State’s PRM Bureau to Assume USAID’s Disaster Relieve Role

Reuters reports that a State Department cable designates the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) will lead foreign disaster responses previously managed by USAID’s Bureau of Humanitarian Assistance. Embassies are directed to consult with BRM in declaring disasters, which make available up to $100,000 for initial response.  The article notes that USAID’s BHA had approximately 525 staff to manage disaster response and only 20 are being hired by PRM. It appears unlikely that PRM will use Disaster Assistance Response Teams (DARTs) that had been instrumental in USAID’s response to foreign disasters. Note that many humanitarian organizations are familiar with PRM grant-making for managing refugee and migration programs.

Read Reuters exclusive article here.