Helping to put the triple nexus approach into practice in Chad

Context

For many years, Chad has been affected by numerous crises, which have been caused, to a great extent, by the spilling over of crises from neighbouring countries, such as the Central African Republic (CAR), Darfur, Lake Chad and Libya. These have led to insecurity and population displacement, as well as food and nutritional crises. As is the case for the majority of the countries in the Sahel, Chad is also affected by recurring epidemics and the consequences of climate change (floods and drought). As such, the international aid sector has been delivering assistance in the country for years. It has explored innovative ways to achieve more effective results in response to the different challenges that it has come up against, whether in terms of humanitarian aid, development, security, or lasting peace.

This search for greater effectiveness is in keeping with the European Council’s plans to put the humanitarian-development nexus into practice and the EU communication on forced displacement and development. These highlight the need to improve the way that humanitarian and development actions are coordinated so that they tackle the roots of vulnerability, fragility and conflicts, while simultaneously meeting humanitarian needs and reinforcing the resilience of populations and territories.

In order to meet the challenge of effectiveness, and more specifically, to help put the triple Nexus approach into practice, Groupe URD has been mandated by the European Union Delegation in Chad to analyse ways of implementing this approach, and its impacts, and to provide technical assistance to the ‘Nexus Task Force’¹. Following an initial phase in 2021 and 2022 – which included different missions and the drafting of an initial report with an action plan that was probably too ambitious and not sufficiently ‘operational’ – the Chad Delegation and Groupe URD concluded that, given the size of the task at hand and the complexity of the exercise, it was preferable to proceed step by step and to initially focus on a specific crisis-affected context – the regions of Kanem and Bar-El-Ghazal. This choice of context is due to the simultaneous presence of numerous humanitarian, development and social cohesion projects, as well as a genuine desire, on the part of many actors present in the region, to take part in a ‘Nexus’-type approach. However, despite this desire, the actors themselves recognise that humanitarian and development projects are still too compartmentalised. There is not enough coordination and joint planning, notably with the regional / local authorities.

Objectives and expected results

The main objective of this mission is to establish a documentary and cartographic database for  Bar el Ghazal and Kanem, which will make it possible to:

1. Conduct a precise assessment (for example by developing decision-making tools such as maps):
   1. of different ways the context is understood,
   2. of needs and priorities, of current and planned interventions,
   3. of coordination mechanisms.

2. Based on the assessment, make concrete proposals for ways to reinforce the triple Nexus approach in this crisis context, for example, via the development of a ‘Nexus’ operational strategy that is practical, realistic, and adapted to the issues at stake, the specific context and the capacity of the actors on the ground.

The aim will therefore be to:

• List all the emergency, development and peace-keeping projects taking place in the Bar el Ghazal and Kanem regions and describe the role and function of each actor (international and local operators, local authorities and donors);
• Identify the projects and initiatives related to a Nexus approach and describe the synergy and complementarity between the actors;
• Review existing coordination mechanisms, identify possible shortcomings, the reasons for these shortcomings and possible solutions to improve this strategic issue.
• Share lessons about good and bad practices for a Nexus approach in the crisis-affected regions of Bar el Ghazal and Kanem and make very concrete recommendations to the Nexus Task Force.

1. The Nexus Task Force is made up of donors and financial partners who are active in Chad.