Resources
ESUPS and its work
ESUPS work, goals, approach.
What does ESUPS stand for?
Emergency Supply Pre-positioning Strategy.
What does ESUPS do?
We carry out activities on three operational pillars (listed here):
- We analyse data through a mathematical model developed by Penn State University, in order to provide recommendations on items to pre-position, quantities and locations based on a collective approach.
- We are developing a stock mapping platform called STOCKHOLM (Stock of Humanitarian Organisations Logistics Mapping) where users will have a visual overview of currently pre-positioned stock as well as reports, in order to make informed decisions on their pre-positioning strategies.
- We promote research and advocacy on collaborative practices that can help to change mindsets among humanitarian actors, saving time and money in emergency response operations.
We do not:
- Implement pre-positioning strategies
- Elaborate recommendations for single agencies or organisations
What are ESUPS main objectives?
- Provide recommendations for the definition a collective, coherent and coordinated pre-positioning strategy
- Reduce gaps and overlaps in emergency supplies pre-positioning.
- Promote the collaborative practices of loan-borrowing, joint procurement, data sharing and branding postponement.
- Support a logistics localisation agenda, by providing tools and information to local and national decision-making authorities.
- Increase the overall speed of a response by ensuring that relevant relief items are available in the most appropriate locations.
- Ensure that donors funds are used more efficiently by improving stock-related preparedness measures.
More information here.
How to move forward the results from the stockpile analysis in one country?
ESUPS aligns the selection of countries where it works with the Global Logistics Cluster Preparedness unit to ensure that the set of recommendations provided can be discussed and implemented by a country-led logistics coordination structure (either a cluster, a working group, etc.). ESUPS does not have neither the mandate, nor the authority to take part in this implementation, even if we remain available for any additional information on the recommendations provided.
Which entity might support the national governmental agencies to translate recommendations into actions?
Ideally, the countries where recommendations on a collective pre-positioning strategy have been provided will already be equipped with a logistics coordination structure which should encompass the National Disaster Management Agency together with in-country partners involved in logistics activities and pre-positioning questions. As such, the decisions to be made to trigger the implementation of the recommendations should be made by this coordination entity.
Is there any concrete example of one country doing that?
Yes, after the publication of the Nepal recommendations report in November 2020, the national Logistics Cluster, led by the government, is launching a working group on a national pre-positioning strategy, considering the ESUPS recommendations among other information they have.
What tangible results have you tested and where can I find the reports?
Since the Nepal report was the first one published by ESUPS, we have not had any of our recommendations implemented yet; therefore it was not possible to monitor their impact. In addition to implementing the recommendations, it will also be necessary to see how those perform during the next disaster(s).
How does ESUPS differ from other preparedness models and initiatives?
ESUPS addresses a very specific issue around stock pre-positioning. Therefore the question might not be “how we differ” but rather how we complement other preparedness initiatives. In that regards, ESUPS works in collaboration with other preparedness initiatives somehow related to pre-positioning, such as initiatives around maximising coordination, fostering localisation, standardisation, etc.
What is ESUPS long-term approach? Is there an exit strategy?
For the moment, ESUPS is funded until July 2022. For after 2022 we are working on 2 options:
1. Continue to manage the project and platform if we access more funding, or 2. Hand over the platform to a neutral party (with whom we are already in discussion) to ensure the continuation of access.