Dilbert, Writ Deadly

Why does the UN's imprimatur lend any legitimacy to anything, much less disaster relief?

On the ground, they appear to be ripped straight from Scott Adams' imagination:

A close reading of the UK's Department for International Development's (DFID) brilliantly detailed daily reports of activity in the affected regions also reveals that UN officials are working hard at planning to work -- and estimating the need for work -- rather than actually delivering aid on the ground.

All of which is a bit chilling, since the UN is positioning itself as the primary carrier of aid relief to the region and has been critical of the "core group" response led the the US and Australia.

In the meantime - like in any project in the business world - it's the "core group" that's actually getting the work done:

The picture that is emerging from the work on the ground -- where even NGOs such as Oxfam say they are moving around the countries on military helicopters, rather than through self-sourced transport -- is increasingly one in which foreign aid budgets might most effectively be diverted to support military operations, dressed in their own uniforms, rather than "going blue" and falling into line behind UN "leadership."

By the way, read the daily reports from the UK's Department for International Development, referenced above. Fascinating, frequently and pointedly detailed stuff.

Details? Well, the UN keeps hitting up the "core group" for things they need to carry out relief operations. Things like...just about everything?

7. Following request from Jan Egeland, UN Under Secretary-General for
Humanitarian Affairs, the UK has agreed to provide C17 aircraft to improve
capacity and effectiveness of UN operations in the region.
8. DFID is on standby to respond to need from imminent MSF and UNICEF
assessments in India’s Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
9. DFID arrangements continue for the mobilisation of 3 KA32 helicopters for rapid deployment to be placed at the disposal of UN operations in Banda Aceh.
Examining possibility of further medium lift helicopter assets.
10. The RAF have made available an aircraft as requested by the UN for tasks in Sri Lanka and/or the Maldives. A cargo has been provisionally identified for a first flight, from Delhi to Colombo. The RAF will decide the aircraft type once the
load is confirmed. UN in Colombo will identify further tasks.

Ad this detail (page 7) was interesting (emphasis added):

25. The UN Security Phase in Banda Aceh is Phase Three. The UN Security Phase
for the rest of Aceh is Phase Four. The UN Minimum Operating Security
Standards (MOSS) for those phases must, by UN rules, be implemented. In
particular these place conditions on staff movement and telecommunications
requirements. COMMENT: The MOSS requirements are considerable and will
inevitably impose further delays as the UN struggles to become fully operational.

The UK DFID's reports are fascinating reading, by the way.

Posted by Mitch at January 6, 2005 07:21 AM | TrackBack