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LRT: Latin America Edition - Rewind on five days of an intense simulation exercise held for the first time in Spanish

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The World Food Programme’s Regional Bureau for Latin America and the Caribbean, through the WFP-led Logistics Cluster, recently brought together more than fifty key actors for a Logistics Response Team Training (LRT), considered one of the largest scale humanitarian simulations in logistics. It was the first time this exercise was held in Spanish and in the region, creating a precedent for preparedness and response activities on the continent.

The objective of an LRT is to contribute to the preparation of humanitarian personnel from different agencies and institutions so that they can make faster and more informed decisions at the beginning of an emergency. The event was attended by representatives from sixteen different countries in Latin America and the Caribbean who had the opportunity to experience a simulation through a tailor-made scenario.

“The drill was totally immersive. All of us who participated suspended our day-to-day activities to live an emergency scenario as realistic as possible. It worked because we all committed to make it a reality for this region,” said Lila Ricart, Regional Officer of the Logistics Cluster.

The training took place in the Volcano region of Cotopaxi, Ecuador where the participants put their response capacities to the test in one of the pillars of any humanitarian operation: logistics.

“We are very pleased that Ecuador has been selected as the host country for this important training. In the region we are exposed to a wide range of emergencies and disasters that require more effective response measures. We have seen how team spirit has prevailed during this drill, and that is precisely our objective, to contribute to the strengthening of an increasingly coordinated humanitarian response,” said Matteo Perrone, WFP Country Director in Ecuador.

Organizations from the humanitarian sector that participated included ADRA, UNHCR, IFRC, PAHO/WHO, OXFAM, Plan International, Save the Children, UNICEF, DRC, Humanity and Inclusion, IOM, and Johanniter International among others. The event was also attended by technicians and authorities from the National Risk and Emergency Management Service of Ecuador and government officials from Brazil, Panama and Paraguay, along with private companies such as MAERSK, one of the LET partners, and Airlink.

For more information regarding LRT, please contact hq.glc.training@wfp.org