AHP Humanitarian Response Annual Progress Update - 2020
The year 2020 was defined by the global COVID-19 pandemic, with no country untouched by the health, economic and social impacts of the virus. COVID-19 response and preparedness activities quickly emerged as the Australian Government’s number one humanitarian priority, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region.
Throughout 2020, AHP partners were called on to deliver a significant COVID-19 response across eight Pacific countries and Timor-Leste, and a specific COVID-19 response in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR).
As COVID-19 restrictions clamped down across the globe, countries were impacted by new emergencies. AHP partners supported national responses to Tropical Cyclone (TC) Harold in Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga, to TC Yasa in Fiji, to floods and landslides in Vietnam and to floods in Timor-Leste. Multi-year responses continued in Iraq (conflict and displacement), Lebanon (Syrian refugee crisis) and in support of the Rohingya crises in Bangladesh and Myanmar.
The 2020 Annual Progress Update documents the work of AHP partners in responding to these humanitarian events in a year with unprecedented challenges.