Author: Lutz Drieling
Photo credit: Julie Ricard
Date: May, 2023
Diana Tonea is Interim Ukraine Cash Consortium Director (UCC). She worked for the Appraisal Monitoring and Evaluation, of the Syrian crisis and afterwards for 3 years in Iraq for the Norwegian Refugee Council. She was Head of Mission for IRC in Libya in Tunisia. And then Emergency Response Consortium Director in Colombia for the Mercy Corps. Now, Diana works, among other organizations, for Mercy Corps.
Please tell us about your role(s) during the humanitarian crisis.
I led a cash assistance response mission for Romania and Moldovan. In addition, I supported setting up cash assistance in Ukraine. I also wrote three papers connected to the Ukrainian crisis and cash response as the interim director of the Ukraine Cash Consortium.
Which were the most difficult moments?
I used to be an international Humanitarian Aid expert, deployed in high-risk areas. I never expected to have a crisis like we have now in my home country. Suddenly international colleagues were deployed to my country. It seemed unreal. They do not speak the language, they need accommodation and support structures and suddenly, as a local, the aid system looked rather colonialist. People come, unable to call themselves a taxi, totally dependent on locals for doing their job. Of course, they bring a lot of expertise, but as a local, I suddenly had a totally different look at the work I did for years. I realised that we need more localization of our work and to advise local societies and small actors on how to offer humanitarian aid rather than deploying experts, with all its costs, to do the work and then go home.
Which were the most meaningful moments?
That I could bring in my experience from my work in Colombia to create partnerships, consortiums, and cooperation for targeting the Ukrainian crisis. I could follow a vision and think big and finally implement all the ideas. Our work took over as soon as authorities and societies were exhausted and went back to their normal operation. With the Ukraine Cash Consortium (UCC) we created a 100 mil. USD emergency response portfolio. To succeed with something like that, together with a like-minded team just feels great.
Please tell us about your organisation and how it contributes to addressing the humanitarian crisis.
Mercy Corps was the last organisation I worked for. In the Ukrainian response, we have projects in Poland, Romania, and Ukraine. Here, at Mercy Corps, I work with local partners and implement cashed-based assistance.
What worked well regarding the (Romanian/regional) efforts to address the humanitarian crisis?
The initial response of the civil society and its eagerness to help was something I never saw in Romania. It was impressive how everybody mobilised and tried to do something. The enthusiasm was stunning.
What could have worked better?
Of course, there were gaps in the response of the people. Border points became “markets” offer-driven rather than driven by demand. We have to offer services people need. This was often a transportation opportunity to Italy rather than a Teddy bear. We must think about what people need, what they get on the market, and what they do not get. What they do not get on the market is what we have to offer. No one from the people, eager trying to help, knew the principle of offering support without doing harm, to understanding the specific vulnerabilities of women and children to Human trafficking or abuse. Accommodations must be divided by gender. The authorities tried to coordinate this help after some time. But they must learn how to adapt and how to coordinate support. The architecture of humanitarian aid in Romania must be improved. We must use existing and functioning support architectures. There is a way to do Humanitarian Aid. I would have preferred if the Romanian authorities would have cooperated with the UN agencies rather than trying to keep control. I feel we could have done more by partnering up with local actors, to teach them how to do Humanitarian Aid. To exchange knowledge of local and international actors and how to support each other.
What are you focusing on in your work now?
I am collaborating with Mercy Corps on the response in Ukraine and for the Ukraine cash consortium as a director.
What needs do you see now that could be addressed better?
Financial assistance and humanitarian cash. Our markets work, people have access to it and that should be used. People lost their jobs, are displaced, and had to rebuild everything. By now they used their savings and are unemployed. They are in a tricky situation, and they need access to meet their basic needs but also opportunities to rebuild their lives. And of course, to link them to a social protection system. The Ukrainian system is quite strong and supports the most vulnerable. People who are now displaced still need this access to a similar net of social safety. We must map new vulnerabilities and act on them. Also, people at the frontline need support, they lack access to the market. The number one priority must be their safety.
Region: Central and Eastern Europe
Country/(ies): Ukraine, Romania
