Civil-Military Coordination

Following the official transition which took place between the MIF - Multi-National Interim Force and the MINUSTAH military forces, at the end of June 2004, the majority of MINUSTAH military component are expected to be deployed, in Haiti, by mid-August 2004.  The military component of the mission, which is lead by Brazil, will also include contingents from Argentina, Chile, Nepal, Paraguay and Peru.  Discussions are currently under way to, perhaps, increase the mission engineer component from a strength of 1 x Engineer Troop to that of a Squadron/Company; an asset which could prove useful in improving access to areas requiring relief assistance, following a natural disaster.

The primary access point for use of MINUSTAH military assets is done through the MINUSTAH U-9 cell, also known as CIMIC - Civil-Military Cooperation.

Individuals not familiar with military alpha-numeric designators (i.e. U-9) simply need to know that military forces normally use S, G and J alpha denominators to refer as S: Staff, G: General and J: Joint.  "S" is normally used at Battalion level, "G" at Brigade and Division level and "J" at Division and higher levels, when a mix of land/air/sea forces work together. The designator "U" is used by military forces operating at national level United Nations Headquarters. UN Forces in the field will use "G" designators.

The numeric designators 1-9 refer to coordination functions found at headquarter levels, and respectively reflect; 1: Personnel, 2: Military Intelligence/Information, 3: Operations, 4: Logistics, 5: Public Information 6: Information Technology and Communications, 7: Non-existent, 8: Non-existent, 9: CIMIC - Civil-Military Cooperation or CMCoord - Civil-Military Coordination.  The "6" designator is not used on UN missions as Communications and Information Technology fall under the "4: Logistics" designator.

In order to use MINUSTAH military assets UN agencies, IGO/NGOs should submit their requests to the MINUSTAH U-9 cell.  UN Agencies are, however, encouraged to submit subject request through OCHA or UNJLC. UN military forces will, however, also have G-5 CIMIC cells in the field, with which agencies can establish contact.  A detailed listing of points of contacts will be provided through this forum, after forces will have successfully deployed throughout Haiti, by mid-Aug.

The U-9 structure holds a disaster response component called "Disaster Response Unit (DRU)".  The DRU is non-standing, multi-national mix of national civil and military elements (qualified personnel of rescue, medical and other units; equipment and materials; assets and transport), able to act with other international organizations in disaster response.  Composition and the size of the DRU will be determined by the requirements based on an assessment of each particular disaster. A national element of the DRU is a national disaster response capability, for which a TCC has indicated in advance the potential availability as well as the conditions for their use.

As OCHA retains the primary role in coordinating international disaster relief, and the DRU in accordance with the policy document in cooperation with the UN, the proposed procedures for the MINUSTAH CIMIC - CMCOORD also build on the "Oslo Guidelines", prepared by the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), formerly known as the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (DHA), which contain general principles for the utilization of Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA) in disaster relief situations.

In order to facilitate coordination with MINUSTAH military elements, the Humanitarian Coordinator, in Haiti, can rely on two CMCoord - Civil-Military Coordination Officers; 1 x General CMCoord provided by OCHA/MCDU and 1 x Logistics CMCoord provided by the UNJLC.  General CMCoord will liaise with MINUSTAH military for all matters not relating to logistics (i.e. Security, relationships with rebel forces etc), whereas Logistics CMCoord will address the use of MINUSTAH assets (i.e. Air/Land transport, engineers, medical, supply etc).  In the absence of one CMCoord officer the other could, at the request of the Humanitarian Coordinator, be called upon to assist in executing the task of the other.

MINUSTAH U-9 Points of Contact and CMCoord Officers in direct support to the Humanitarian Coordinator: