A) Objectives of the pledge:
Disasters in the United States, Canada and Mexico are more frequent and severe than before, and disaster response often requires more resources than are available in any one country. As risks continue to rise, there will be an increased strain on disaster response systems built around national capacities. To better serve those in need in response to shifting vulnerabilities, it is critical to break down barriers to cross-border humanitarian assistance. The American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross and Mexican Red Cross are committed to leveraging their auxiliary and operational roles to improve the effectiveness of cross-border response to disasters in North America.
The National Societies will achieve the following objectives within the period 2019-2013:
- Support, at the operational and policy levels, the expedited mobilization of humanitarian teams, their equipment and supplies while respecting applicable national legal and policy frameworks and global standards of accountability to affected populations
- Support, at the operational and policy levels, the delivery of improved humanitarian services to underserved populations
B) Action plan:
- Engage with public authorities and other key stakeholders on the dissemination of best practices regarding mobilization and integration of international support into national contingency planning
- Continue to enhance and refine modalities of assistance for cross-border support between North American National Societies on the exchange of financial, in-kind and human resources
C) Indicators for measuring progress:
- Yearly meetings between National Society leadership to discuss progress and barriers to enhanced cross-border collaboration
- Yearly meetings between National Societies and their respective public authorities to discuss progress and barriers to enhanced cross-border collaboration
- Ongoing policy dialogue and sharing of best practices
D) Resource implications:
The American Red Cross, Canadian Red Cross and Mexican Red Cross will use existing resources to support their commitment to strengthening cross-border disaster response in North America.