Project update - February 2011
Update
Since June 2010, the EthicalCargo project, which supports humanitarian organizations make informed ethical risk assessments when delivering humanitarian aid by air, has run 50 outreach sessions for nearly 80 organisations, reaching nearly 300 senior logistics and policy personnel.
A number of large international aid organizations are currently reviewing their procurement procedures to reduce the risk of contracting services from transport companies involved in arms trafficking and the trade in other destabilizing commodities.
EthicalCargo.org provides organizations with free tools and services, including sample procurement policies, an open-source database and a hotline. If you would like to know what steps your organization can take, sign up for free membership.
Humanitarian Exchange Magazine
EthicalCargo's article on the ethical procurement of air cargo services can be found in Issue 49 of the Overseas Development Institute/Humanitarian Practice Network's Humanitarian Exchange Magazine (published February 2011 - pages 29-31).
Click here to download the pdf (3.5MB) or view the article online here.
French and Spanish
The EthicalCargo website has been translated into French and Spanish, and some key tools are now available for download in French.
Visit the Spanish website here: ethicalcargo.org/es
Visit the French website here: ethicalcargo.org/fr
Download KnowledgeBase
EthicalCargo has made its training material available for free download. The KnowledgeBase is a 400-page training manual containing slides and speaker notes for seven training modules ranging from general awareness to detailed guidance on air cargo company documentation checks for field logisticians. The KnowledgeBase is in pdf format, organizations interested in adapting the materials for their own training purposes can contact us for the materials in Powerpoint/OpenOffice format.
Twitter Alerts and YouTube
SIPRI Transport & Security's Twitter alerts keeps followers up to date on air safety and destabilizing commodity flows in zones of humanitarian operation.
Click here:
Our YouTube channel has just opened with 2 introductory films to the issue.
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ECHO Draft Guidelines
The latest draft of ECHO's Humanitarian Aid Guidelines for Procurement includes specific advice on cargo service procurement under section “2.2 The Principle of Ethical Procurement”. The full September 2010 draft guidelines are available here: http://ec.europa.eu/echo/files/about/actors/DRAFT_Procurement_Guidelines_Sept2010_en.pdf#page=14
Read more
Read the SIPRI Policy Paper "Air Transport and Destabilizing Commodity Flows" for a detailed explanation of the issues around cargo carriers, humanitarian aid, and the trade of arms and conflict-sensitive commodities.
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