Addressing the compositional character of international humanitarian aid delivery in humanitarian hubs: Case applied to CLRAH

• Published in: International journal of disaster risk reduction 2025-01, Vol.116, p.105120, Article 105120
• Main Authors: Marcillo-Delgado, Juan C., Guerra de Castillo, Zoila Yadira, Alvarez-Garcia, A., García-Carrillo, Agueda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aid delivery determinants; Compositional data analysis; Donors; Humanitarian assistance; Humanitarian logistics; Transportation
• ISSN: 2212-4209; 2212-4209
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2024.105120

The Regional Logistics Centre for Humanitarian Assistance (CLRAH, for its acronym in Spanish), located in Panama, is the first humanitarian hub dedicated to delivering international humanitarian aid to Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). This study analyses the trends in the delivery of humanitarian assistance from CLRAH between 2017 and 2021. A distinguishing feature of humanitarian aid delivery is the compositional nature of its indicators, which corresponds to the multidimensionality of the strategies adopted to ensure the timely delivery of aid. Within this framework, additive log-ratio, centered log-ratio, and isometric log-ratio transformations were used to assess humanitarian aid delivery from a compositional approach. The findings highlight the growing importance of health supplies and shelter in recent years, as well as the role of air and maritime transport in facilitating humanitarian aid delivery. Cuba, Venezuela, and Haiti stand out among the most aided countries over the analysed period. Additionally, insecurity and corruption were identified as two social problems in recipient countries that should be taken into account in the delivery of humanitarian aid from the CLRAH to LAC. Compositional Data Analysis proves more effective in managing the compositional indicators of CLRAH humanitarian aid delivery than traditional raw data modeling techniques. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to address the importance of managing indicators in a humanitarian centre using the Compositional Data Analysis approach. [Display omitted] •Log-ratio transformations enabled to diagnose humanitarian aid delivery.•CoDA enhances compositional indicators in CLRAH's aid delivery.•Security, corruption, and tourism explain aid delivery in Latin America.•Health items in CLRAH, notably in UNHRD aid, surged 2017–2021.