Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Civil-Military Coordination Section...

Office for the Coordinationof Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Civil-Military CoordinationSection (CMCS)

United Nations Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination



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OutlineOutline

1.1. United Nations Humanitarian Civil- Military United Nations Humanitarian Civil- Military

Coordination (UN-CMCoord)Coordination (UN-CMCoord)

2.2. Use of Foreign Military Assets in support of Use of Foreign Military Assets in support of

Humanitarian EmergenciesHumanitarian Emergencies

3.3. UN-CMCoord Support Activities & StructureUN-CMCoord Support Activities & Structure



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1. What is UN CMCoord?1. What is UN CMCoord?

UN Humanitarian Civil Military Coordination (UN-CMCoord)UN Humanitarian Civil Military Coordination (UN-CMCoord)

The The essential dialogueessential dialogue and interaction between civilian and and interaction between civilian and military actors in humanitarian emergencies necessarymilitary actors in humanitarian emergencies necessaryto to protectprotect and and promotepromote humanitarian principles, humanitarian principles, avoid avoid competitioncompetition, , minimize inconsistencyminimize inconsistency, , and when and when appropriateappropriate pursue common goals.pursue common goals.

The key elements are The key elements are information sharinginformation sharing, , task divisiontask division, and , and planningplanning. . Coordination is a Coordination is a shared responsibilityshared responsibility facilitated by liaison and facilitated by liaison and common trainingcommon training Basic Basic strategies strategies range from coexistence to cooperation.range from coexistence to cooperation.



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Humanitarian Principles Humanitarian Principles Guiding Humanitarian ActionGuiding Humanitarian Action

Humanity >Humanity > Human suffering must be addressed Human suffering must be addressed wherever it is foundwherever it is found, with particular attention to the , with particular attention to the most most vulnerablevulnerable in the population, such as children, women and in the population, such as children, women and the elderly. The the elderly. The dignitydignity and rights of all victims must be and rights of all victims must be respected and protected.respected and protected.

Neutrality >Neutrality > Humanitarian assistance must be provided Humanitarian assistance must be provided without engaging in hostilities or taking sideswithout engaging in hostilities or taking sides in in controversies of a political, religious or ideological nature.controversies of a political, religious or ideological nature.

Impartiality >Impartiality > Humanitarian assistance must be provided Humanitarian assistance must be provided without discriminatingwithout discriminating as to ethnic origin, gender, as to ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political opinions, race or religion. Relief of the nationality, political opinions, race or religion. Relief of the suffering must be suffering must be guided solely by needsguided solely by needs and priority must and priority must be given to the most urgent cases of distress.be given to the most urgent cases of distress.



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Civil-Military RelationsCivil-Military Relations

CivilianCivilian

MilitaryMilitary

DomesticDomestic

DomesticDomesticInternalInternal

Civil-MilitaryCivil-MilitaryRelationsRelations

InternationalInternational

InternationalInternational

TraditionalTraditionalFocus of Military Focus of Military

CIMICCIMIC

Traditional Traditional Focus of Focus of

Humanitarian Humanitarian ActorsActors

““UN-UN-CCMMCCoordoord””

Our FocusOur Focus



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Humanitarian Assistance Humanitarian Assistance vs. vs.

Military Civic ActionMilitary Civic Action

HumanitarianHumanitarian actsacts are guided by are guided by humanitarian humanitarian principlesprinciples. ….assistance is provided . ….assistance is provided based on based on needneed. It is . It is …impartial……impartial… without discrimination. without discrimination. Humanitarian providers strive to deliver this help in a Humanitarian providers strive to deliver this help in a neutral neutral manner, without taking sides in disputes or manner, without taking sides in disputes or political positions on the underlying issues.political positions on the underlying issues.

MilitaryMilitary civic actioncivic action is conducted is conducted based onbased on needs of needs of the force and the missionthe force and the mission… (it) is … (it) is conditionalconditional and and may cease when the mission changes or the unit moves.may cease when the mission changes or the unit moves.



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What is Humanitarian Space ?What is Humanitarian Space ?

= A conducive humanitarian operating environment where the receipt of humanitarian assistance is not conditional upon the allegiance to or support to parties involved in a conflict but is a right, independent of military and political action. (MCDA Guidelines)It is achieved through acceptance of and adherence to humanitarian principles.

Civil-Military Coordination is essential for the establishment and protection of humanitarian space in emergencies.



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Spectrum of Strategies and Spectrum of Strategies and ApproachesApproaches

Coop

era

tion

Coop

era

tion

Co-e

xis

ten

ce

Co-e

xis

ten

ce

CoordinatioCoordinationn

PlanningPlanningTask DivisionTask Division

Information SharingInformation Sharing



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At a minimum, the responding military and civilian At a minimum, the responding military and civilian actors must coordinate in actors must coordinate in critical areascritical areas in order to in order to enhance cooperation and coexistence and minimize enhance cooperation and coexistence and minimize competition and conflict competition and conflict

Security, logistics, communications, transportation, Security, logistics, communications, transportation, informationinformation

Coordination, Cooperation & Co-Coordination, Cooperation & Co-existenceexistence

CooperationCooperation is one form of Civil- is one form of Civil-Military Relations. Military Relations.

CoexistenceCoexistence is another. is another. Unfortunately Unfortunately competition competition and and conflict conflict occur. occur.



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Military

Possible Interfaces for Possible Interfaces for Humanitarian-Military Humanitarian-Military

CoordinationCoordination

Humanitarian

Military

Liaison Officer

Humanitarian Humanitarian Humanitarian

Military Military

Liaison Officer

Liaison Officer

Liaison Officer Third-Party



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TimeTime

Need for Need for AssistanAssistan

cece

Foreign Military Foreign Military and Civil Defence Assetsand Civil Defence Assets

International Civilian ReliefInternational Civilian Relief

Local/National Response incl. militaryLocal/National Response incl. military

2. Use of Foreign Military Assets in 2. Use of Foreign Military Assets in Support of Humanitarian Support of Humanitarian

OperationsOperations



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Hierarchy of Humanitarian Hierarchy of Humanitarian TasksTasks Direct AssistanceDirect Assistance

Face-to face distribution of goods and services – handing out Face-to face distribution of goods and services – handing out relief goods, providing first aid, transporting victims, relief goods, providing first aid, transporting victims, interviewing refugees, locating families, etc…interviewing refugees, locating families, etc…

Indirect AssistanceIndirect Assistance

At least one step removed from the population -- transporting At least one step removed from the population -- transporting relief goods, building camps and shelters, providing water relief goods, building camps and shelters, providing water sources, clearing mines and ordinance, etc…sources, clearing mines and ordinance, etc…

Infrastructure SupportInfrastructure Support

General services that facilitate relief, but are not necessarily General services that facilitate relief, but are not necessarily visible to or solely for the benefit of the affected population -- visible to or solely for the benefit of the affected population -- repairing infrastructure, operating airfields, providing repairing infrastructure, operating airfields, providing weather info, ensuring access to communications networks, weather info, ensuring access to communications networks, etc…etc…



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Appropriate ReliefRelief Tasks

Humanitarian Tasks

Mission of Military

Infrastructure Support

Indirect Direct

Peaceful Yes YesYes Maybe

Peacekeeping Yes Maybe MaybePeace

Enforcement Maybe Maybe No

Combat Maybe No No

Visibility of Task IncreasesVisibility of Task Increases

Availability Availability and and

Impartiality Impartiality of Forces of Forces IncreasesIncreases



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Humanitarian EmergenciesApplicability of Guidelines

Conditions

Mission of Military

Stable Unstable Failed State

Peaceful

Peacekeeping

Peace Enforcement

Combat

Need for Assistance IncreasesNeed for Assistance Increases

Availability Availability and and

Impartiality Impartiality of Forces of Forces IncreasesIncreases

MCDA MCDA GuidelinesGuidelines

GenevaGenevaConventionsConventions

Oslo Oslo GuidelinesGuidelines

Natural disasters

Conventional War



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Focal point for UN-CMCoord policy and operations in the UN System

Custodian of 4 sets of civil-military related guidelines

Deploys UN-CMCoord Officers for short-term field operations

Mobilizes foreign military and civil defence assets in emergency, upon request

3. UN-CMCoord Support Activities3. UN-CMCoord Support Activities



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CMCS is the focal point for CMCS is the focal point for mobilization of military mobilization of military assetsassets within the UN System within the UN System

UN Country Representatives UN Country Representatives request the assets through request the assets through the UNRCthe UNRC

CMCS requests personnel, CMCS requests personnel, specific expertise and/or specific expertise and/or equipment from donors statesequipment from donors states

Donors provide assets at no Donors provide assets at no cost to the disaster-stricken cost to the disaster-stricken communitycommunity

The Civil-Military Coordination Section (CMCS)The Civil-Military Coordination Section (CMCS)



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UN-CMCoord Global PresenceUN-CMCoord Global Presence

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Civil-Military Coordination Section...

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