Groupe URD is currently conducting research for the French Ministry of Defence on the theme of: "The interaction between humanitarians and the military”.
This project focuses on two aspects:
- Study 1 : " Can information be shared between humanitarians and the military? Example: evaluating the needs of crisis-affected populations;
- Study 2 : " The reform of the United Nations humanitarian system".

These studies are based on an analysis of how conflicts and the international response to conflict situations have changed in the two decades since the end of the Cold War. There has been an increase in the number of interventions by armies for peace-keeping or large-scale humanitarian/logistical operations. The characteristics of conflicts have also changed with the growing involvement of civilians, both within the conflicts and in humanitarian action. At the same time, images of humanitarian disasters have mobilised public opinion and governments have become more active as a consequence. This has led to growth in the number and diversity of humanitarian agencies and an increased role for the military within the humanitarian domain.
In this context, there is more and more contact between humanitarian actors and the military. However, such proximity should not make us lose sight of the fundamental differences between the two:
- Differences in nature: NGOs come from civil society, the military are the armed section of the political realm – these differences in nature lead to different responsibilities and mandates;
- Differences in their understanding of humanitarian aid: an end in itself for one, a means to political ends for the other (cf. the ACM doctrine); sometimes one takes over the function of the other as when military operations are carried out to secure a zone or to provide large-scale logistical means so that humanitarian aid can be delivered;
- Differences in their areas of expertise and competence, and in logistical and human means;
- Differences in their decision-making methods and methods of governance.

Study N°1 focuses on the key elements in understanding context, the needs of the population, risks and sharing information in situations where humanitarians and the military are side by side in the field.

Study N°2 concerns understanding the main points of the United Nations reform and particularly of its humanitarian system.
For several years now, large-scale reforms have been taking place in the United Nations, in its crisis management mechanisms and in its humanitarian response system. These two large reforms have already begun to shape the sector and will no doubt continue to have an important impact on humanitarian actors and on civil/military relations.
The study will look at the risks and opportunities involved within the context of existing international and European mechanisms. The specific question of military coordination and integration mechanisms will be studied with regard to the objective of ‘coordination’, to the diversity of actors and the need to respect humanitarian principles. The parameters to take into account will be, amongst others, crisis type (conflict, complex crisis, natural disaster, etc.) and the political contexts in which they take place, the seriousness of the needs and the risks involved. These parameters will make it possible to establish some markers for these issues which are obviously very complex, in contexts which are both very diverse and potentially dangerous.

The main stakeholders will be consulted – the different government offices involved, the integrated mission system and UN agencies, the Red Cross movement, French, Anglo-Saxon and Spanish NGOs, bilateral funding agencies and other multilateral actors like NATO, the European Commission, etc.