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Home » Coordination Forum » Disaster Management Team (DMT) |
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Disaster Management Team (DMT)
| Introduction |
The Disaster Management Team (DMT) is a mechanism for emergency preparedness and response coordination. It is responsible for preparing, and facilitating prompt, effective and well-coordinated relief response by its member organizations, and for undertaking appropriate disaster mitigation actions. The DMT mechanism helps coordinate the disaster-related activities, technical advice and material assistance provided by the participating organizations, including the avoidance of inefficiencies and duplication of efforts. The DMT recognizes, and in no way supersedes, the mandates and specific functions of the various member organizations.
The DMT focuses mainly on international assistance that may involve locally available resources as well as those brought from outside. The DMT also facilitates capacity-building support to the Nepal Government and other relevant in-country entities to strengthen the country’s disaster preparedness and response capabilities. In all matters pertaining to disaster management the DMT recognizes the primary role of the Government of Nepal (GoN) in preparing for and responding to disaster and emergency events. DMT supports and assists the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator who is also the Chair of the DMT, in the exercise of his system-wide functions.
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| DMT Composition |
a) Leadership and Management
The Chair of the DMT is the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator. In his absence, the Head of Office, OCHA will serve as a Chair of the DMT.
b) DMT Member organizations
In Nepal, the Team includes representatives of all relevant UN Agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO), IOM, interested international NGOs (Action Aid, CARE, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, Save the Children, UMCOR, World Vision International) & its network (DPNet) and donors (SDC, USAID, DFID, AusAid, Danida, Norad), as well as IFRC, ICRC and Government of Nepal with observer status.
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| Terms of Reference |
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The primary purpose of the DMT is to ensure a prompt, effective and coordinated country-level response by the UN system, other international organizations and donor country missions in the event of a disaster. The Team should ensure coordination of international assistance to the receiving country in respect to emergency response, rehabilitation, reconstruction, and disaster mitigation as well as support national capacity building in these areas. The Team should coordinate disaster-related activities, technical advice and material assistance provided by participating agencies, as well as take steps to avoid wasteful duplication or competition for resources by involved agencies. By having clearly defined and delineated responsibilities, especially in sectoral and coordination activities, the DMT helps ensure a quick and effective response to an emergency. It is vital that the policies of the DMT relate to those approved by the receiving government. |
| DMT in Disaster |
In the event of an emergency or disaster the DMT will:
a) Aarrange assistance to the Government, mobilizing and coordinating international assistance and in assessing the situation and the practical possibilities for meeting the priority needs;
b) Stablish a consolidated assessment of the requirements for international assistance, incorporating the conclusions of any expert assessment missions organized by the headquarters of the competent agencies;
c) Develop an integrated plan and consolidated appeal for the provision of concerted assistance, taking account of the resources expected to be mobilized from national and other sources;
d) Coordinate the communication of the assessment, plan and appeal to OCHA Geneva, the headquarters of other agencies and local representatives of potential donors and operational organizations;
e) Coordinate the delivery of assistance by agencies and their resource mobilization efforts at country level, including approaches to the local representatives of potential donors;
f) Arrange the provision of consistent and coherent operational support and technical assistance to the Government, where required, possibly including the establishment and operation of a) an Emergency Information and Co-ordination Support Unit at capital city level; b) On-Site Operations Co-ordination Centre at the site of a disaster;
g) Anticipate the time when the international emergency response should be scaled down or end, and in particular when external international aid staff are present, when and how an exit strategy should be conducted. |
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