IV. Relevant actors

Executive Summary

In all NATO core tasks, the principle of civilian primacy applies to civilian responsibilities. In crisis management, if a national government is unable or unwilling to fulfil its responsibilities, International organisations (IO) and Non-governmental Organisations (NGO) may step in to support the provision of services.

IO are inter-governmental organisations open to sovereign states. Treaties establish them and are subject to international law. NGO are private, non-profit organisations dedicated to humanitarian and development activities. They operate at local, national, and international levels, pursue different missions, and are accountable to their trustees, donors, and beneficiaries.

The shifting security environment increasingly puts emphasis on the role of CIMIC personnel in collaboration with allied nations. The key factor here is effective military-to-military liaison with the respective host nation’s domestic CIMIC structure. Host nation primacy, either by the government or its GOs, is the guiding principle of these efforts. Understanding how these different domestic CIMIC structures operate is key for CIMIC personnel.