Informing humanitarians worldwide 24/7 — a service provided by UN OCHA

Lao PDR

Lao PDR: Inter-Agency Contingency Plan (September 2019)

Attachments

SUMMARY

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) is prone to a number of hazards, in particular storms and flooding that occur frequently and leave in their wake a significant social and economic impact. This Contingency Plan acknowledges the lead role of the Government in all aspects of disaster response and the role of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee in supporting national emergency preparedness and response structures and capacities. It supports the Government in ensuring an effective, timely and coordinated response to mitigate the risk and reduce the impact of natural disasters on Lao communities, through a clear response coordination mechanism and strategy, and clearly defined roles and responsibilities of all members of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee.

Introduction

What is the purpose of this plan?

The Contingency Plan is designed to guide inter‐ agency humanitarian action in Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) and define the coordination mechanisms of the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) – at various levels of response – and the relevant Government institutions for emergency preparedness and response.

Who is this Contingency Plan for?

The target audience for the Contingency Plan is all humanitarian stakeholders in Lao PDR, notably, regional, national and local NGOs, UN agencies, donors and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC). This guide is also a reference document for line ministries involved in disaster response and disaster response preparedness.

What is the scope of this Contingency Plan?

The Contingency Plan primarily covers disaster response and disaster response preparedness.
Disaster response is defined as the provision of assistance or intervention during or immediately after a disaster to meet the life preservation and basic subsistence needs of those people affected.
Disaster response preparedness is defined as pre‐ disaster activities that are undertaken to minimize loss of life, injury and property damage in a disaster, and to ensure that rescue, relief, rehabilitation and other services can be provided following a disaster.
Preparedness for the first and immediate response is called ‘emergency preparedness’.
The plan does not cover disaster mitigation activities.

How is the Contingency Plan organized?

The Contingency Plan is organized according to the disaster management cycle beginning with disaster response.
The reverse chronological order of the guide – response before response preparedness – is intentional. The Contingency Plan is designed to be used as an action‐oriented guide that can be quickly referred to during an emergency response. Less time‐ critical information on preparedness activities and background information are included in the later sections of the plan.