UK, 7 Mar – The UK Government has selected the disaster mapping charity MapAction as a standby partner for its new Rapid Response Facility (RRF) mechanism. The scheme means that MapAction will be called on as part of the first wave of humanitarian assistance in major disasters and other crises.

The UK Government’s Humanitarian Response Review, conducted last year by Lord Ashdown, highlighted the need for rapid reaction to new or escalating crises world-wide. The Department for International Development (DFID) has selected a small group of aid charities that it can call on within 72 hours of a disaster, through fast-tracked funding decisions based on ‘pre-qualified’ credentials.

The UK’s Secretary of State for International Development, Andrew Mitchell, endorsed the selection of MapAction as an RRF member, remarking positively on the charity’s technical capacity, track record of results and value for money.

MapAction’s chief executive Nigel Woof commented:”Although we’re a small charity, DFID’s decision endorses our role as a vital first-mover in the international disaster response system. When big disasters happen we need immediate funding decisions to allow us to get feet on the ground in hours, to start creating a shared picture of humanitarian needs. The RRF partner system promises to be extremely helpful in this.”

The charity is already a strategic partner of DFID, having been selected last year for a three-year Programme Partnership Agreement (PPA) funding scheme. Nevertheless, the charity still relies heavily on public and corporate donations for the balance of its funding, for example to provide training and technical equipment for its team of volunteer emergency mappers.