Attachments
Overview
2014 marks the third implementation year of the long-term planning framework (LTPF 2012-2015) of the West Coast Region covering Benin, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Togo developmental programmes. Through this long-term planning framework, the technical assistance delivery approach has been aligned to the strategic objectives of the IFRC Strategy 2020. Established in 2011 in Abidjan, the West Coast Regional Representation (WCRR) has scaled up and diversified its programme that now operates an annual budget of CHF 2.7 million per year, through a developmental operation plan (DOP). Only in 2014, the West Coast region had budget of almost CHF 90 million for emergency operation, as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) crisis that affected two of the regional countries – Liberia and Sierra Leone. Nigeria has its share of emergency funding under the response to the complex emergency caused by an upsurge of insurgencies and civil unrest in the northern parts of the country.
In line with the LTPF business lines, WCRR project’s overall objective is to increase technical support on institutional strengthening to the seven National Societies (NS) aimed to improve the quality of service delivery to the most vulnerable people in respective countries. This reports outlines progress in 2014 implementation year since the launch of the LTPF. Be end of 2014 the WCRR saw the results of the regional planning processes as evidenced by strengthened in-country support to National Societies (NS) programming as well as improved governance and management relations, revised strategic plans, knowledge bank of results and evidence, sound financial management and increased multilateral funding sources. Important elements in programming have been strengthened; such as planning, monitoring, reporting, finance management and resource mobilisation.
The WCRR through concerted effort of its lean staff complement has increased the level of multilateral funding as evidenced by the support to Ghana Red Cross that increased to over CHF 2.5 million for 2015 development project. Nigeria office has managed to sustain the provision of technical support to the NS without the leadership of a country representative, whilst Sierra Leone effectively collaborated with the NS and other stakeholders to implement a large scale emergency operation. Disaster response was also scaled-up as the WCRR increased focus on surge support to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria - West Coast countries severely affected by the EVD epidemic that unprecedentedly spread from its epicentre in Guinea in March 2014. As the in-country EVD response teams expanded, the WCRR surge capacity reduced to concentrate more on the developmental programmes.
IFRC technical support was also provided to immunization campaigns in Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire; response to cholera outbreaks in Ghana, community-based health and First Aid CBHFA in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Sierra Leone, mother and child health in Ghana and Nigeria as well as HIV prevention in all seven countries. Capacity building activities are integrated into the mainstream projects such as strengthening community-based health structures through a participatory approach and sector-based approaches such Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST), Children Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (CHAST) and community led totals sanitation (CLTS).
The WCRR also ensured governance and leadership development to NS through either mentorship or in-country presence such as in Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire. All West Coast NS were well represented at the Africa Governance Group (AGG) meeting in held in Dakar in June alongside the West Coast Group network meeting. The West Coast Regional Group unanimously elected a new chairperson and vice who will continue working to reinforce the networks for West Coast National Societies.