The U.N. humanitarian coordinator in Ivory Coast, Abdoulaye Mar Dieye, responds to criticisms of the U.N. style of integrating its humanitarian work and peacekeeping mission in the country.

Click here to read VIEWPOINT-Ivory Coast is a case of too much U.N. coordination

On 26 November 2004, Anna Jefferys and Toby Porter of Save the Children UK wrote an op-ed published by Reuters AlertNet, which unequivocally makes the case that the impartiality of humanitarian actors in Cote d’Ivoire has been completely “tarnished and jeopardized” by the “combination” of a U.N. peacekeeping operation (ONUCI) with humanitarian coordination.

This article, as stated in the disclaimer, does not necessarily reflect the view of Save the Children UK, which is, in my judgment, one of the most active and committed humanitarian actors in Cote d’Ivoire.

But I, like many of my humanitarian colleagues in Cote d’Ivoire, am mystified by such a gross and unfounded assessment, which sounds like a cliché, and completely misses the issue we are dealing with in Cote d’Ivoire.

On the basis of current humanitarian activities in Cote d’Ivoire, I believe that the strongly held view expressed in the above-mentioned op-ed is disconnected to the realities on the ground.

There is no such thing as too much coordination in Côte D’Ivoire as the article states. As many partners are no doubt aware, our humanitarian work has not been hampered by the new ONUCI organizational structure.

To the contrary, both the government and the Forces Nouvelles (rebel forces), and all actors on the ground, have commended our work as evidenced by our ability to operate, in a coordinated fashion, on both sides of the Zone of Confidence (buffer zone).

Today, with existing sophisticated relief networks, no one doubts the inherent benefits of coordination in complex emergencies.

Indeed, coordination has brought about a clearer sense of collective priorities and a renewed resolve to see them through.

Starting in particular from the Brahimi Report, which advocated for integrated missions, the U.N. System has increasingly expressed an interest in achieving a more integrated ability to manage crises, and harness U.N. assets and resources for the restoration of viable institutions in strife-torn countries.

In the same vein, I would like to remind the authors of the article, contrary to what is alleged in their piece, of two basic truths.

First, the humanitarian community is not seeking to re-establish itself in Cote d’Ivoire.

Throughout the crisis we have been present.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs maintained its operational capacity with four functioning sub-offices respectively located in Guiglo, Bouaké, Yamoussoukro, and Korhogo.

Humanitarian agencies such as the U.N. World Food Programme, the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Refugeges, the U.N. Children’s Fund and the International Organisation of Migration, and even development agencies like the U.N. Development Programme UNDP, the U.N. World Health Organisation and the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation have continued to operate and deliver emergencies supplies despite the latest bout of violence and serious security constraints.

Furthermore, international NGOs continued to provide basic services to the most vulnerable against all odds.

Second, Anna Jefferys and Toby Porter got it wrong when they state that, as humanitarian coordinator, I report directly to the (special representative of the U.N. secretary-general) SRSG.

The emergency relief coordinator (ERC) and under secretary-general for humanitarian affairs appointed me as a humanitarian coordinator upon consultations with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, which is the main U.N. forum for debating humanitarian policy.

As such, I report directly to the ERC on humanitarian trends, developments and policies.

Whenever our impartiality has come under threat, I have made the point to remind everyone on the non-negotiable nature of the core humanitarian principles we all believe in, among which impartiality and neutrality hold a special place.

To this effect, again in stark contrast with the views expressed in the article, the existence of a “Humanitarian Code of Conduct in Cote d’Ivoire” -- consensually developed by humanitarian partners and all stakeholders and which lays out the guiding principles for the delivery of humanitarian aid and the use of military assets -- speaks volumes of the partnership between the U.N. and the NGOs of the humanitarian community.

Our humanitarian work will only succeed if we can foster a thriving, cohesive humanitarian community and also broaden and strengthen our partnerships with both local and international NGOs that have proven continually to be so valuable in times of crises.

Anna Jefferys and Toby Porter label UNOCI as an example of a “minimalist” integrated mission, which I guess they oppose to some “maximalist” model they fail to qualify.

But they seem to be relatively happy with the so-called minimalist model.

Under this model, as they appropriately point out, I am also the deputy special representative of the secretary-general (DSRSG) and humanitarian coordinator, supported by an OCHA office managed and funded separately from ONUCI.

Here, the problem often lies with varying degrees of interpretation of what integration means as we have seen with U.N. missions such as UNAMA (in Afghanistan), UNMIK (in Kosovo), and UNAMSIL (in Sierra Leone) to say the least.

But this is another debate. I can see that Anna Jefferys and Toby Porter have an axe to grind with (the U.N. Department of Peacekeeping Operations) DPKO.

Well then, after missing the issue, they are also missing the target!

In the final analysis, I would conclude that in Côte d’Ivoire the true enemy is not coordination but the lack of means and resources to respond to the humanitarian needs of over 3.5 million vulnerable persons affected by insecurity and protection issues, the provision of food aid and access to safe drinking water, rising level of poverty, growing numbers of IDPs (internally displaced persons) and refugees, and overcrowded health centres, including the vaccination of 7 million children between the ages of 0 to 4 years against poliomyelitis.

It is against this common and relentless enemy that we, the humanitarian community in Côte d'Ivoire, are uniting our efforts!

Click here to read VIEWPOINT-Ivory Coast is a case of too much U.N. coordination

Any views expressed in this article are those of the writer and not of Reuters.