Preparedness for cross-border implications is vital to facilitate a speedy and effective response to humanitarian emergencies and to deal with cross-border movements resulting from crises. Borders are vulnerable in times of crises as they are increasingly under pressure by a number of cross-border movements. Different types of crises – natural disasters, environmental emergencies, man-made crises, cross-border health emergencies or conflict situations- may all result in a sudden influx of relief goods and personnel, while at the same time people may decide or have to flee across the border, or emergencies may threaten to spill over to neighbouring countries. Officials at the border are the first to be confronted with these dynamics and border security can become affected.