In July 2024, Hurricane Beryl, the earliest Atlantic hurricane to reach Category 5 intensity, devastated several Caribbean islands, including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Dominica, Barbados, and Jamaica. The storm brought life-threatening winds, heavy rainfall, and hazardous marine conditions, leaving severe damage in its wake. In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, nearly 90% of the infrastructure was destroyed, including homes, roads, and the Union Island airport. Communication with the Southern Grenadines was disrupted, and access to essential services remained limited. In Grenada, especially on Carriacou and Petite Martinique, 95% of homes were damaged, with the fishing industry significantly impacted.

The storm caused widespread disruption in affected regions, with over 1,000 people seeking shelter. Emergency response efforts were hampered by road blockages and communication issues, delaying damage assessments and aid distribution. Despite the challenges, local governments, along with international agencies like CDEMA, UN organizations, and humanitarian partners, coordinated efforts to provide essential services and support the rebuilding process. As recovery continues, priorities include restoring critical infrastructure, enhancing disaster preparedness, and ensuring long-term resilience in the face of future storms.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Michala Garrison

The International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) responded to Hurricane Beryl by providing critical support to the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team. The team, made up of experts from CGDIS (Luxembourg), DSB (Norway), ERB (Estonia), and THW (Germany), assisted the UNDAC team with both Base Camp and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) support, ensuring efficient coordination during the whole duration of the UNDAC operation.

Given the scale of damage caused by Hurricane Beryl, which affected several Caribbean islands, the IHP’s contribution was crucial in enabling effective coordination of the emergency response. The primary support included the establishment of a Base Camp to accommodate humanitarian personnel and facilitate coordination.

In addition to the Base Camp, IHP provided robust ICT infrastructure, which was essential for the UNDAC team’s operations. This included the establishment of satellite communications networks for coordinating logistics, facilitating assessments, and supporting the operational needs of the response teams.

With the support of IHP experts, the UNDAC team was able to conduct detailed damage assessments, organize resources, and communicate with other relief agencies, significantly enhancing the overall response efficiency.

Cover Image Credit: UN/Arthur Daniel

During the response to Cyclone Batsirai in Madagascar in 2022, CGDIS (Luxembourg) deployed an ICT expert under the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) framework to support the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team. The ICT expert’s role was crucial in setting up communication systems to ensure the UNDAC team could effectively coordinate with humanitarian organizations operating in the affected regions.

This support was essential, as the cyclone caused significant damage to infrastructure, making reliable communication and information flow a challenge. The IHP’s contribution helped improve logistical coordination, enabling faster and more efficient humanitarian responses on the ground.

In response to the devastating impact of Cyclone Idai in March 2019, the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) was quickly activated to support the UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team deployed by OCHA. Cyclone Idai caused widespread destruction in Mozambique, particularly in the city of Beira, affecting thousands of people and displacing many more.

IHP’s primary role was to provide ICT support to the UNDAC team, deploying experts from various IHP member organizations to assist with damage and needs assessments, coordination, and information management. IHP also sent an assessment team to support the World Food Programme (WFP) in evaluating the humanitarian needs, particularly focusing on accommodation, office facilities, and living conditions for UN staff and other responders.

Throughout the operation, IHP worked in close coordination with OCHA, UN agencies, and other partners such as MapAction and ECHO. The IHP teams were integral in establishing coordination facilities and logistics hubs, initially setting up operations at Beira Airport. They also facilitated the entry and logistics for personnel and equipment arriving into the country. The team worked in the field to assess and address the needs of affected communities, and helped establish two small hubs for better operational support.

As the response shifted and the operations center moved from Beira Airport to new locations in town, IHP’s support transitioned, and by late April 2019, the IHP mission in Mozambique concluded. The IHP team successfully provided critical infrastructure and operational support, helping to ensure that the response was as efficient and effective as possible in addressing the needs of the affected population.

The collaboration between IHP members from Sweden (MSB), Norway (DSB), Finland (CMC), and Denmark (DEMA), along with UN agencies, MapAction, and other partners, was highly valued and ensured the successful delivery of aid during a challenging and dynamic operational environment.

In response to the impending arrival of Hurricane Irma in September 2017, the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) swiftly mobilized to support the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team, focusing on strengthening communication infrastructure amidst anticipated widespread destruction. Given the hurricane’s unprecedented size and strength, which posed severe risks to Caribbean island states, IHP deployed two experienced ICT specialists from Norway’s Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) to Barbados, acting as an early-entry hub for response efforts. This proactive, “no regrets” deployment allowed IHP to address anticipated communication breakdowns—crucial for an effective disaster response.

NASA Earth Observatory image by Joshua Stevens and Jesse Allen

The IHP specialists, trained to “help the helpers,” ensured that the UNDAC team had stable communication channels, thereby enabling continuous situational awareness and coordination with local authorities. The IHP deployment also allowed UNDAC experts, including a representative from Sweden’s Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), to respond effectively to the rapidly evolving crisis. The deployment, initiated even before the hurricane made landfall, underscored IHP’s commitment to supporting UNOCHA and national governments by facilitating early response measures that can be scaled up as needed.

Cover Image Credit: WFP / Gabriela Alvarado

In 2015, in response to Cyclone Chapala, which impacted Yemen, Norway provided ICT support through the International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) framework to the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) team. This deployment was part of a broader effort to improve communication and coordination in a region where infrastructure was heavily damaged by the cyclone. The IHP ICT support team’s role was to establish reliable communication systems, helping the UNDAC team facilitate the flow of information between humanitarian actors, local authorities, and international organizations involved in the disaster response.

This deployment underscored the importance of ICT in emergency operations, particularly in complex and challenging environments like Yemen, where communication networks were compromised by the cyclone’s destruction. The ICT team’s timely intervention was essential for ensuring that the UNDAC team could continue its mission of assessing the damage and coordinating relief efforts effectively.

Photo Credit: NASA/LANCE/EOSDIS Rapid Response team

Cover Photo Credit: OCHA/Charlotte Cans

The International Humanitarian Partnership (IHP) successfully supported over 30 humanitarian organizations operating in Jérémie, Haiti, in response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Matthew. From late October 2016 until the end of the mission, the IHP provided a Light Base Camp that hosted over 700 guest nights, accommodating up to 39 guests at a time, along with around 20 WFP staff during the day. The camp’s facilities, including reliable internet through the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster (ETC) and office space, were instrumental in helping these organizations coordinate effective relief efforts in the area.

Among the organizations benefiting from the camp, 14 NGOs operated their entire Jérémie missions from this facility, while IHP also collaborated with WFP to construct a more permanent UN office compound. This compound, which housed 13 prefabricated units, offered improved office and meeting spaces, ensuring continued support for WFP, UNICEF, and IOM with an expected occupancy of about 35 staff members. Additional efforts included repair and enhancement of storage facilities for improved logistics and establishing internet points to bolster communications. The IHP even supported local infrastructure, such as repairing the nearby university’s power and water systems, thus enhancing both humanitarian operations and community resilience.

Following the mission’s close, the IHP and its lead organization DEMA planned an After Action Review in January 2017 to assess the deployment’s outcomes and capture lessons learned. This mission highlights IHP’s role in facilitating humanitarian access and support in hard-hit regions, enabling essential relief work in Jérémie and surrounding areas.

Cover Photo Credit: UN/MINUSTAH/Logan Abassi

Typhoon Haiyan, known locally as Yolanda, struck the Philippines in early November 2013, becoming one of the most devastating tropical cyclones ever recorded. The storm made landfall on November 8, 2013, at Guiuan, in Eastern Samar province, in the central Philippines. It was a Category 5 super typhoon with winds reaching speeds of up to 315 km/h (195 mph) and gusts even higher, with a storm surge as high as 5 meters (16 feet) in some areas.

The typhoon caused widespread destruction across the Eastern Visayas region, including Leyte, Samar, and Cebu, and continued to impact other parts of the country. The cities of Tacloban, Ormoc, and Roxas, as well as numerous rural communities, were among the hardest hit.

Following the catastrophic impact of Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013, the United Nations and its humanitarian partners rapidly scaled up relief efforts to address the widespread devastation across the central Philippines. According to the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), the Philippine Government estimated that 9.5 million people had been affected by the storm, with nearly 620,000 displaced from their homes. Access to many severely impacted areas remained a significant challenge, with roads and bridges damaged, and large numbers of survivors lacking essential supplies such as food, water, and medicines.

To support the massive relief operation, the IHP (International Humanitarian Partnership) was requested by UNOCHA to provide crucial logistics, coordination, and infrastructure support. This included the deployment of three On-Site Operations Coordination Centers (OSOCC) and ICT equipment, as well as three light office and accommodation structures to establish bases of operations for humanitarian teams. Additionally, logistics support was provided to enable the swift movement of goods and personnel in this challenging environment.

The IHP members, including agencies from Estonia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, and Sweden, mobilized an array of equipment and a team of experts in ICT, construction, logistics, and water and sanitation, among others. The first deployment of equipment and personnel left Europe on Monday, November 11, and quickly began arriving in the Philippines to set up essential infrastructure.

MSB (Sweden) coordinated the IHP operation, with Ulrika Eden, the IHP coordinator, emphasizing the vital role that IHP played in facilitating the work of other humanitarian actors. She noted the importance of enabling rapid establishment of operations by providing coordination centers, office spaces, and essential communication infrastructure. “The mobilization of resources within IHP has worked very well,” she remarked, “but we have a major challenge ahead of us. We are well prepared to carry out this task and will do our utmost to support the humanitarian community’s critical efforts in assisting the affected population in the Philippines.”

The IHP’s support played a key role in ensuring that emergency responders could quickly establish their presence in the affected areas, providing essential shelter and office space for the delivery of critical aid to those in need. With ongoing logistics, coordination, and infrastructure support, IHP contributed to the efforts of restoring basic services and providing relief to millions of Filipinos affected by one of the most powerful typhoons ever recorded.

Camp Essu

IHP did not only provided essential coordination infrastructure, but also supported the establishment of a larger base camp to accommodate humanitarian personnel and assist in the delivery of life-saving aid.

The base camp was set up in Guiuan, one of the hardest-hit areas in the Eastern Visayas region, and was operational from mid-November 2013 to April 2014. This base camp was crucial for coordinating the relief efforts and providing a secure and operational space for the various humanitarian teams in the region. It served as a logistical hub for distributing aid and coordinating activities aimed at helping the survivors of the disaster.

The construction of the base camp was supported by several IHP members, including CMC, ERB, DEMA, DSB, MSB, and THW, with DSB (Norway) taking the lead and providing overall leadership to the IHP team. This collaboration allowed for the rapid deployment of experts and resources, ensuring the base camp was established quickly and efficiently.

In a special video guided by IHP Team Leader Geir Ellingsen (DSB – Norway) and Camp Manager Joey Renert from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), viewers are given an inside look at the IHP Base Camp “Essu” in Guiuan.

Cover Photo Credit: OCHA/Gemma Cortes

Cover Photo Credit: UNICEF/Moreno Gonzalez

Cover Photo Credit: UN MINUSTAH

Cover Photo Credit: UNICEF/UN0119399

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