Study: good management and cooperation practices in complex, protracted crisis contexts

This study was carried out from October 2020 to March 2022 using a qualitative approach based on feedback from over 150 key informants both within and external to the RESILAC project. It is primarily aimed at people and organisations who are involved in implementing, steering or supporting multi-actor and multi-sector aid operations in complex, protracted crisis contexts. It is addressed particularly at those who are concerned with:

• ‘Strategic issues’ – What ‘systemic’ changes need to be made so that the international aid system adapts to the way crises have changed?
• ‘Operational issues’ – What ‘technical’ solutions are required so that people and organisations involved in multi-actor and multi-sector aid programmes are able to meet the needs of people affected by complex, protracted crises in a responsible manner?

Given the global crisis, the way that civil societies are evolving everywhere around the world and the decline of the western model, international aid actors no longer have a choice. The aid system can not be effective without reviewing its current operational model and taking all forms of aid into consideration. As such, we need to move from the traditional ‘aid’ posture to an approach based on mutual reciprocal aid. This will allow us to establish an ecosystem that can respond to crises in a more relevant, sustainable and ethical way.

In order to contribute to this change, which is both necessary and vital for international aid organisations, we have outlined a number of areas to explore to establish an alternative operational model, and the technical and systemic changes that this would imply.