The U.S. response to the African famine, 1984-1986. Vol. 2. An analysis of policy formation and program management

and international donors saved many African lives during the 1984-86 drought and related famine, coordinated disaster relief (DR) needs improvement. This paper reviews the policy formation and management of the U.S. food response and suggests methods for improving DR for future emergencies. An opening section presents a history of past and present DR efforts and the prospects for implementing successful future programs in the face of an increasingly difficult world economic, environmental, and political situation. Given that disasters often occur across national borders or in "unfriendly" countries, the political aspect of DR (including management issues and the level and mode of emergency famine assistance) weighs heavily. In response to this, the report recommends that an international task force, composed of African and donor representatives, be created under the aegis of the World Bank. Plans are presented for gaining the necessary legislative and economic (including supplemental funding) support for DR. Methods for utilizing and/or upgrading existing early warning systems (EWS's) to better anticipate emergency situations are given and recommendations are presented for: integrating national EWS's; defining the role of host governments; using EWS's in development programs; and evaluating EWS projects. Because the U.S will probably play a key role in future DR programs (as it has done in the past), attention is given to which management structure the U.S. should adopt. Recommendations are also given for managing assistance to refugees and coordinating the inputs of other agencies. A thorough review and detailed recommendations for implementing DR programs is given including logistics and transportation, and the coordination of donor activities. Much of the implementation of past DR programs has been dependent on PVO's which, because they are in the field, play a large role in disbursing relief goods. Recommendations are given for maintaining good relations with the public and Congress, both of which provide important DR support. Because emergency relief is, by nature, short-term, methods are given for turning DR into recovery and eventually development efforts; ways of doing so and the roles of donors and host governments comprise the subjects of the final chapter.