1. Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT)
Governments and Crises: Roles & Responsibilities
19 April 2017

2. Agenda Key Points Definitions National Perspective
International Perspective

3. Key Points Roles and responsibilities guided by:
Domestic law, policies and procedures
International agreements and guidelines
From a national perspective:
“National Disaster Management Organization” &/or “Local emergency management authority”
From an international perspective:
“Affected States” have the primary responsibility…..

4. Definitions
“Disaster” means a serious disruption of the functioning of society, which poses a significant, widespread threat to human life, health, property or the environment, whether arising from accident, nature or human activity, whether developing suddenly or as the result of long-term processes, but excluding armed conflict.

5. Definitions
“Disaster relief” means goods and services provided to meet the immediate needs of disaster-affected communities.
“Initial recovery assistance” means goods and services intended to restore or improve the pre-disaster living conditions of disaster-affected communities, including initiatives to increase resilience and reduce risk, provided for an initial period of time, as determined by the affected State, after the immediate needs of disaster-affected communities have been met.

6. Definitions
“Affected State” means the State upon whose territory persons or property are affected by a disaster.
“Assisting State” means a State providing disaster relief or initial recovery assistance, whether through civil or military components.

7. Definitions
“Assisting humanitarian organization” means a foreign, regional, intergovernmental or international non-profit entity whose mandate and activities are primarily focused on humanitarian relief, recovery or development.
“Assisting actor” means any assisting humanitarian organization, assisting State, foreign individual, foreign private company providing charitable relief or other foreign entity responding to a disaster on the territory of the affected State or sending in-kind or cash donations.

8. Definitions
“Originating State” means the State from which disaster relief and initial recovery personnel, goods and equipment begin travel to the affected State.
“Transit State” means the State through whose territorial jurisdiction disaster relief or initial recovery assistance has received permission to pass on its way to or from the affected State in connection with disaster relief or initial recovery assistance.

9. National Perspective
States should adopt comprehensive legal, policy, and institutional frameworks and planning for disaster prevention, mitigation, preparedness, relief and recovery which take full account of the auxiliary role of their National Red Cross or Red Crescent Society, are inclusive of domestic civil society, and empower communities to enhance their own safety and resilience.
States, with the support, as appropriate, of relevant regional and international organizations, should devote adequate resources to ensure the effectiveness of these frameworks.
IDRL Guidelines

10. National Perspective
… address the initiation, facilitation, transit and regulation of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance...
…allow for effective coordination of international disaster relief and initial recovery assistance, taking into account the role of the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator ….. and assisting humanitarian organizations
…clearly designate domestic governmental entities with responsibility and authority in these areas. Consideration should be given to establishing a national focal point to liaise between international and government actors at all levels to ensure the effectiveness of these frameworks.
IDRL Guidelines

11. Local authorities generally have primary response authority
National Perspective
Where necessary and appropriate, national governments should encourage other domestic actors with authority over areas of law or policy pertinent to international disaster relief or initial recovery assistance, such as provincial or local governments and private regulatory bodies, to take the necessary steps at their level to implement the Guidelines.
IDRL Guidelines
Local authorities generally have primary response authority

12. International Perspective
Affected States have the primary responsibility to ensure disaster risk reduction, relief and recovery assistance in their territory. National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, as auxiliaries to the public authorities in the humanitarian field, and domestic civil society actors play a key supporting role at the domestic level.

13. International Perspective
If an affected State determines that a disaster situation exceeds national coping capacities, it should seek international and/or regional assistance to address the needs of affected persons.
Affected States have the sovereign right to coordinate, regulate and monitor, disaster relief and recovery assistance provided by assisting actors on their territory, consistent with international law.

14. Contextual Framework
Need for Assistance
Local / National Response
International Military Relief
International Civilian Relief
Time
Emergency Relief Phase
“Transition”
Point
Rehabilitation / Reconstruction
The host/affected country is responsible to coordinate humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. If the host country government is not adequately functioning, the UN is generally is responsible for HA activities. In the initial emergency relief phase of a disaster, international militaries may play a significant role in coordinating or supporting civil and military HA and DR efforts until the host nation and / or UN agencies can effectively assume these tasks.
The provision of humanitarian aid and assistance is primarily the responsibility of specialized civilian, national, international, governmental or nongovernmental organizations and agencies. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief provided by international military forces may precede or accompany humanitarian activities. Starting military humanitarian activities through participating civilian relief organizations and other government agencies whenever possible is absolutely essential. This will ensure that military functions, which tend to be short-term and impact-driven, do not create long-term dependencies on militaries providing assistance nor run contrary to longer-term development programs.
Local and national agencies, to include the host nation military, will be involved initially and until the need for HA ceases. International agencies and the UN will also generally be providing assistance prior to arrival of international military forces and will generally remain for rehabilitation and reconstruction after foreign militaries depart. The capabilities of the host nation & the international community will increase over time, thereby decreasing the need for foreign assistance, and international militaries are able to disengage from these tasks and transition to redeployment and other tasks.
Use of international military resources to support HA & DR missions should be minimal, and not be utilized for long-term recovery, development, and nation building tasks.
Governments & civil organizations have primary responsibility.
International Military is in support (security, relief, affected population support, technical assistance & consequence management).

15. Contextual Framework Diverse responsibilities of
Governments
International Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations
Military
Two cultures in conflict
Military – National instrument
Civilian – humanitarian principles
International militaries are one of many actors in a large community of aid and relief organizations, each with its own goals and agendas. Regardless of the multinational force’s mission and primary task, it must interact within this diverse environment, filled by conflicting cultures, if it is to contribute in a meaningful way toward successfully saving lives, reducing human suffering, and mitigating other effects of the crisis.
Most affected nations have developed national disaster management organizations and local emergency management authorities. These organizations and authorities include municipal, state/province, and national governmental agencies, to include military, paramilitary, civil-defense and police forces. They may also include the national Red Cross/Red Crescent society.
Military involvement in HA/DR varies with each country. In some countries, the military has a lead role and virtually all the resources to execute HA/DR missions. In other countries, the military plays a supporting role and may become directly involved only in life-threatening situations.
Multinational force planners must understand the links and coordinating mechanisms between the military forces of the affected or host country and the governmental and nongovernmental relief agencies operating within that country.
International governments supporting HA / DR efforts will usually have established contacts at the national level, but international militaries must seek to establish contact or liaison with the affected nations disaster management system at the ministerial, regional & local levels.
Multinational forces must also establish linkages with United Nations and other relief agencies. In most cases, initial contact is generally made with the UN Resident Coordinator or a UN Head of Mission (Special Representative of the Secretary General) but there are many other key UN organizations, international and nongovernmental organizations, as well as the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement that must be contacted and with which military forces must cooperate.
It is also equally important, if not more so, that international militaries understand who is the lead for responding to disasters – and that is the national government of the nation affected (if there is a government). International militaries must resist the temptation to develop plans in isolation, or attempt to take a leading role coordinating efforts for the host nation and the international humanitarian community. Communication & cooperation are the goals – not command and control. International militaries must remain cognizant of the fact that they are there to SUPPORT.

16. Contextual Framework Needs Analysis: Needs Assessments: Appeals
Basic Needs
- Available Resources
Outstanding Requirements
Information
Sharing
Needs
Assessments:
(Identify Needs and Available
Capabilities & Resources)
Appeals
& RFAs:
Outstanding Requirements
It is essential that militaries understand the organizational & procedural environment of HA and DR operations in order to effectively plan and execute the assistance and relief operations properly.
This model captures the continuous, cyclic nature of the overarching relief process. The one item that is absolutely critical to this process is information sharing among all the parties – something that, unfortunately, needs significant improvement if assistance & relief operations are to be improved.
A natural disaster may occur, or a complex humanitarian emergency may develop due to on-going civil strife. Regardless of the cause of the crisis, humanitarian needs that exceed local capacity are generated. These needs can be classified into immediate & long-term needs.
Immediate needs are those required to save lives and mitigate immediate human suffering (emergency needs), including: search & rescue, water and sanitation / hygiene, food and nutrition, shelter, medical, security, safety of affected population and relief workers, etc. These must be addressed in the emergency phase of an operation.
Long-term needs are those required to restore some sense of normalcy, including: rehabilitation, reconstruction and development of future security plans, etc..
Host nation agencies (if still functioning) and various HC organizations conduct needs assessments on the extent of the disaster / emergency and the needs / requirements. Assessments also include determining the capabilities & resources of various relief organizations, including international militaries, if they are part of the HA effort.
Needs / Requirements include: data on the population affected (numbers, location, health situation, etc.), identification of vulnerable populations, rescue requirements, damage to infrastructure (required for transportation, shelter, sanitation, etc.), condition of life sustaining resources (water and food supplies), security situation, etc.
Capabilities / Resources include: relief organizations; government agencies; coordinating mechanisms; availability of infrastructure, civil assets, military assets, relief supplies; etc.
A needs analysis is an essential component of the relief process. Assuming needs assessments are valid, requirements and capabilities are analyzed to determine any outstanding (unfilled) needs / requirements which are then the subject of appeals to the international community and donors, and to specific requests for assistance (RFAs). International militaries may receive RFAs to provide immediate life saving supplies, transportation, or security. The fulfillment of RFAs by military forces is often subject to the policies of the governments participating. Local commanders and forces may be delegated authority to determine the ability to respond to a RFA. Often, policies allow tactical forces to provide immediate life-saving assistance, such as emergency rescue of persons in distress, and international and humanitarian law dictate responses.
While this model conveys the impression of an orderly process, due to the large number of different organizations with their own missions and sometimes competing agendas, the process is chaotic, especially in DR operations.
Due to the large number of actors, information sharing among as many organizations as possible is essential to minimize confusion, gaps and overlaps in the distribution of HA, and to prevent death or injury to HC workers, especially if there is a security threat.
There are various organizations and mechanisms by which information is shared. It must be realized, however, that there is not one organization or process that contains all the information required for an efficient overarching relief process.
Gathering & sharing of information is often hampered by (1) disruption among the affected population, government and relief agencies, (2) non-existent, damaged or overloaded information-sharing systems and infrastructure, (3) inadequate coordination between organizations, (4) differing standards for data collected, and (5) differing priorities and goals of the organizations involved, to name a few factors.
Relief / Donor Action:
Aid / Resource Delivery
Needs
Crisis

17. Contextual Framework Immediate Tasks Search & Rescue
Evacuation of stranded victims
Delivery of food & water, medical supplies
Establish / provide communications
Transportation of civilian relief agencies
Security for relief agency personnel
The involvement by international militaries in HA will most likely be of short duration and limited scope. Multinational forces are generally involved in the emergency (or immediate life saving) phase of the crisis until the host country and international community can sustain the requirements and continue with long-term rehabilitation and reconstruction.
There are five basic types of military HA/DR operations: security, relief, affected population support, technical assistance, and consequence management. HA/DR operations often have more than one mission, and these missions support each other.
Listed are some of the immediate tasks that are often executed by international militaries at the tactical level.

18. Summary The Affected State has primary responsibility
National Disaster Management Organization or Local Emergency Management Authority
Examples: NCDM (Cambodia); BNB (Indonesia); NDRRMC (Philippines); Federal Emergency Management Agency (US), etc.
Local authority generally has primary responsibility

19. Discussion