3rd South African AIDS Conference, Durban 2007Roundtable discussion on HIV treatment and needs in the Western Cape Province, April 2008

Un humanitarian reform , coordination mechanism

MSF position

DHA Africa

Eric Goemaere, MSF SA country director

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 2

The UN humanitarian reform

• UN agenda : – building a stronger more predictable

response system , – coordinate finances

– trigger leadership

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 3

A problem of identity

• Two main sources of confusions : – Political <-> humanitarian agenda

• (peace making ( enforcing) ,democracy, social justice, good governance, “hearts and minds”

– Humanitarian action <-> development • Resident coordinator frequently humanitarian

coordinator ( all Southern African countries except Zimbabwe)

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 4

UN perspective : a need to coordinate actions

• Within the UN families

• Within the INGO’s:– 37.000 INGO’s formed in the 90’only – Diverse and motives : political , religious,

financial ( Ache tsunami)– Trend to privatize logistical functions – Embedded NGO’s

• Within local NGO – since 2003, >1000 local NGO’s created in

Kabul only within 18 months– Actually not really invited

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 5

MSF perspective : a priority for independence and clear identity

• High intensity conflict settings : independence =security – Irak / Somalia / Afghanistan :

• Impartiality – Sierra Leone/Angola : the good and and the bad

victims

• Avoid confusion between humanitarian and political identity

• Advocacy based on consensus ? Smallest common denominator

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 6

Humanitarian dilemma : between Icarus and Sisyphus

• Icarus : – a peace/democracy/”better world” maker– legitimacy issues– Looking for “the solution”

• Sisyphus– An ongoing frustration to save human

suffering

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 7

MSF perspective : does it answer initial objectives ?

• Stronger humanitarian response ?

• Financial coordination ( Cerf) : beyond reach for most

• Leadership

• No coordination does not mean no collaboration : sharing information -> define an operational strategy -> define a common positioning

• Context specific

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 8

Humanitarian dilemma : the world is changing

• A new political environment– refugees -> displaced– Urban migration and violence – Specific cultural identities

• Re-emerging state sovereignty – “deregulated environment” -> state

sovereignty– Sphere standards <-> national rules and

regulations – Regional political entities ( AU, SADC,..)

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 9

Humanitarian dilemma : the world is changing

• Civil society is emerging – Top-down versus bottom-up approaches– Challenging to their own leaders – Challenging the Un legitimacy ( Joburg

xenophobic violence)– Closer to the beneficiaries ( Access to ARV’s)

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 10

Is there a future for a UN driven humanitarian system ?

• Failure to protect overshadows the assistance potential successes

• Accountability of the UN system <-> versus citizen pressure on their own government ? – Building democracy ?

• Universalism of the “humanitarian system” ethos ?– not everyone’s value …ICC and President El

Bashir

DHA Africa July 28th 2009 11

MSF internal reflexion

• Independence might become isolationism

• Nobel peace prize paradox

• New emerging situations ( urban violence, HIV/Aids, epidemics..) require a new modus operandi– More networking (local NGO’s, political

factions ) – Smaller teams , more infiltrative– Internationalization -> Cultural mix – Less standard , more adaptation – Controlling our size