Humanitarian civil-military coordination remains central to OCHA’s mandate to safeguard and expand humanitarian access and protection outcomes. In a rapidly evolving landscape, continuous learning,...
Humanitarian Civil Military Coordination
Introduction
Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination (UN-CMCoord) is the essential dialogue and interaction between civilian and military actors in humanitarian emergencies that is necessary to protect and promote humanitarian principles, avoid competition, minimize inconsistency, and when appropriate, pursue common goals. Basic strategies range from coexistence to cooperation. Coordination is a shared responsibility facilitated by liaison and common training.
UN-CMCoord is a framework that enhances a broad understanding of humanitarian action and guides political and military actors on how best to support that action. It assists in developing context-specific guidance based on internationally agreed guidelines, it establishes humanitarian civil-military coordination structures, and ensures that UN-CMCoord Officers and Focal Points are trained to make that coordination work.
The UN-CMCoord Officer can also function as an auxiliary to humanitarian access, protection and security, and facilitate these workstreams as needed. This applies to complex emergencies and natural disasters.
Find more information on UNOCHA's Civil Military Coordination Section's resource website: dialoguing.org
Overview
OCHA's role
Humanitarian civil-military coordination supports OCHA's overall efforts in humanitarian operations with a military presence, where OCHA leads the establishment and management of interaction with military actors. This relationship will change depending on the type of emergency and the roles and responsibilities of the military. OCHA supports humanitarian and military actors through training and advocacy on the guidelines that govern the use of foreign military and civil defence assets and humanitarian civil-military interaction. OCHA also seeks to establish a predictable approach to and appropriate use of these assets during contingency-planning and other readiness activities.
The Civil-Military Coordination Section (CMCS) is the designated focal point in the UN system for humanitarian civil-military coordination, supporting relevant field and headquarter level activities and operations.
As custodian of global UN-CMCoord related guidelines, CMCS helps humanitarian actors develop context-specific guidance. The UN-CMCoord training programme run by the Section aims to equip humanitarian and military actors with the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively interact with each other.
CMCS also prepares and deploys dedicated UN-CMCoord experts to the field. It assists in the planning, identification, preparation and deployment of appropriately trained UN-CMCoord personnel. UN-CMCoord capacity takes two forms:
- Deployment in response to sudden onset humanitarian emergencies or to complex emergencies and protracted crises; and
- Support to UN-CMCoord Officers or Focal Points in an OCHA office.
When all other sources have proved to be insufficient, exhausted or not readily available, a United Nations Agency, through the Humanitarian Coordinator, or the Government of an affected state can make a request for foreign military and civil defence assets (MCDA). CMCS channels such requests through its network of Government asset providers. The UN-CMCoord training programme comprises courses aimed to familiarize practitioners with humanitarian civil-military coordination concepts and principles and their practical applications in the field, including how the UN-CMCoord function supports the humanitarian architecture. The courses allow participants to reflect on the diversity of humanitarian and military actors in field operations.
UN Civil Military Coordination Handbooks
Global Manual and Guidelines
UN-CMCoord Handbook Version 2.1 (2025)
Guidance Note on Developing Country Specific Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Guidelines
In the past decades operational environments have emerged in which humanitarian organisations deliver assistance and implement activities under previously unseen conditions. The traditional...
World + 7 more
Regional Consultative Group (RCG) on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination for Asia and the Pacific: Eighth Session Briefing Book
RCG 8th Session Concept Note Regional Consultative Group (RCG) on Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination for Asia and the Pacific – 8th Session Concept Note Building upon the outcomes of the...
Operational and Country-Based Guidance
Country Specific Guidelines for Civil-Military Coordination between Humanitarian Actors and MINUSCA in the Central African Republic
“These OCHA guidance documents have been developed to support OCHA staff to fulfill their humanitarian coordination-related responsibilities. The guidance documents in this section will be reviewed...
La coordination civilo-militaire humanitaire en République centrafricaine, Août 2023
Qu’est-ce que la coordination civilo-militaire dans un environnement humanitaire ? UN-CMCOORD : “Le dialogue et interactions qui sont indispensables entre les acteurs civils et les acteurs militaires...
Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination in Central African Republic, August 2023
What is civil-military coordination in a humanitarian context? UN-CMCoord: “the essential dialogue and interaction between civilian and military actors in humanitarian emergencies that is necessary...
