The role of governments in emergency coordination

The primary role of governments in humanitarian responses is recognised in most policy and normative documents (UN GA Res 46/182, the NGO/Red Cross Code of Conduct, the Sphere Humanitarian Charter, GHD Principles) yet a “state-avoiding” attitude prevails in the practice of many international humanitarian actors. Often, international relief operations ignore, and sometimes undermine rather than support national and local efforts.

This panel discussed what are the necessary changes for more context-specific international humanitarian responses, what is needed for a diverse group of actors to work more effectively together, and how the primary responsibility of governments in meeting the humanitarian needs of affected people can be reinforced.

Chair

• Charles Antoine Hofmann
  Senior Thematic Advisor, World Humanitarian Summit

Panel

• Jesus "Gary" Domingo
  UNIO Assistant Secretary, Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs
   
• Brian Grogan
  Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer, UNOCHA
   
• Bertrand Taithe
  Director, Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute – University of Manchester
   
• Christine Tokar
  Programme Adviser for West and Central Africa, British Red Cross
   
• Emmanuel Tommy
  Secretary General, Sierra Leone Red Cross