This Online Peer Workshop on Frontline Humanitarian Negotiation aimed to exchange good negotiation pratices and stregthen the negotiation capacities of the Oman Charitable Organization, different Omani charities, the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies (IFRC), Red Crescent National Societies of the Gulf Countries and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It was also a great opportunity to establish a long-term partnership between the IFRC, CCHN and ICRC in the Gulf region.
The efficiency of humanitarian response following a disaster depends on how fast coordination structures are established, supply chains are enabled, and human and financial resources are mobilised.
Negotiating in disaster contexts becomes challenging because of the many parties involved. Often, survivors are turned into first responders until traditional humanitarian response mechanisms are set up. Then, when humanitarian actors step in, it’s necessary to negotiate and coordinate the response among the multiple actors.
In 2023, the CCHN launched its research on negotiating in the context of disasters. Since then, we have conducted a series of interviews to understand field practices, produced a report and developed a thematic session with the project to expand this topic in the future.