Humanitarianism
Spain usually dedicates a smaller amount of aid to humanitarian aid, in comparison with other members of the Development Assistant Committee of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD-DAC). Nevertheless, in the last few years, several humanitarian missions have been carried out offering vast learning experience. Within the government, intervention capacities are distributed between the ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence and other actors, such as the agencies of the autonomous communities and development NGOs, each of which have their own experience.
In the international context, a consensus around the Good Humanitarian Donorship Initiative is being established. What should be done to guarantee professionalism and effectiveness of aid in humanitarian crisis situations? How do governmental and nongovernmental actors relate to each other? Who coordinates the humanitarian action?
Backgrounder by FRIDE
“To specify the adhesion commitment to the principles of Good Humanitarian Donorship it is desirable that, as other donors, Spain draw up an execution plan which outlines the steps to be taken to incorporate progress that has taken place towards achieving this initiative of the main humanitarian donors”.
Statement by the SECI
The shifts in humanitarian practice “require a profound change in the administrative structure managing humanitarian aid which will coincide with adapting AECI to the renewed concept of state agencies.”
Statement by Francisco Rey Marcos, Co-director of the Institute of Studies on Conflicts and Humanitarian Action
“A large number of Development NGOs(…) still fails to understand the specifics of Humanitarian Action and its role in an international context. A role which may be complementary to the role of development but which has its own objectives and its own profile”.
Statement by Manuel Sánchez Montero, Operations Director, Action Against Hunger
“It would be necessary to create a device endowed with sufficient and autonomous human and financial resources in relation to the other governmental structures of development cooperation”