Humanitarian Information Centre in pakistan: Joint Review Mission

This was the first joint review of a humanitarian information centre involving the HIC’s three key donors, DFID, EC-ECHO and USAID, together with OCHA. It has been acknowledged that complementary funding mechanisms provide flexibility and appropriate resources to support HICs. In this case, EC-ECHO provides thematic funding to OCHA to strengthen its information management capacity across the Office, as well as geographical funding for individual HICs; DFID provides the HIC equipment module, funding for individual HICs, and staff secondments; and USAID/OFDA provides funding for the OCHA/FIS, an HIC Rapid Response Fund, technical assistance, and staff secondments. The Review Team notes that this joint review has been essential to enhance mutual understanding among OCHA and its donors and ensure that the HIC concept maintains its relevance in what is an ever-changing environment.

 

Based on this review, the decision to deploy the HIC was correct and timely. However, as at the end of January 2006 the Pakistan HIC had only partially fulfilled its potential due to a number of both internal and external factors.