In the UK, DFID and the big aid agencies (such as Oxfam and Save the Children) have emergency teams experienced in reacting quickly to disasters.
We can rapidly send specialist search/rescue and medical teams, water sanitation equipment, food, medicines, and emergency shelters to disaster-affected regions.
In the days and weeks that follow a disaster, these teams will work alongside local organisations to ensure that people affected by the disaster have access to food, clean water and emergency shelter as quickly as possible. The UK Government is committed to delivering the very best results for both the UK taxpayer and our beneficiaries in emergency affected countries.
When an emergency occurs, careful consideration is given to who is best placed to respond. If the government of an affected country issues an appeal for international assistance, or where the UK Government is well placed to provide assistance and when there is great public interest, we will respond directly.
Leading the UK's response
The Department for International Development (DFID) leads the UK Government's response to humanitarian disasters in co-operation with other UK Government departments, international organisations such as the United Nations, with charities and other agencies, and with the governments of the countries affected. DFID provides predictable, long term financial support to its humanitarian partners. These include UN agencies and NGOs.
We provide crucial humanitarian aid resources during rapid onset natural disasters and emergency conflict situations, and we also deploy staff to the field when necessary including through DFID's Conflict Humanitarian Security and Emergency Operations Team, a contracted team of experts, advisers and officers.
However, in some cases, the best response may be for the UK to provide extra funding, resources or leadership, but not send teams to a disaster zone directly.
During humanitarian emergencies, where there is compelling and overwhelming need, DFID provides additional funding to the international system if it needs additional resources to save lives. This includes providing funds to governments and local NGOs and organisations when appropriate.
In the longer term, the reconstruction of disaster-affected areas in developing countries often takes several years. The rebuilding of homes, businesses and roads is done by local people, often with money given by DFID and UK aid agencies, as well as by other countries.
Humanitarian Emergency Response Review
In March 2011, Lord Ashdown presented his Humanitarian Emergency Response Review to the UK Government. The review provided a comprehensive assessment of the UK and the international community's current response mechanisms.
The Government's response to this report committed Britain to several key policies including making resilience a central element of our work in developing countries, so that they are more prepared to deal with an emergency should one occur.
The policy commitments in the UK Government's response will help ensure that the UK and the international humanitarian system respond in the best ways possible to future humanitarian emergencies.