Well prepared Red Cross/Red Crescent societies for disaster response: Lebanon The goal of the Lebanon programme is to reduce the impact of disasters through improving the response preparedness and capacities of the Lebanese Red Cross and the Palestinian Red Crescent/Lebanon Branch. The Netherlands Red Cross will work with both the Lebanese Red Cross and Plaestinian Red Cross towards: improving the functioning of local and national response mechanisms, strengthening human disaster-management capacity, improving disaster management and contingency plans: creating strategically positioned and logistically supported relief stocks, and strengthening human capacity for disaster management. Lebanon is prone to floods, landslides, earthquakes, storms, and forest fires alongside complex internal and regional conflict, with the latter resulting in large numbers of Palestinan refugees residing in the country. Due to the large numbers of Palestinian refugees, Lebanon has the presence of both Lebanese and Palestinian Red Cross societies, being the only country in the world where two national Red Cross societies permanently reside. Thus, owing to the highly sensitive issues surrounding the Palestinian minority and its rights, it is of paramount important that the two Red Cross societies continue to collaborate effectively in times of emergencies. The above objectives will be carried out by providing both material, training, additional staff where needed, and development and assisatance with contingency plans. Material supports will include items such as communications equipment, medicines, ambulances, and renovation of storage warehouses, while training will include prepairing staff in Red Cross Palestinian hosptials hospitals in disaster response. This programme seeks to provide support to Red Cross staff to help those affected by disaster, and specifically Palestinians in refugee camps in Lebanon. Stakeholders involved in this programme include: the Swiss Red cross: the German Red Cross, IFRC, UNRWA, and UNHCR. Additionally, both the Palestinian and Lebanese authorities provide critical coordination and information exchange, and communities are also consulted and involved. This is particularly the case in Palestinian camps, where populations can be represented by popular committees The programme in Lebanon is implemented throughout the country.