2 FAM 060
INTERNATIONAL DISASTER and Humanitarian ASsistance
(CT:GEN-534; 02-21-2019)
(Office of Origin: F)
2 FAM 061 GENERAL POLICY
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
In the event of foreign disaster or conflict, the United
States may provide humanitarian assistance consistent with U.S foreign policy
goals. Assistance may be provided if the disaster or conflict overwhelms the
ability of the host nation to respond and if the host nation accepts such
assistance. Assistance shall to the greatest extent possible, reach those most
in need of relief. U.S. Government humanitarian assistance supports and
encourages host country participation in disaster and supplements rather than
replaces host country disaster relief resources. U.S. humanitarian assistance
also supports and encourages broader international cooperation in foreign
disaster response and assistance.
2 FAM 061.1 Foreign Disaster
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
A foreign disaster is an act of nature (such as a flood,
drought, tsunami, hurricane, earthquake, volcanic eruption, or epidemic) or an
act of man (such as violence, civil strife, or explosion) which is or threatens
to be of sufficient severity and magnitude to overwhelm the ability of the host
nation to respond. The severity and magnitude of a disaster is determined by
taking into account the extent of damage compared to indigenous resources
available for alleviating the suffering caused, and the extent of social or
economic disruption. The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for
International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
(USAID/OFDA) and the Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and
Migration (PRM), the designated U.S. Government leads for coordination of
foreign disaster response (see 2 FAM 066.2),
can also provide technical specialists to support interested governments faced
with emergency situations which do not warrant a formal disaster determination.
2 FAM 061.2 Humanitarian Assistance
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
The goal of humanitarian assistance is to save lives,
alleviate suffering, and minimize the economic costs of conflict, disasters and
displacement. Humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of need
according to principles of universality, impartiality and human dignity.
Humanitarian assistance includes:
(1) Developing operational disaster plans and
rendering humanitarian assistance in coordination with other governments, their
embassies, international and regional organizations, non-governmental
organizations, and U.S. and foreign private assistance to victims of natural
and manmade disasters;
(2) Disaster activities such as training foreign
nationals in disaster management, vulnerability and risk analysis, public
awareness, and damage and needs assessments; promoting bilateral, regional, and
international information exchange; conducting disaster-related research and
applying technology (e.g., satellite early warning, tracking, and monitoring
systems); and
(3) Disaster assistance may be made available
following sudden onset of a disaster (earthquake, cyclone, tsunami, etc.), or
for emergency programs in slow-onset crises, like drought and conflict. Once a
disaster is declared, the Chief of Mission may advise the foreign government of
the intention of the USG to provide up to $50,000, in coordination with
USAID/OFDA. Amounts in excess of the initial $50,000, and/or extension of the
emergency phase beyond 60 days require prior approval of USAID/OFDA.
(4) Disaster assistance can be used immediately to
alleviate the suffering of victims; it includes services and commodities as
well as the rescue and evacuation of victims; assistance to refugees and
internally displaced persons; the provision and transportation of food,
non-food items (e.g., hygiene kits and blankets), medical supplies, bedding,
temporary shelter, water and sanitation; the furnishing of medical equipment,
medical and technical personnel; and making repairs to essential services.
2 FAM 061.3
Disaster Preparedness
(CT:GEN-534; 02-21-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. USAID/OFDA maintains inventories of commonly
required disaster relief commodities in three regional stockpiles around the
world from which they may be deployed rapidly to a scene of disaster upon
instruction from USAID/OFDA. Commodities are located in:
(1) Miami, Florida;
(2) Pisa, Italy;
(3) Dubai, UAE;
b. Disaster preparedness includes:
(1) Seminars and training for foreign disaster
officials in disaster management;
(2) Direct technical assistance in national disaster
planning for disaster-prone countries;
(3) Assistance to U.S. missions in the development of
Annex J of the Post Emergency Action Plan; and
(4) Disaster-related technical assistance and
technology transfer.
These services in all aspects of emergency management are
available to all countries and can be provided on a cost-sharing or
reimbursable basis.
2 FAM 061.4
Authorities
(CT:GEN-534; 02-21-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. Department of State Delegation of Authority No.
293-2 of October 23, 2011, delegated to the Administrator, Agency for
International Development, provides authority for funding and operational
coordination of emergency disaster operations and disaster preparedness. This
authority is derived from the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22
U.S.C. 2292), (FAA) and from the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance
Act of 1954, as amended (Public Law 480, 83rd Congress; (7 U.S.C. 1704, 1721).
b. FAA Section 106: This section authorizes the
President to furnish assistance to programs of reconstruction following natural
and man-made disasters.
c. FAA Sections 491-493: These sections provide the
basic authorities and guidelines for the Agency's involvement in disaster
relief, rehabilitation, preparedness, prediction, and contingency planning.
Section 493 authorizes the President to appoint a Special Coordinator for
International Disaster Assistance; the President has designated the USAID
Administrator.
d. Migration and Refugee Assistance Act of 1962 (MRAA),
as amended, provides the basic authority for U.S. international assistance to
refugees, migrants, and certain other persons of concern. It directs support
to international organizations by specifying that appropriations are
authorized: for contributions to the activities of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees the International Organization for Migration, the
International Committee of the Red Cross, and to other relevant international
organizations, a function that PRM assumed when the Bureau came into existence
in 1980. It also provides authority to fund bilateral assistance or grants to
non-governmental organizations (NGOs) when determined that such assistance is
in the foreign policy interests of the U.S. The MRAA also establishes a U.S.
Emergency Refugee and Migration Assistance Fund (ERMA) to meet unexpected
urgent refugee and migration needs. PRM manages this contingency account on
behalf of the President.
2 FAM 062 CHIEF OF MISSION
RESPONSIBILITIES
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
The Chief of Mission bears responsibility for the conduct
of USG foreign disaster assistance within their jurisdiction. Operational
implementation of this responsibility may be delegated to the USAID Mission
Director. The Chief of Mission may make a disaster declaration if he/she
determines that a disaster or conflict has overwhelmed the ability of the host
nation to respond, that the host nation will accept assistance, and that it is
in the interest of the U.S. Government to respond. (Such a disaster
declaration, however, only makes a limited amount of U.S. Government funding
immediately available and does not affect funding from other USG sources).
2 FAM 063 OBLIGATION OF FUNDS AND
FISCAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
(CT:GEN-499; 05-15-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. When making available the $50,000 initial relief
assistance, USAID/OFDA/W will provide funding from the "International
Disaster Assistance" account through a fund cite cable. The USAID mission
in country, or regional mission if appropriate, will typically award funds
through a grant, or other mechanism. In countries where there is no USAID
mission, and the regional USAID mission is not able to support the award,
USAID/OFDA/W will make funds available to the chief of the diplomatic mission
for obligation to local or international organizations. This assistance should
be coordinated with USAID/OFDA as outlined in the annual disaster guidance
cable.
b. Should larger amounts of funds be necessary,
recommendations should be made through the relevant OFDA regional office and
appropriate action will be taken in Washington to establish funding levels.
Typically, any additional funding is programmed by OFDA in Washington, but
initial tranches of funding can be programmed by AID missions or diplomatic
missions in certain situations.
c. Chiefs of missions shall not state the intention of
the USG to provide assistance in excess of the $50,000 initial relief
assistance until additional funding levels have been approved by USAID/W and
missions notified of the financial accounting information.
d. Copies of the obligation documents issued by the
diplomatic missions should be provided to the OFDA regional office and USAID/W.
2 FAM 064 REPORTING
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. Without
delaying necessary and authorized emergency action, an immediate notification
of a disaster, situation reports, follow-through actions, and a full summary
report of each disaster relief operation is to be communicated to USAID/OFDA.
Guidelines for these reports can be obtained from USAID/OFDA (See 2 FAM 065).
b. This guidance does not pertain to disasters
primarily involving refugees. Requests for assistance and reporting in these
circumstances must be directed to the Department of State/PRM.
2 FAM 065 International Disaster
Assistance Policies
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. For detailed
information and guidelines on U.S. Government foreign disaster policies,
disaster preparedness activities, disaster operations, funding, reporting,
surveys and assessments, procurement, stockpiling, health and technical
assistance, see USAID's ADS 251. Copies of ADS 251 can be found on the USAID
Web site.
b. Guidance on disasters involving primarily refugees
can be found on the PRM Web site.
2 FAM 066 RESPONSIBILITIES AT
WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS
2 FAM 066.1 General
Responsibilities
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
The Department of State provides foreign policy guidance
to USAID in carrying out disaster relief activities. The Administrator of
USAID determines the extent to which USAID funds and resources will be
committed under this policy guidance to ensure the USG response is needs-based
and adheres to humanitarian principles as outlined in the Good Humanitarian
Donorship (GHDthe benchmark against which the USG and other international
donors aim to improve the coherence, impact, and accountability of its
humanitarian actions). State/PRM is responsible for evaluating and funding the
U.S. Government response to disasters involving primarily refugees and for
coordinating with international organizations and non-governmental
organizations responding to refugee crises.
2 FAM 066.2 U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID)
(CT:GEN-499; 05-15-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. The focal point of the U.S. Government disaster
relief activity in Washington is the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
(an independent office reporting directly to the Administrator of USAID),
Foreign Disaster Coordination Center. A disaster duty officer is on-call
24-hours a day including weekends and holidays. The OFDA Director is
authorized by the USAID Administrator to respond to U.S. mission requests for
disaster assistance, to organize and coordinate the total U.S. Government
disaster relief response, to procure supplies, services, and transportation,
and to engage in disaster preparedness activities. USAID reimburses other
Federal departments and agencies for supplies and costs associated with
personnel provided at USAID's request.
b. USAID geographic bureaus work with OFDA in
determining the nature and extent of disasters to determine suitable plans of
action. They provide additional temporary professional and clerical staff when
the magnitude of a disaster requires augmentation of OFDA staff. When the
emergency and short-term rehabilitation phases of a disaster evolve into
reconstruction, the responsibility for disaster reconstruction passes from OFDA
to the appropriate geographic bureau of USAID.
c. The Office of Food for Peace (FFP) is responsible
for all matters relating to Pub. L. 480 food commodities utilized in emergency
relief. (See ADS 312.3.1). FFP keeps OFDA informed of related mission and USAID/W
actions.
d. There are many other offices within USAID which
provide important services, resources, or administrative assistance in the
disaster program. These are delineated in ADS 251.3.2.
2 FAM 066.3 Department of State
(CT:GEN-499; 05-15-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. USAID/OFDA receives foreign policy guidance from the
Department of State through the appropriate regional bureau and office
director. Other components of the Department often participate with USAID/OFDA
in foreign disaster operations.
b. The Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) is concerned
with disasters in foreign countries as they affect U.S. citizens. It provides
information on the welfare of private U.S citizens residing abroad who are
affected by disasters to concerned relatives in the United States. The Bureau
assists in the transfer of emergency funds to U.S. citizens in disaster
stricken areas and in arranging for the medical treatment and/or evacuation. In
the case of death of a U.S. citizen abroad, the Bureau assists the next of kin
in arranging for the disposition of the remains and settlement of the estate;
c. The Bureau of International Organization Affairs
(IO) provides political guidance to the Department of State and USAID regional
bureaus and to USAID/OFDA on the United Nations and its specialized agencies or
other international organizations when U.S. Government disaster assistance
involves these organizations;
d. The Bureau for Population, Refugees and Migration
(PRM) has responsibility for coordinating assistance to refugees who cross the border
from one country to another and also provides assistance to other victims of
conflict in coordination with USAID/OFDA. PRM is the U.S. Government's
principal interlocutor with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees,
the International Organization for Migration, the International Committee of
the Red Cross, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinians
in the Middle East. USAID/OFDA has primary responsibility for assisting people
displaced within their own country as a result of natural or manmade disasters.
A single disaster may involve both situations, and coordination between
USAID/OFDA and Department of State/PRM is essential to a balanced U.S. effort;
e. The Department of State Operations Center (S/S-O)
relays to USAID/OFDA or the USAID /OFDA Disaster Duty Officer communications
received pertaining to foreign disasters and assists USAID/OFDA during evening
hours and on weekends in the dispatch of immediate communications; and
f. The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
(ECA):
(1) Coordinates the assessment, protection, and
preservation of cultural heritage, including museums, archives, and
archaeological resources, in natural or manmade disaster situations; and
(2) Coordinates with the relevant U.S. Embassy and
geographic bureau, USAID, and the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization
Operations (CSO) to ensure that U.S. Government actions address cultural
heritage concerns in disaster and post-disaster situations in a timely fashion
to mitigate risk and damage to irreplaceable cultural heritage.
2 FAM 066.4 Department of Defense
(DOD)
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
Department of Defense Directive 5100.46, of July 6, 2012,
authorizes DoD to respond to foreign disasters in support of USAID pursuant to
E.O. 12163 and section 2292(b) of title 22, U.S.C. DoD support may be provided
on a non-reimbursable basis using available Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster,
and Civic Aid (OHDACA) funds, Presidential drawdown authority in accordance
with section 506 of Public Law 87-195, or other available authorities.
USAID/OFDA provides formal USAID validation of the appropriateness of DoD
foreign disaster relief assistance via input into the initial request for DoD
assistance and tactical level concurrence through the Mission Tasking Matrix
(MiTaM) process. The Department of State provides validation of the foreign
policy interests of a military response to a disaster.
DoD components may also provide reimbursable foreign
disaster relief assistance when requested and funded by other USG departments
and agencies. Requests for DoD support to disaster relief efforts are
transmitted via an official request from the appropriate departmental or agency
Executive Secretariat to the DoD Executive Secretary and/or through requests
for reimbursable assistance (e.g., USAID Reimbursement Agreement found in ADS
306).
2 FAM 066.5 Department of Health
and Human Services (HHS)
(CT:GEN-499; 05-15-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID)
USAID/OFDA maintains an Interagency Agreement with the
International Emergency and Refugee Health Branch at the HHS/Centers for
Disease Control (CDC). At USAID's request, CDC or other divisions within HHS
may provide medical, epidemiological, and nutrition personnel for disaster
assessment and response, as well as any necessary goods.
2 FAM 066.6 Other Federal
Departments
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
USAID/OFDA maintains pre-existing interagency agreements
with other federal and local government entities. These agreements allow
USAID/OFDA to call forward resources from these entities under USAID/OFDA
authority, direction, and funding. Other Federal departments which are
frequently involved in foreign disaster assistance include, but are not limited
to, the Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of
Interior, and the Executive Office of the President. USAID is able to request
the goods and services of these other Federal agencies on a reimbursable basis
pursuant to section 632(b) of the FAA. Written interagency agreements must be
in place prior to the provision of such goods and services (see ADS 306).
2 FAM 066.7 International
Humanitarian Community
(CT:GEN-404; 03-29-2013)
(Uniform State/USAID)
a. The term "international humanitarian
community" includes other donor countries, international and regional
organizations, such as the United Nations and its agencies, the International
Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee
of the Red Cross, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the Pan American
Health Organization along with NGOs that participate in disaster relief and
preparedness activities.
b. The U.S. Government is a critical member and strong
advocate of the international humanitarian community and existing international
humanitarian architecture; the USG promotes a multilateral approach to disaster
preparedness and relief.
c. The U.S. Government may, at its discretion, make
contributions to international and regional organizations as well as NGOs that
are capable and willing to undertake a comprehensive disaster assistance
program, if acceptable to the cooperating country. These contributions may be
in the form of relief commodities, food assistance, services, transportation,
or cash grants, the extent of which is based on actual requirements and the
contributions of other donor countries.
d. Such contributions do not necessarily preclude U.S.
Government relief efforts for the same disaster on a bilateral basis, as long
as such efforts are not duplicative and are coordinated through USAID/OFDA and the
Department of State/PRM in matters dealing primarily with refugees.
2 FAM 067 THROUGH 069 UNASSIGNED
(CT:GEN-219; 09-20-1984)