Civil-Military Coordination Working Group
Meeting notes
2 February 2010
Participants
Kamran Shariff and Nicki Bennett (OCHA), Faiysal Alikhan (FIDA), Agha Ali Javad
(NRSP), Pirkko Heinonen (UNICEF), Abdullah Zaman and Elmigdad Abdalla (WFP),
Maira Zahur (UNDP), Bee Khan (IOM), Caitlin Brady (Trocaire/PHF), Michael Young
(IRC/PHF), Neva Khan (Oxfam/PHF), Mohammed Qazilbash (Save the Children/PHF),
Jahangir Durrani (UNHCR), Stanley Carr (UNDSS),
Introductory presentations
 Overview of recent development in the development of the Civil-Military
Guidelines by Kamran Shariff - attached
 Presentation on the outcomes of civil-military survey by Nicki Bennett - attached
Open discussion
Presentations were followed by reactions/questions and an open discussion on key
concerns about the work of the Civil-Military Coordination WG. Key points emerging from
the discussion:
 We still aren’t all on the same page with regard to civil-military relations, we all
have different perspectives and analysis and it’s hard to have a discussion about
specifics when some of our broad approaches are still very far apart.
 There is a different level of familiarity within the group of the draft Civil-Military
Guidelines – some participants have studied the latest version in detail and know
this history of the process, others have not even had time to read the draft.
 Current practices of working with the military are often not in line with basic
humanitarian principles (examples given - military’s heavy involvement of
reconstruction of schools in Swat, current differences in humanitarian actors’
escort policies, etc.) There is a diversity of views within the humanitarian
community on how closely to coordinate with military.
 We’ve learned a lot of lessons from our field experiences over the past year, this
should feed into the operational guidance and development of dos and donts.
This should include ‘field-testing” the revised draft with operational actors on the
ground.
 Once we agree on guidance, how will we make sure it is binding on all parties?
How can we enforce adherence to principles and practically tackle breaches of
the guidelines?
Feedback on third draft
 The majority of participants did not have time to go through the new draft in detail
but agreed that they would ensure their agencies send comments by the
deadline of 10 February 2010.
 PHF representatives had prepared comments and agreed to share these by
email, but in general terms noted that:
o The document is much improved from the earlier draft on which the PHF
commented and appreciate OCHA’s efforts, but there’s still some work to
be done.
o

The scope should be national, not specific to NWFP and FATA. [Other
participants agreed, OCHA agreed to clarify this in case current language
is not clear enough.]
o Complex emergencies and natural disasters should be covered within the
same document, and the document should have a long lifespan rather
than requiring frequent updating. Strategy of co-existence is appropriate
for all of Pakistan at present, there will be a different approach once we
have reached a post-conflict phase and there may be greater scope for
cooperative strategies. [OCHA noted that the current complex emergency
situation prevails in some parts of NWFP and FATA and not necessarily
across the country, and that it will ensure clear adherence to conceptual
frameworks for civil-military coordination with respect to complex
emergencies and natural disasters. The format/number of documents was
seen by some as less important. Participants agreed it would be useful to
have a discussion group that looks at this question, alongside other
proposed discussion groups.]
Participants agreed that it is crucial for all WG members to send feedback on
their views and contribute to discussion group process. Some UN agencies like
WFP and UNDP have not yet fed back any comments on earlier versions –
important to capture their views to ensure that all humanitarian agencies are
committed to the process.
Action points
 Civil-Military Coordination WG members to share their comments on third
draft of Civil-Military Guidelines by 10 February 2010.
 PHF to circulate its detailed comments to the WG by email.
 OCHA to share copies of the two powerpoints presented at the meeting.
 OCHA to organize small discussion groups to feed into development of
guidelines and action plan, and share overview of proposed meeting schedule
with WG members.
 Civil-Military Coordination WG members to indicate their availability and interest
for participating in smaller discussion groups.
Next steps
 The next meeting of the WG (before the end of February 2010) will aim to
endorse a fourth draft of the Guidelines so that it can be submitted to the HCT for
approval, and formal discussions with the military actors can commence.
 There needs to be a wider participation from UN agencies: UNICEF, UNHCR and
WFP in particular and other humanitarian partners (less PHF) in the informal
discussion groups.