconstruction without political reconstruction. The Palestinian people need a single government across the Occupied Territories. Gaza cannot be left until last.

In 2009 that government needs to be dedicated to humanitarian assistance, physical reconstruction and election preparation. That is why we support the efforts of Egypt to help create a non factional interim government. Those in the region who stand in the way of that government through maximalist demands and defiant ultimatums do no service to the Palestinian people, or to themselves.

For real and enduring progress on the ground, we need a plan to realise the goal of a viable, contiguous Palestinian state, not more processes that fail to achieve the goal.

Next year the Palestinian people need to be able to turn out and vote in an election where a realistic prospect of statehood is on the table. If not, then those who claim violence is the answer will find recruitment easy.

That is why I strongly welcome the commitments of President Obama, the activism of Senator Mitchell, and today's eloquent speech by Secretary Clinton.

14 months ago Prime Minister Olmert said that if a Palestinian state was not agreed in a year, it would become unrealisable. Today, the goal is further adrift. Violence, including rocket attacks has intensified; settlements have expanded; despair has grown.

The UK believes that the route to a Palestinian state lies through a comprehensive regional approach. The Arab Peace Initiative sets out the vision.

But the truth is that the very idea of a peace process has lost credibility in Israel and the Arab world. So we are at a point of decision.

Defense companies see growth in "soft power"

The Wall Street Journal noted: As the Obama administration pledges a new focus on "soft power," defense contractors are expected to pick up the pace on diversifying beyond airplanes and satellites. Soft power, defined as "getting what you want through attraction," requires new approaches to foreign policy, and defense companies are rushing to adapt. "We recognized five or so years ago that the industry was changing and that the government was looking at more than just hard power," says an executive at Lockheed Martin Corp., which is currently training African peacekeepers along with rival Northrop Grumman Corp.

Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team Aids Local Villages

Combined Joint Task Force 101
Story by Stacie N. Shafran
Date: 02.24.2009

BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan – In response to a recent snowstorm in Panjshir province’s Paryan District that killed three people, injured two and displaced 18 families, the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team provided the villagers with humanitarian assistance.

The storm impacted 111 villages and nearly 46,000 residents in Paryan District. The lives of nearly 60,000 cows, sheep and goats were also affected. The snowstorm blocked the resident’s roads and damaged infrastructure, hindering emergency response procedures.

As a result, Provincial Governor Alhaj G. Bahlol convened an emergency disaster management meeting at his compound in Bazarak District to coordinate efforts between various sectors such as public health, agriculture, the Afghan national police and the PRT. The intent of the meeting was to quickly position relief supplies to the displaced families and villages cut off from access to the main road.

“The governor handled this situation with initiative and vision. He demonstrated provincial leadership caring about its population’s well being,” said Lt. Col. Mark Stratton, PRT Panjshir’s commander. “The governor’s quick ability to bring together representatives from a variety of backgrounds will ultimately sustain the livelihood of the people affected by this snowstorm.”

While the provincial and district leaders planned the logistics behind the relief effort, the PRT simply provided the Afghan leadership with winter supplies for distribution to the families, items such as blankets, clothes, boots, charcoal and flour.

“The winter is a challenging season for the people living in these remote villages. As a good neighbor, when situations like this happen, we like to do what we can to assist as soon as possible,” said Master Sgt. Blue Rowe, PRT Panjshir civil affairs non-commissioned officer in charge.

The PRT, through close coordination with the provincial government is making future winters easier for the valley’s 300,000 residents through the construction of a 70-km primary road that connects Panjshir to the Badakhshan province. This road will also ultimately expand Panjshir’s economic opportunities and improve the future of the people here.

Eventually the “rib roads” will also be paved, connecting the remote villages in the side valleys to this new main road. Once complete, these road projects will improve the provincial government’s ability to respond to emergencies quickly by providing easier access to the population. The groundbreaking for these new primary roads segments will be this spring and one day they will provide access to all neighboring provinces.

“In the future, because of these roads, not only will the province prosper economically, but it will be easier for the government to take care of its people and infrastructure, especially during times of natural disaster,” said Stratton.

Why Countries Help Others

February 10, 2009
Caitlin Wall and Qiong Wu*, OneWorld US

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in OneWorld.net's online, "living magazine," Perspectives, as part of its edition on foreign assistance.

WASHINGTON, Feb 10 (OneWorld.net) - The recession currently sweeping the planet has prompted some to ask if wealthy countries can afford to continue sending money, food, medicine, building supplies, and aid workers abroad to help people in other nations. Some wonder why the United States and other affluent nations send resources around the world at all when there are plenty of economic and social concerns to work on within their own borders.

Helping other nations become more stable and prosperous is not only the right thing to do -- as large proportions of the U.S. general public believe -- but experts on international relations say doing so is also as important for "us" as it is for "them." Indeed, the U.S. government has been supporting development efforts in other countries for more than six decades, and foreign assistance has become a permanent fixture of U.S. foreign policy, for just those reasons: it's "right" and it's "smart."

Recognizing that, the British government in 1997 elevated its top foreign assistance official to cabinet-level status, advising the prime minister shoulder-to-shoulder with the ministers for defense, finance, and other sectors. And rapidly developing countries like China, India, and Brazil have demonstrated increasingly strong commitments to foreign assistance in recent years too.

Foreign Assistance: It's Right
Americans have long acknowledged the moral obligation to help those less fortunate around the world. In the aftermath of World War II, The Marshall Plan signified the nation's first large-scale effort to deliver foreign aid to economies in Europe.

Although there were certainly American strategic economic interests promoted by the plan, then-Secretary of State George C. Marshall acknowledged the demoralizing effect economic collapse would have in Europe and insisted that the "policy is directed not against any country or doctrine but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos."

U.S. President John F. Kennedy. © Public DomainThen, just 18 months after the Marshall Plan was announced -- and 60 years ago last December -- the United States joined with 47 other nations to adopt the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), whose tenets are now binding on all member-countries of the United Nations.

The declaration was championed by American First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who chaired the drafting commission. It specifically recognizes that all people have the right to be free from poverty and hunger, as well as the right to education, health, and to live in peace.

This moral commitment to human rights as applied to all global citizens opened the door for further American commitment to international aid. In September of 1961, the U.S. Congress passed the Foreign Assistance Act (FAA), which separated military from non-military aid, and paved the way for the creation of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) by John F. Kennedy two months later.

The Act states that the United States has made a commitment to "traditional humanitarian ideals," and outlines its "commitment to assist people in developing countries to eliminate hunger, poverty, illness, and ignorance," calling these goals "a principal objective of the foreign policy of the United States."

In the decades since, Americans have not wavered in their commitment to supporting others around the world. "Numerous poll results show that large majorities find convincing the argument that the United States has a moral responsibility to provide aid to the needy," says the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes, a polling organization that regularly surveys Americans about their country's role in the world.

A 2006 poll by Public Agenda found that vast majorities of people in the United States think it's important to "help poor countries move out of poverty" (88 percent), "help people in poor countries to get an education" (89 percent), and "assist countries with developing clear water supplies" (95 percent). Many of the aid groups working around the world say they are compelled by their religious faith to help alleviate any human suffering; others feel a secular moral compulsion to promote human prosperity.

Lutheran World Relief -- an organization focused on disaster response, fair trade, and advocacy -- says its members are "called to respond to God's love for all people and creation."

A Mercy Corps project helps provide food for Eritrean schoolchildren. © Mercy CorpsThe Academy for Educational Development says its social and economic development work is "driven by personal commitment to making a positive difference in the world and in people’s lives, particularly for those who are underserved." And Mercy Corps, an organization working on issues ranging from disaster relief to conflict resolution and microfinance, believes in "the intrinsic value and dignity of human life," adding: "We are awed by human resilience, and believe in the ability of all people to thrive, not just exist....Our spiritual and humanitarian values compel us to act."

Foreign Assistance: It's Smart
Foreign assistance is also a key component of efforts to polish the United States' image overseas. It can help deter or defuse threats to American national security, and it may have a positive effect on American business interests by creating trading partners and promoting good will.

Many experts have argued that poor countries, whose young people often find few opportunities amid stagnant economies, may become breeding grounds for extremist groups or militias. Well-executed aid programs can help reduce the conditions that lead to unrest, disaffection, and terrorism, namely poverty and the lack of political rights.

"Victory over terrorist movements requires the foresight to provide humanitarian assistance in at-risk, impoverished communities," says the Asia America Initiative, a U.S.-based nonprofit group that delivers direct aid to improve healthcare and educational opportunities in areas targeted by terrorist recruitment. One year after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, President George W. Bush confirmed the link between poverty and terrorism at a conference in Monterrey, Mexico. "We fight against poverty because hope is an answer to terror," he declared.

Foreign assistance is also a smart investment because it can help to build economic growth in poorer nations, which can benefit the United States’ economy in return. For example, working in tandem with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, USAID assists in Central America's transition to a free trade economy by providing technical assistance and training paid for by money from the U.S. foreign assistance budget. Stronger economies in Central American would provide more trading partners for U.S. companies and reduce the conditions that cause many to immigrate to the United States -- often illegally -- in search of better lives and jobs.

One of the most successful U.S. programs to promote international good will is the U.S. Peace Corps. Started by President John F. Kennedy in 1961, the Peace Corps aims to, among other things, "promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served." To date, more than 190,000 Peace Corps volunteers have served in villages, towns, and cities in 139 countries, carrying out projects that help improve lives while putting a personal face on American foreign assistance.

Many also argue that providing foreign aid is smart policy because it adds to a country's "moral authority," which can be helpful down the road when that country needs international support for one of its own objectives. In other words, it gives the nation a moral bank account upon which to draw.

The Venezuelan government, for example, has been providing heating oil free of charge to low income families in the United States, and it supplied fuel for public busses in London, allowing the city to lower the cost of transportation for its low-income riders. Many believe a key objective of these foreign assistance programs has been to improve the international image of the country whose geopolitical rhetoric has frequently brought it into conflict with the United States and other economically powerful nations.

Oxfam staff and partners talk with members of a community garden in Mudzi, Zimbabwe. © Oxfam America / Emily FarrThe international development organization Oxfam has been working for years to convince the U.S. government to increase the amount of money it allocates to assistance projects around the world, and to ensure that money is spent as effectively as possible. The group emphasizes that such activities are both "right" and "smart."

"Since 2002, the U.S. national security strategy has considered development to be one of three 'pillars' of national security, along with defense and diplomacy," the group wrote in its 2008 report: "Foreign Aid 101."

"At its best," the report continued, "poverty-focused development aid can enhance the livelihoods of families around the world, strengthen U.S. moral leadership, and improve security for all of us."

* Caitlin Wall and Qiong Wu are international journalism students at American University's School for International Service.

This article is part of OneWorld.net's coverage of foreign assistance for its online, "living magazine," Perspectives. The series also examines how the foreign assistance process works, how effective the system is, how it could be improved, and what is expected to change in the coming months and years. Get all this, plus the latest news from OneWorld.net and links to ways you can get involved at Perspectives: Foreign Assistance.

Leading Edge Disaster Management from the Visualization Center at SDSU

Dr. Eric Frost leads a band of unsung heroes to include Mike Hennig, Cassidy Rast, Brad Barker, Jay Wilson and more into the future of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts around the globe. A news story linked below notes some of the amazing disaster management support from the Visualization Center at San Diego State University.

CLICK HERE for the video.

Keep up the great work everyone!

Afghanistan and Pakistan: Raise Voices for Civilian Protection

This post from Refugees International dated January 26, 2009 was recently submitted to C4SP.

The humanitarian situation has severely deteriorated over the past year in Afghanistan and Pakistan, creating more displacement and vulnerability. To promote stability, the international community must better balance development and humanitarian assistance and target returnees to Afghanistan as well as displaced people in both countries. Donor governments must allocate budgets based on need, not on political objectives. The UN must raise its voice on concerns related to protecting civilians. Whether by establishing an independent OCHA office or appointing dedicated senior humanitarian staff, the UN must talk to all factions and send a clear message that it is determined to fulfill its humanitarian mandate.

Policy recommendations from Refugees International
* The U.S. administration should increase the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance's budget to fund programs targeted at internally displaced people in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
* UNDP should establish and chair the early recovery cluster in Afghanistan.
* The UN should be more vocal about the protection of civilians in both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
* The U.S. should contribute to Refugee Affected Host Areas programs and humanitarian appeals in Pakistan.
* The UN humanitarian agencies and NGOs should engage with all factions to secure access to vulnerable populations in Pakistan.
* The UN should establish an independent OCHA office in Pakistan or appoint a senior deputy Humanitarian Coordinator based in Peshawar.

We welcome comments regarding this and other news and posts.

Thank you,
The C4SP Team

Australia offers Kenya Sh150m food aid

By PPSPosted Sunday, February 1 2009 at 14:49

Humanitarian assistance granted when Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula met and held discussions with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Stephen Smith, at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa. Australia has donated humanitarian assistance worth two million dollars (Sh150 million) to mitigate the current food crisis facing the country.

The humanitarian assistance was granted when Kenya’s Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula met and held discussions with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon Stephen Smith, at the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa yesterday. Mr. Wetang'ula hailed the warm and cordial relations existing between the two countries adding that Kenya is one of Australia’s longest-standing bilateral partners and looked forward to strengthening the existing ties. The two Ministers discussed and expressed concern over the growing food security crisis in the Horn of Africa which has also affected Kenya.

Mr. Smith expressed optimism that the funds would go a long way in urgently distributing the much need humanitarian assistance to the people of Kenya. Australian Non Governmental Organizations working in Kenya shall receive funding to the tune of One million dollars to urgently provide the affected people with relief supplies. The other tranche of the funds shall be availed to the World Food Programme (WFP) which has been providing relief food to about 1.5 million Kenyans affected by the post-election violence and the current drought. Australia has provided donor assistance worth 22 million dollars to Kenya since 2003. Last month President Mwai Kibaki declared the current food emergency facing the country a National Disaster and launched a campaign to raise over 37 billion shillings required to address the urgent situation.

Meanwhile Mr. Wetangula has condoled the families, relatives and friends of both the Nakumatt Supermarket and the Molo fire tragedies that have caused deaths of many innocent Kenyans. The Minister said that he was extremely saddened by the two tragic fire accidents and confirmed that he stood with all the families of the deceased during this very difficult moment they had unexpectedly lost their loved ones. He further wished survivors of the two devastating fire accidents a quick recovery.

Stavridis Praises U.S.-Honduran Cooperation in Confronting Mutual Threats

Written by Donna Miles

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras, Jan. 30, 2009 - The commander of U.S. Southern Command arrived here yesterday to reaffirm the United States' strategic partnership with Honduras and praise the solid bilateral and interagency cooperation that is delivering tangible success. Navy Adm. James S. Stavridis met with President Jose Manuel Zelaya Rosales, Defense Minister Aristides Mejia Carranza and Defense Chief Maj. Gen. Romeo Orlando Vasquez Velasquez to discuss security challenges of mutual concern: primarily illicit drug, arms and human trafficking.

These, he said, threaten not just national, but also regional stability. Stavridis also met with U.S. Ambassador Hugo Llorens and his embassy country team, as well as U.S. Military Group Honduras to explore ways to improve military-to-military training, education and other support to the Honduran government.

Declaring an "excellent state of cooperation between our two militaries," Stavridis lauded tremendous progress within Honduras' 11,000-member military. The Honduran military is the country's most respected government institution, with only the Catholic Church garnering higher public respect, Air Force Col. Ken Rodriguez, commander of U.S. Military Group Honduras, told Stavridis.

That respect follows a decade-long leadership emphasis on excellence, integrity and professionalism within the ranks, coupled with a close military-to-military relationship with the United States, officials here said. Stavridis' noted Honduras' "extremely full pallet of exercises" to build on those gains. Within the next few months alone, the Honduran military will join the United States and other regional partners to exercise maritime security operations, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, medical readiness and other critical capabilities.

The admiral credited those efforts, along with growing cooperation between the U.S. and Honduran governments, with making big headway against narcotics trafficking and other regional threats. An example of that success took place the day before Stavridis arrived, when Honduran police seized 1.5 metric tons of cocaine with an estimated street value of $25 million, an aircraft and two "go-fast" boats used by drug runners. Tipped off by intelligence from Southcom's Joint Interagency Task Force South counterdrug operation based in Key West, Fla., Honduran authorities closed in on the traffickers in their first aircraft interdiction. The Honduran navy also supported the operation.

Stavridis said he congratulated Honduran leaders on the "extraordinary operation" in which their government took the lead in a cooperative arrangement. The arrival of four U.S.-funded "fast boats," slated for delivery today, will further enhance Honduras' drug-interdiction capabilities, Rodriguez explained. The United States is providing the boats, as well training and equipment to operate and maintain them, through the Enduring Friendship security assistance program.

By 2010, the United States plans to buy four light observation aircraft for the Honduran military to augment the four the Hondurans recently bought to support counter-trafficking, he said. Stavridis noted the long history of friendship and cooperation between the United States and Honduras that he said has paved the way for important security successes.

He thanked Honduran leaders for their support for Joint Task Force Bravo, Southcom's only permanently deployed U.S. forces in the region, which has operated in Honduras since 1983. Based at Soto Cano Air Base, Joint Task Force Bravo stands as Southcom's "911 force," prepared to respond to natural disasters such as severe flooding and landslides that ravaged much of Costa Rica and Panama in late November and early December. In addition to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the task force supports counternarcotics and other missions in the region.

Stavridis asked both Honduran and U.S. leaders here for advice on ways to build on the already-strong U.S.-Honduran relationship. He also emphasized throughout his sessions that confronting transnational challenges demands close interagency cooperation like that already in place here.

"The future of national security is the interagency, all working together," he said.

Stavridis' visit here underscored the value the United States places on its strategic partnership with Honduras in promoting regional security and stability, Rodriguez said.

"We in the United States get as much out of this relationship as [the Hondurans] do," he said. "What we have is a relationship of comrades in arms, working together to confront mutual threats."

China joins elite club by rolling out hospital ship

BEIJING: The Daily Times from Pakistan reported that China’s military has a new weapon in the country’s soft-power arsenal that copies a technique long used by the United States - a 10,000-ton hospital ship to be deployed for humanitarian purposes in Asia and beyond.

The vessel, dubbed Ship 866, is meant to soften China’s image overseas and allay concerns among its neighbors over its navy’s growing strength, while at the same time adding to its military capabilities, analysts say. The ship’s arrival coincides with clear signs that the Chinese military is tentatively moving away from its policy of maintaining a low international profile to avoid provoking those who doubt its commitment to a “peaceful rise” doctrine.

Ship 866 makes “the country one of the few in the world that has medical care and emergency rescue capabilities on the high seas while also raising the capability of the Chinese navy to accomplish diversified military missions,” the Communist Party newspaper People’s Daily said recently. Specialized hospital ships have military purposes - to treat battlefield casualties and provide support to amphibious assault ships - but are used most often for humanitarian and disaster relief missions, said Robert Work, a naval analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington.

“A hospital ship becomes an extremely important symbol of a country´s soft power,” he said. “Even if it does have a military mission, 99 percent of its service life is probably going to be spent on soft-power missions.” The United States has two dedicated hospital ships, each equipped with 1,000 hospital beds: the USNS Comfort and USNS Mercy. “The Americans have gained a lot of good will from utilizing their assets. I think the Chinese have picked up on that,” said Jason Alderwick, a maritime defense analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.

“Polling data showed that in all countries surveyed, the majority of people viewed the missions favorably,” said Vice Adm. Adam M. Robinson Jr., the surgeon general of the US Navy. “Moreover, this favorability translated into a significant increase in favorability toward the United States.” The Asian tsunami in 2004 was a major wake-up call for the Chinese leadership about how the use of military assets in disaster-relief operations can benefit a nation’s image.

The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had little direct involvement in emergency response efforts, hindering China´s efforts to establish itself as the leading player in Asia. “When compared to the level of maritime assistance and response provided by the US, all other contributions, including the Chinese efforts, paled into insignificance,” Alderwick said. “Ship 866 is a perfect asset to use in that kind of situation should it ever arise again.”

Mr. Work said he thinks the ship was built in case of a conflict with Taiwan, where it could be used in conjunction with the Chinese navy’s new Type 071 amphibious warfare ship to provide rapid medical assistance to injured troops. Analysts agree that it could be years before the ship is deployed as far as Africa, a move that could go a long way to negating criticism from some quarters over China´s mercantile approach to the continent. In the near term, the ship is more likely to stay in East Asia, provide support to some of China’s more isolated outposts and be available to respond to natural disasters that may hit the region.

AFGHANISTAN: UNAMA raps new report by rights watchdog

As coalition forces transition from Iraq to Afghanistan, C4SP recognizes the importance of assessing both facts and opinions of the various entities that are engaged in the region:
ABUL, 22 January 2009 (IRIN) - A spokesman of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has dismissed recommendations to the UN and other international actors by the Afghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM), a new Kabul-based rights watchdog, as "superficial and deeply uninformed".

The ARM report criticises the UN and international aid agencies for their alleged inability to reach and assist needy communities, particularly in insecure areas.
"Whilst millions of people desperately needed humanitarian assistance… the UN and other aid agencies were entrenched in diminishing security zones in Kabul and a few other cities," ARM said.

ARM called on the UN to maintain its neutrality, reach and assist people in volatile areas, and improve accountability and transparency in the disbursement of international funds. However, Dan McNorton, a UNAMA spokesman, strongly rejected the criticisms of UN agencies. "The report has overlooked our regional and provincial presence; the thousands of road missions conducted every year; the immunisation programmes for millions of people; the assistance to millions of returnees; the winter pre-positioning of 34,000 tonnes of food; the disaster relief operations; and major work with communities across the country," he said, adding that the UN had a country-wide footprint.

Civilian deaths underestimated?

The ARM report also said that in 2008 the number of civilians killed or displaced was higher than reported by the media or international organisations. "About 3,917 civilians were killed, over 6,800 were wounded and around 120,000 were forced out of their homes in 2008," said the report, The Plight of Afghan Civilians in 2008.

ARM figures on civilian deaths are higher than those from the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) and the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which also track the impact of conflict on civilians.

Insurgents loyal to the Taliban killed over 2,300 civilians, mostly in indiscriminate and disproportionate armed attacks, and over 1,500 civilians were also killed in counter-insurgency operations by Afghan and international forces, the report said.

The AIHRC puts the number of civilian deaths as a result of armed hostilities in 2008 at around 1,800. "About 1,000 civilians were killed by the Taliban and the rest were killed by Afghan and international forces," AIHRC spokesman Nader Nadery told IRIN on 21 January.

In September UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reported about 1,300 conflict-related civilian deaths between January and the end of July 2008. ARM accused all sides of "repeated and systematic" violations of international humanitarian law, the Geneva Conventions and Afghanistan's laws applicable to war situations.

Smart Power Conference

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2009
NIUSR-HALO-C4SP-AFCEA PARTNERSHIP EVENT
SAN DIEGO CONVENTION CENTER, HARBOR DR. RM 7A

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

"We must use what has been called 'Smart Power,' the full range of tools at our disposal."With 'Smart Power,' diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy. The president-elect and I believe that foreign policy must be based on a marriage of principle and pragmatism, not rigid ideology; on facts and evidence, not emotion or prejudice."
- Sen. Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State, Senate Confirmation hearing, January 13, 2009

The Center for Strategic and International Studies has launched a high-level, bipartisan Commission on Smart Power to make "...recommendations for developing an integrated policy to strengthen U.S. influence, image and effectiveness in the world."

In the face of a continually evolving global threat environment comprised of both natural and manmade threats, we must use 'Smart Power' to protect our nation and its interests. With 'Smart Power,' diplomacy is the vanguard of foreign policy. ‘Smart Power’ is also the full range of tools at our nation’s disposal from ‘Soft Power’, or humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, to ‘Hard Power,’ or traditional warfare. The future of ‘Smart Power’ will be discussed by our nation’s the leading experts in the field with an emphasis on soft power expertise.

FEATURED SPEAKERS
Our experts featured speakers will provide real-world examples and guidance designed for present and future leaders in ‘Smart Power.’

Agenda
0800 – 0830 Registration and coffee
0830 – 0900 Welcome and introductions
0900 – 0945 Dan Engle, CEO of Access Agility and Nextnet Consulting, To discuss the bridge between soft and hard powers.
1000 – 1045 Brad Barker, President, HALO Corporation, Government Integration Specialist
1100 – 1145 Dr. Linton Wells, III, PhD, Distinguished Research Professor, National Defense University, Chair of Force Transformation Program; and Dr. Dave Warner, PhD, MD CEO of MindTel, Adjunct Professor SDSU, Research in Iraq and Afghanistan
1200 – 1300 Lunch: Dr. Eric Rasmussen, MD, MDM, FACP, the CEO at InSTEDD, an independent humanitarian NGO founded by Google and focused on collaboration in crisis response
1330 – 1415 Dr. Eric Frost, PhD, The power behind the Homeland Security and Visualization Laboratory at San Diego State University
1430 – 1530 Special Guest: Iowa State Office of Emergency Services, Iowa State Integrated Response

The NIUSR-HALO-C4SP-AFCEA partnership is bringing together leaders recognized for their superior experience and ability within the arena of Smart Power. This will be a teaming and networking opportunity stimulated by amazing speakers and guests.

Hillary Clinton Advocates ‘Smart Power’ at Senate confirmation hearing

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, President-Elect Obama’s pick for Secretary of State, advocated ‘Smart Power’ at her confirmation hearing. Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., called Clinton eminently qualified to be the secretary of state but expressed concern about the Clinton Foundation's activities. He said transparency was a must for the foundation and that it should "forswear" foreign donations if Hillary Clinton were confirmed.

"We must use what has been called 'Smart Power,' the full range of tools at our disposal," she said. "With 'Smart Power,' diplomacy will be the vanguard of foreign policy. The president-elect and I believe that foreign policy must be based on a marriage of principle and pragmatism, not rigid ideology; on facts and evidence, not emotion or prejudice," she said.

Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., the chairman of the committee, said that he hoped to have a vote on Clinton's nomination by Thursday. Click here for the link to the video of Senator Clinton's comments before the Senate hearing.

The American Red Cross sends aid as humanitarian situation worsens in Gaza

Ten days into the conflict, medical supplies remain most urgent need

WASHINGTON, Tuesday, January 06, 2009 The American Red Cross is contributing $250,000 to support the ongoing work of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to address the growing humanitarian needs from the conflict in the Gaza Strip.

“The American Red Cross contributions will help the ICRC address increasing humanitarian needs for medical support, hospital supplies, and relief distributions,” says Gail McGovern, President and CEO of the American Red Cross.
ICRC staff on the ground in Gaza are reporting a shortage of medical personnel, spare parts to keep hospital generators functioning, and medical supplies. The ICRC has mobilized additional staff including a surgical team, provided medical supplies to treat more than 4,000 people as well as 80 palettes of additional medical materials, distributed spare parts to hospitals to keep their generators operational, and is assisting in the repair of water, sewer, and electrical systems.
The ICRC is coordinating closely with the Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) and Magen David Adom (MDA), the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross, staff and volunteers which are both working in their respective areas transporting injured people to health facilities.

“The American Red Cross has a strong relationship with both the PRCS and the MDA,” says David Meltzer, Senior Vice President of International Services at the American Red Cross. “We will continue to assess the humanitarian needs of our sister societies as the crisis continues and stand ready to provide additional assistance as needed.”

The American Red Cross relationship with the societies is rooted in work to grant them membership in the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (International Federation). Both societies were unanimously approved by members of the International Federation in June 2006.

In November 2008, the American Red Cross awarded the American Red Cross Humanitarian Prize to the leaders of the PRCS and the MDA in recognition of their work in fostering humanitarian cooperation between the two organizations despite significant political and military challenges.

You can help the victims of countless crises around the world each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross International Response Fund, which will provide immediate relief and long-term support through supplies, technical assistance and other support to help those in need. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation by either contacting 1-800-HELP NOW or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish), or mailing your donation with the designation to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013 or to your local American Red Cross chapter. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.