How does Comprehensive Approach contribute a reliable network response in a complex emergency?

ABSTRACT: Violent conflicts and complex emergencies such as in Afghanistan, Darfur, Syria and Iraq expose the local population and communities to great suffering. The international response to such complex emergencies has... [ view full abstract ]

ABSTRACT:
Violent conflicts and complex emergencies such as in Afghanistan, Darfur, Syria and Iraq expose the local population and communities to great suffering. The international response to such complex emergencies has proven both dangerous and difficult. A complex emergency may be defined as a humanitarian crisis in a country, region or society where there is total or considerable breakdown of authority resulting from internal or external conflict and which requires an international response that goes beyond the mandate or capacity of any single agency and/or the ongoing United Nations country Program (IASC 1994). The security and humanitarian dimensions of these conflict emergencies are calling for a network response formed by military and humanitarian actors, but also including political actors seeking permanent solutions to these emergencies.

The Comprehensive Approach (CA) is one of the concepts established in order to meet these challenges. Stene and Kruke (2015) understand CA as a strategy for cooperation and coordination of the complex and interdependent international conflict management system. The comprehensive approach aims to integrate the political, security, rule of law, human rights and humanitarian dimensions of international operations in order to manage these emergencies.

Starting with a discussion of Afghanistan as a complex emergency, this paper undertakes to discuss whether the comprehensive approach strategy contributes to a reliable network response in a complex emergency, with a particular focus on coordination among military and civilian response actors. The paper draws on studies of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in North-Afghanistan, literature on reliability, network response and coordination, as well as recent developments in ongoing complex emergencies and on experiences gained by the authors during missions and fieldworks in Kosovo, Afghanistan and Darfur.

KEYWORDS:
Complex Emergencies, Comprehensive Approach, Network Response, Civil-military Coordination.