KEY POINTS
Why are you making a consolidated appeal – what is a humanitarian strategy, its added value and its purpose? The strategy presents an overall humanitarian goal or vision, then states how that will be achieved, considering resources and constraints. It aims to make the actions of the many organizations on the ground greater than the sum of their parts; to make the best use of limited resources; and to seize opportunities to move towards a long-term resolution and recovery. It maps and prioritizes needs; it matches capacity with needs to ensure full coverage; it attains effectiveness (filling gaps) and efficiency (eliminating duplication and use of resources on low priorities); it capitalizes on comparative advantages; it seizes opportunities for synergy, reducing aid dependence, avoiding the deepening or relapse of a crisis, and attacking inter-related problems; it anticipates future needs and opportunities, and positions the humanitarian country team to respond to or pre-empt future problems. This strategy is the essence of the CAP.