Evaluation of Humanitarian Logistics within EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Action, 2013-2017 Final Report

This report presents the results of the Evaluation of Humanitarian Logistics within EU Civil Protection and Humanitarian Action, 2013–17. The scope of the evaluation covers DG ECHO investments in humanitarian air services, in initiatives to improve systems for humanitarian logistics, and funding to the logistics elements of DG ECHO projects. The evaluation took a broad definition of logistics, in line with the supply chain management approach increasingly adopted by humanitarian organisations.

The evaluation finds that DG ECHO investments in the period 2008–13 in logistics hubs, logistics training and support to the development of the Global Logistics Cluster all had lasting benefits, and that support to air services remains highly relevant. Given that a substantial proportion of DG ECHO funding is spent on humanitarian logistics, the evaluation recommends that DG ECHO develop a humanitarian logistics policy and that the organisation gives greater attention to logistics within partnership agreements, as well as in its crisis assessment and planning tools. The report documents the key challenges facing humanitarian logistics and proposes actions for DG ECHO’s consideration of how the organisation can exercise further leadership in the realm of logistics, working collaboratively with other humanitarian actors to achieve efficiencies and improve results for beneficiaries of humanitarian action.