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Antony Cooper (fourth from the right) with conference delegates |
CSIR Unit Fellow Antony Cooper was recently invited to attend the Humanitarian Logistics: Networks for Africa conference held at the Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center in Bellagio, Lake Como, Italy, where he presented an insightful paper titled Some thoughts on humanitarian logistics and qualitative methods.
When an earthquake strikes or a country experiences instability, which are times of increasing risk and uncertainty, people need assistance in various forms. Although aid agencies and governments provide funds and donations; the practicalities of ensuring that those in need actually receive the aid, require a methodical approach. This is where humanitarian logistics plays a role.
Cooper explains, "Logistics aims at optimising the costs in the supply chain. Humanitarian logistics aims at saving lives, while bearing in mind the costs. These networks need to provide the essential infrastructure for the movement of goods such as water, food, fuel, clothing, shelter, medicines, and other basic supplies, as well as services such as medical workers and security officials."
Professor Anna Nagurney, Director of the Virtual Centre for Supernetworks at the Isenberg School of Management in Massachusetts and organiser of the conference said, said "One of the principal goals of the conference was to develop new partnerships for humanitarian logistics and education with a focus on creating networks for Africa, given its unique history, geography, and myriad cultures."
Cooper's presentation aimed at identifying research topics in humanitarian logistics and focused on, among others, predicting or preventing disasters; inappropriate donations; preventing looting and pilfering; and deployable logistics systems. "Ultimately, focusing on humanitarian logistics is about saving lives. If we can be even 10 to 20% more effective, more lives will be saved."
Academics in logistics research, including supply chain research, and representatives of leading humanitarian agencies and NGOs, such as Oxfam and the International Telecommunications Union, were among those represented at the conference.
Enquiries: CSIR Communications
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