United Nations Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination

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United Nations Humanitarian Civil-Military
Coordination
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Outline

1. United Nations Humanitarian Civil- Military
   Coordination (UN-CMCoord)
2. Use of Foreign Military Assets in support of
   Humanitarian Emergencies
3. UN-CMCoord Support Activities Structure

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1. What is UN CMCoord?

• UN Humanitarian Civil Military Coordination
  (UN-CMCoord)
• The essential dialogue and interaction between
  civilian and military actors in humanitarian
  emergencies necessary
• to protect and promote humanitarian principles,
  avoid competition, minimize inconsistency, and
  when appropriate pursue common goals.
• The key elements are information sharing, task
  division, and planning.
• Coordination is a shared responsibility
  facilitated by liaison and common training
• Basic strategies range from coexistence to
  cooperation.

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Humanitarian Principles Guiding Humanitarian
Action
Humanity gt Human suffering must be addressed
wherever it is found, with particular attention
to the most vulnerable in the population, such as
children, women and the elderly. The dignity and
rights of all victims must be respected and
protected. Neutrality gt Humanitarian assistance
must be provided without engaging in hostilities
or taking sides in controversies of a political,
religious or ideological nature. Impartiality gt
Humanitarian assistance must be provided without
discriminating as to ethnic origin, gender,
nationality, political opinions, race or
religion. Relief of the suffering must be guided
solely by needs and priority must be given to the
most urgent cases of distress.
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Civil-Military Relations
Civilian
Domestic
International
Traditional Focus of Humanitarian Actors
Internal Civil-Military Relations
Domestic
Military
Our Focus
Traditional Focus of Military CIMIC
UN-CMCoord
International
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Humanitarian Assistance vs. Military Civic
Action
Humanitarian acts are guided by humanitarian
principles. .assistance is provided based on
need. It is impartial without discrimination.
Humanitarian providers strive to deliver this
help in a neutral manner, without taking sides in
disputes or political positions on the underlying
issues.
Military civic action is conducted based on needs
of the force and the mission (it) is conditional
and may cease when the mission changes or the
unit moves.
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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-Milit
ary Coordination is essential for the
establishment and protection of humanitarian
space in emergencies.
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Spectrum of Strategies and Approaches
Planning Task Division Information Sharing
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Coordination, Cooperation Co-existence
Cooperation is one form of Civil-Military
Relations. Coexistence is another.
Unfortunately competition and conflict occur.
At a minimum, the responding military and
civilian actors must coordinate in critical areas
in order to enhance cooperation and coexistence
and minimize competition and conflict ?
Security, logistics, communications,
transportation, information
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Possible Interfaces for Humanitarian-Military
Coordination
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2. Use of Foreign Military Assets in Support of
Humanitarian Operations
Foreign Military and Civil Defence Assets
Need for Assistance
International Civilian Relief
Local/National Response incl. military
Time
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Hierarchy of Humanitarian Tasks

• Direct Assistance
• Face-to face distribution of goods and services
  handing out relief goods, providing first aid,
  transporting victims, interviewing refugees,
  locating families, etc
• Indirect Assistance
• At least one step removed from the population --
  transporting relief goods, building camps and
  shelters, providing water sources, clearing mines
  and ordinance, etc
• Infrastructure Support
• General services that facilitate relief, but are
  not necessarily visible to or solely for the
  benefit of the affected population -- repairing
  infrastructure, operating airfields, providing
  weather info, ensuring access to communications
  networks, etc

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Appropriate Relief Tasks
Visibility of Task Increases
Humanitarian Tasks Mission of Military Infrastructure Support Indirect Direct
Peaceful Yes Yes Maybe
Peacekeeping Yes Maybe Maybe
Peace Enforcement Maybe Maybe No
Combat Maybe No No
Availability and Impartiality of Forces Increases
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Humanitarian EmergenciesApplicability of
Guidelines
Need for Assistance Increases
Conditions Mission of Military Stable Unstable Failed State
Peaceful
Peacekeeping
Peace Enforcement
Combat
Oslo Guidelines
MCDA Guidelines
Availability and Impartiality of Forces Increases
Natural disasters
Geneva Conventions
Conventional War
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3. UN-CMCoord Support Activities

• 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

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The Civil-Military Coordination Section (CMCS)

• CMCS is the focal point for mobilization of
  military assets within the UN System
• UN Country Representatives request the assets
  through the UNRC
• CMCS requests personnel, specific expertise
  and/or equipment from donors states
• Donors provide assets at no cost to the
  disaster-stricken community

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UN-CMCoord Global Presence