Emergency hubs
As part of UNICEF’s commitment to strengthen its emergency
preparedness and response capacity, Supply Division has established
a network of strategic regional emergency hubs to complement
the main warehouse operation in Copenhagen.
These hubs contain emergency supplies that are ready for
dispatch within 48 hours. The first emergency hub opened in
2003 in Johannesburg, South Africa. In June 2004, the second
warehouse began operations in Dubai. Since it opened, mosquito
nets have been added to its inventory, and a stock worth $3
million is expected to be stored in Dubai in the future.
The facilities are already proving their value, both speeding
the delivery of emergency items and cutting the cost of sending
bulky supplies. In 2004, the Dubai and the Johannesburg Hubs
shipped $6.5 million worth of emergency supplies. Another
hub will be established in Panama in the course of 2005, providing
UNICEF with global reach in emergency response, and with sufficient
supplies to cover the needs of 320,000 children and their
families for three weeks.
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Warehouse operations