Humanitarian Actors & Peace Keeping Operations

1. Humanitarian Actors &Peace Keeping Operations CERIUM : L’Afrique pas si noire que ça Claire Fehrenbach Handicap International Juillet 2010

3. Actions • Interventions in various contexts • Beneficiaries : • Vulnerable Persons and persons with disability • Refugees, IDP • Mine risk education and mine clearance • Victim assistance (physical rehabilitation, orthopaedic fitting, psycho-social support) • Aid and support to people with disabilities and vulnerable groups

4. Principles • Neutrality, Independence et Impartiality • Professionalism • Needs assessments

5. Explosive Issue

6. The Actors • Governmental troops • Guerillas • Foreign troops • International coalitions • African Union • European Union • United Nations • Non Governmental Organisations

7. Differences & specificities • Internal organisation • Specific final objectives • Financial, logistical and technical resources • NGO coming from everywhere, +/- organised, +/- in respect with IHL

8. Advantages Global picture Collective Action Rational resources use Pooling of UN resources Criticism International aid considered as a diplomatic tool Confusion CIMIC Civil & Military coordination Definition & Implementation

9. PB 1 : Confusion & AssimilationLack of clarity for the population Congo Example : • MONUC Costs & inefficiency • Governmental troops authority abuse • Integrated peacekeeping operations… • … supporting the local government UN Agencies NGO ? MONUC Gvtl troops

10. PB 2 : Danger • Attacks and abduction • NGO as target • Waste of time • Inefficiency

11. PB 3 : IHL ??? • Needs assessments • NGO professionalism and legitimity • Humanitarian camouflage

12. Recommandations • Keep sane distance • Preserve, explain & repeat humanitarian principles • Improve mutual recognition for a better understanding

13. Thank you