On 19 August the Foreign Minister Julie Bishop marked World Humanitarian Day at an event co-hosted by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Lowy Institute.
At this event the Minister launched DFAT's Humanitarian Supplies Challenge, a $1 million investment by the Australian Government in new and innovative relief supplies to support communities in our region immediately after a crisis.
Australia is a leader in rapid response to humanitarian crises within the Indo-Pacific region. Most recently, DFAT deployed 520 tonnes of relief supplies to assist Fiji after Tropical Cyclone Winston in February 2016. This provided essential emergency relief to over 200,000 people.
To enable rapid response to disaster events, DFAT maintains a stockpile of humanitarian relief supplies including: temporary shelter solutions; systems to access clean drinking water and portable energy generators.
Through the Humanitarian Supplies Challenge DFAT is seeking new partnerships with Australian businesses, entrepreneurs, NGOs, social enterprises, academics and other leaders in innovative approaches to humanitarian relief. Together we want to identify new products, partnerships and innovative solutions to help us provide better relief to communities in need after disaster strikes.
If you have a product that can help people access clean water, generate energy or provide temporary shelter, you can learn more and submit your application to the Humanitarian Supplies Challenge on our website.
The Humanitarian Supplies Challenge closes at 5pm, Friday 30 September. If you have a question please email us at humanitariansupplieschallenge@dfat.gov.au.