ReliefWeb

OVERVIEW

USAID Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) staff and relief agency partners frequently operate in areas with security challenges. As a result, USAID/OFDA works to enhance the safety and security of the humanitarian community through outreach and dialogue with implementing partners and the donor community. USAID/OFDA supports established networks of humanitarian security personnel, improves security mechanisms and capacity at the global and country level, and strengthens policies that affect safety and security. In addition, USAID/OFDA’s Safety and Security Unit directly supports USAID/OFDA staff in the field by providing real-time analysis and guidance on security matters from Washington, D.C., as well as through safety and security officers deployed to the field. USAID/OFDA efforts aim to enable humanitarian activities in volatile situations by increasing access, while minimizing risk to staff and operations. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, USAID/OFDA provided nearly $945,000 for activities that improved operational security, facilitated coordination and information management, promoted best practices, and built a better understanding of the humanitarian security landscape. In addition, during FY 2013, USAID/OFDA provided $4.1 million to the U.N. Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) to support emergency humanitarian responses in Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, and Syria.