Humanitarian Coordinator’s Support Office (HCSO)

The primary mandate of the Humanitarian Coordinator’s Support Office is to support the Humanitarian Coordinator (HC) by providing updates, early warning, analysis and policy advice on humanitarian issues.  The HCSO, like OCHA, is the main conduit for the UN system to humanitarian actors.

HCSO also facilitates interaction between international, governmental and local agencies addressing humanitarian concerns and emergency needs of the Liberian population, with the focus in 2008 of building government capacity to fully assume this responsibility.  A key role is to assist humanitarian actors to work in a collective, coherent and coordinated manner in order to maximise the impact of the relief process while building local capacity to perform these functions.  Given the overall improvement in Liberia and HCSO’s reduced capacity, the office will focus on strategic issues and strategic coordination rather than operational issues. 

In broad terms, HCSO’s main responsibilities are:

Resource Mobilisation:  In 2008, HCSO coordinated an inter-agency prioritised gap analysis that highlighted critical residual humanitarian needs that need to be addressed.The Critical Humanitarian Gaps in Liberia showcased nineteen priority projects valued at US $28 million (as of August 2009, it has been funded at just under 30%) in three main areas: Water and Sanitation, Food Security, and Health.   Additionally, to address growing food insecurity concerns, HCSO facilitated an Inter-agency Standing Committee Country Team submission to the UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) for a rapid response grant of US $1.9 million to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for emergency inputs to improve the current rice production.  Previous CERF grants have supported life-saving water and sanitation, health and agriculture projects.

Contingency Planning and Response Preparedness:   HCSO monitors the residual humanitarian needs and overall conditions to ensure that appropriate response can be taken as required.  It works closely with the Liberian National Disaster Relief Commission (NDRC) and its partners to undertake assessments, draft contingency plans, and conduct workshops on disaster preparedness.  HCSO also has assisted authorities with coordination of cholera and yellow fever outbreaks.   Given the region’s instability, HCSO also works with UNHCR, other UNMIL sections and other actors to plan for cross-border contingency.

Strategic Advice on Humanitarian Issues:  HCSO provides advocacy and advice on humanitarian issues.  This includes efforts to reduce the ‘transition’ gap between emergency relief and longer-term development by helping plan effective exit strategies for humanitarian actors and ensuring links with recovery and development initiatives.   In its bi-weekly Humanitarian Action Committee (HAC) meeting, HCSO organises presentations and discussions on key issues to the international and local NGO community, UN agencies, Red Cross and local authorities.  HCSO is also the Secretariat for the Liberian Inter-agency Standing Committee Country Team which meets quarterly to decide key policy and strategic positions.

Facilitation of Logistical Support to non-UNMIL Actors:  HCSO is also the focal point within UNMIL for all UN and NGO partners wishing to utilise UNMIL assets.  Given the poor infrastructure and harsh weather conditions, these humanitarian actors have often relied on UNMIL to move staff and cargo to remote regions of the country.  In 2008, this also includes support to UNHCR and the Government of Liberia for the voluntary refugee repatriation exercise from Ghana.   HCSO also works with the CIMIC officers in the UNMIL force to plan more sustainable efforts (such as medical outreaches partnering with NGOs and County Health Teams) to vulnerable populations.  HCSO recently co-hosted with OCHA the 84th UN Civil-Military Coordination course in Liberia.