I am frequently amazed on how the (COPECO) Honduran Emergency Management Agency is getting better prepared. Today in Honduras, COPECO and the Foreign Relations Ministry, have duly presented, to the national authorities, as well as the International Cooperating Community and the Diplomatic Service in Honduras, the Manual for the Humanitarian Office of Foreign Aid Assistance and Coordination (Centro de Coordinación de Asistencia Humanitaria Internacional CCAHI).

These types of formalities are needed in order, for the cooperating agencies, NGOs, countries and others willing to help, to better ask for and receive the incoming aid. “Cooperation With Dignity” is the Central American Slogan for Humanitarian Assistance, and with this CCAHI manual, cooperation is definitely expected to be better handled and ultimately distributed.

How can we (as Emergency Management Agencies) better coordinate humanitarian assistance support? How often should we put the Manual to Practice (exercises, Table tops, functional, full-scale), and how flexible is the Manual in order to adapt to scalable situations/incidents that have already surpassed the capability of response? How often is the country overwhelmed with response and humanitarian capabilities?

Below (PHOTO) of Minister Lisandro Rosales from COPECO presenting the Manual to the International Diplomatic Community and Cooperating Agencies