In a new report, Oxfam asserts that international NGOs and the UN provide only part of the answer to crises from Haiti to the Horn of Africa, and that there is a need to accelerate the shift from global to local through new donors, NGOs from around the world, governments and civil society of crisis-hit countries. A key recommendation is for more emphasis to be placed on disaster prevention, rather than waiting for crises to erupt, reports the Guardian.
"Too little has been done to prevent and reduce the risk of disaster," said Oxfam. "Aid to programmes that reduce the risk of disaster stood at only 0.5% of total aid spending in 2009. National governments have committed themselves to this work by signing up to the international agreements on disaster risk reduction. While many have developed policies and legislation, too little effective action has happened."