G7 urged to create permanent fund to deal with future crises
A permanent disaster fund to deal with future pandemics, the climate crisis and natural disasters should be proposed by the G7, senior UN and humanitarian figures have said.
Such a fund would reduce the need to resort to an emergency begging bowl. When Covid-19 hit the globe just 2% of the needed funding was ready in advance, advocates of the plan say.
The alliance includes Mark Lowcock, the head of the UN’s office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs, Amir Abdulla, the deputy director of the UN food programme, David Miliband, the head of the International Rescue Committee, Jagan Chapagain the head of the International Red Cross, and one of Number 10’s most trusted development advisers, Prof Paul Collier. Support also comes from Unicef, and a host of other humanitarian agencies.
The proposal for a global crisis risk initiative is already under discussion in the UK Cabinet Office and Foreign Office as Boris Johnson prepares a postCovid agenda for the G7, due to be held in Cornwall in June.
In a sign that the government wants to think big at the G7, Matt Hancock, the health secretary, this week has already said the G7 should examine a new system to give vaccines worldwide regulatory approval, ending the current slow and duplicatory system of national approval.
The new coalition, organised by the Centre for Disaster Protection, says in a joint statement the disaster risk initiative is designed to predict crises better by creating a new “Crisis Lookout”, to improve risk information and the prioritisation of crises globally, regionally and nationally.
It would also prepare better responses by making pre-arranged finance the primary way that crises are paid for so that funding gets where it is needed faster and with the greatest impact.
In a joint statement the coalition says: “We have the science and expertise to monitor and forecast risks, yet critical data gaps remain, and we still treat disasters as surprises. We have the financial knowhow to have money in place when disaster strikes, yet we still end up passing around a begging bowl.”
Research by the World Bank, the global body most engaged with disaster risk finance, shows on average it takes 183 days for finance to reach areas in a global health crisis.
The coalition suggests that instead of ad hoc begging bowls and relief funds, donors and international agencies can choose to support a country
earlier, by agreeing in advance to support a country if certain circumstances arise, so that a country and its people have assurance and plans can be made.
When events, such as earthquakes, hurricanes or pandemics, take place that trigger the release of those funds, money can be given instantly to those coordinating the response. This would over time shift away from the current approach of UN appeals and summits, and uneven discretionary funding.
The proposal comes at a time when the risk of disasters is increasing, with climate-related disasters up 83% in the past 20 years.
The scheme’s advocates argue the current international framework is inadequate, and existing schemes are either very limited or confined to climate risk, a criticism that is endorsed by many of the figures most closely involved in humanitarian work, including Lowcock.
Backing the scheme he said: “Advances in data and predictive analytics mean we can predict many crises before they arrive. These days if disasters take us by surprise, it’s because we weren’t looking. As the world grapples with the biggest challenge in a generation, we all need to work smarter, not just harder. Taking action before crises hit is one way to do this. It saves lives and money – and it’s far more dignified for the people we’re helping.”
The proposal also has the support of leaders of the insurance industry.