ROUNDTABLE PROFILES EUROPEAN CIVIL PROTECTION & HUMANITARIAN AID OPERATIONS (ECHO) The European Commission aims to save and preserve life, prevent and alleviate human suffering and safeguard the integrity and dignity of populations affected by natural disasters and man-made crises. EU assistance, amounting to one of the world’s largest, is enshrined in the Treaty of Lisbon and supported by EU citizens an as expression of European solidarity with any person or people in need. With its headquarters in Brussels and a global network of field offices, the Commission’s European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations department ensures rapid and effective delivery of EU relief assistance through its two main instruments: civil protection and humanitarian aid. By bringing the two together under one roof in 2010, the Commission has built up a more robust and effective European mechanism for disaster response both inside and outside the EU. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UN (FAO); LAC The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Its goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. With over 194 member states, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide. FAO creates and shares critical information about food, agriculture and natural resources in the form of global public goods. But this is not a one-way flow. FAO plays a connector role, through identifying and working with different partners with established expertise, and facilitating a dialogue between those who have the knowledge and those who need it. By turning knowledge into action, FAO links the field to national, regional and global initiatives in a mutually reinforcing cycle. By joining forces, we facilitate partnerships for food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural development between governments, development partners, civil society and the private sector. Everyone can play a part in ending hunger. Join FAO in creating a #ZeroHunger world. HELP.NGO / GLOBAL DISASTER IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TEAM (DIRT) The mission of Global Disaster Immediate Response Team (DIRT) is to fill the void that exists between the time of a disaster’s occurrence and that of the traditional response effort. The international non-governmental organization utilizes the Special Force’s small unit leadership model, combining its allvolunteer force of first responders, subject matter experts, and prior service military personnel to respond within the first 24-48 hours of a disaster. Volunteers provide medical assistance, communications access, search and rescue capabilities, and coordination support. Global DIRT is able to insert into a disaster or post-disaster situation with key equipment and knowledge, thus limiting the loss of life, property, and resources, all while operating efficiently to ensure that every donor dollar contributes to mission success.
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