CCOE at UN-CMCoord in Geneva
This February 3rd to 4th, the CCOE had been invited to introduce its recent successes and projects the annual UN Humanitarian Networks and Partnership Week in Geneva. Pursuant to introductory remarks by the Assistant UN Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs. Kyung-wha Kang, CCOE Director Roel Been took the opportunity to open up by introducing the CCOE and addressing working relations with humanitarian relief organizations.
“I am … excited, as this date marks the commemoration of two historic events in the universal validation of civil and human rights by which both our Allied Militaries and the world community abide:
146 years ago, the 15th Amendment to the US constitution guaranteed the right of all citizens to vote, regardless of race or color. And just 21 years ago, 20 countries of the United Nations signed the “Convention against Torture and other Cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
In off-site meeting with UNHCR Director Terry Morel, Division of Emergency, Security and Supply and Mohammed Abdiker, Director International Organization on Migration (IOM), Department of Operations and Emergencies, both entities voiced their interest to further cooperate with the CCOE, as well as their intention to contribute to the upcoming CCOE Community of Interest Workshop in The Hague in April. Both were also interested in CCOE’s new Master of Civil-Military Interaction program (learn more about that program in the CIMIC Messenger “CCOE goes Academia” here).
Picture: CCOE Director Colonel Roel Been meeting Director International Organization on Migration (IOM) Mohammed Abdiker (left), UNHCR Director Terry Morel (right) / Source: CCOE/ Kerkkamp-de Rijcke
The first two days the conference were specifically aimed at humanitarian aid organizations and focused on lessons learned from the earthquake in Nepal. February 3rd and 4th, were committed to annual network meetings and thematic sessions. The UN-CMCoord conference was attended by 113 participants from 24 countries, as well as representatives from a range of humanitarian, military, development and security organizations.
The most critical outcome was the buy-in gained for the CMCoord World Humanitarian Summit proposals, especially the call for a collaborative process in the development of common standards on the appropriate use of military forces and assets in support of humanitarian action. Participants expressed their keen intent in collaborating in this process.
Article is written by: CCOE/ PAO, CCOE/ LEGAD