Linking German and European policy capacities
Humanitarian needs have increased by a factor of almost 20 since 2000. The humanitarian system is increasingly overstretched by challenges such as protracted large-scale conflicts, the protection of humanitarian spaces and international humanitarian law as well as the impact of climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic. In parallel, a comprehensive reform debate was initiated with the World Humanitarian Summit 2016 and the Grand Bargain workstreams.
However, European public actors, and in particular actors seeking to address the above-mentioned challenges, struggle to reform and innovate humanitarian action, to influence relevant debates and to engage in international agenda-setting due to limited institutional capacities. This also holds true for the German government, although its financial commitment has increased by about 2000% since 2010 alone, making Germany the world’s second largest humanitarian donor. German and most European civilian actors also face substantial limitations in their policy capacities and European humanitarian think tanks cooperate only to a limited extent.
Identifying complementarities and leveraging synergies between these actors is an approach to jointly overcome these limitations and challenges. The project pursues this approach by creating space for dialogue and a network beyond silos, so that German and selected European actors can define common priorities and strategies to further develop humanitarian assistance and protect the humanitarian space.
Contact: Sonja Hövelmann & Ralf Südhoff
Linking German and European Policy Capacities is part of the project “Strengthening Programme and Policy Relevant Capacities of Humanitarian Actors in Germany” (SPreAD), funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.
Exchange with OCHA Policy Director Hansjoerg Strohmeyer
05.07.2024 11:00 - 12:30CHA invites its members to a confidential exchange with OCHA Policy Director Hansjörg Strohmeyer.
Out of the box: EU elections’ outcome and the need for better coordinated European humanitarian aid
03.07.2024 12:30 - 13:30How might European humanitarian aid and policies evolve in the years to come? We discussed this on 3 July 2024 with Claus Sørensen (former DG ECHO) and Cecilia Roselli (NRC).
CHAtroom #16: European humanitarian aid and the upcoming elections
30.05.2024Why might the forecasted right populist swing at the European elections be no problem for humanitarian aid? Former Director General Michael Köhler of DG ECHO in in the CHAtroom with Ralf Südhoff.
Goodbye to humanitarianism?
24.05.2024Will Gaza become a turning point at which liberal democracies turn away from humanitarianism? And does this include Germany? asks Joël Glasman.
New CHAtroom Episode: Influencer Europe
26.04.2024Why is European coordination of humanitarian action needed? What are the reasons for the lack of coordination? Ralf Südhoff leads the CHA research project on Linking German and European policy capacities and is our guest in the CHAtroom.
Ralf Südhoff in the news on European coordination of humanitarian action
22.03.2024During the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels, several interviews and guest articles were published on the topic of better cooperation between European actors.
Influencer Europe
15.03.2024
Let's talk about priorisation
18.03.2024 15:30 - 16:45At the European Humanitarian Forum 2024 the European humanitarian think tank network HuT invited leading humanitarian donor governments to an exchange about the new “prioritization” debate in humanitarian action.
CHA Conference 2024
04.06.2024 00:00 - 23:59The CHA Conference 2024 focused on the topic “Climate & humanitarian crises and the lack of a joint response – Needs, narratives and necessities”.
Out of the box: Strategy Snacks 3
15.11.2023 12:00 - 13:15What options for humanitarian diplomacy are there in Germany’s new humanitarian strategy? We discussed this with Manuel Sánchez-Montero, ACF Spain; Emma Beals, independent consultant; and Federico Dessi, Handicap International Regional Director.
Applying the Objectives and Principles of Humanitarianism to State Diplomacy. A Spanish Case Study.
06.10.2023Manuel Sánchez-Montero, Director of ACF Spain, reflects on the Spanish Humanitarian Diplomacy Strategy and on the lessons learned during the process of its developement.
Autumn meeting of European humanitarian thinktanks
15.09.2023 11:00 - 13:00In September, CHA invited to another online meeting of the HuT network. One of the topics were HuT plans for the European Humanitarian Forum in Brussels in 2024.
Out of the box: Strategy Snacks 2
20.07.2023 12:00 - 13:00What significance will the Grand Bargain have for Germany's new humanitarian strategy? What are the international expectations for Germany? We will discuss this with Michael Köhler, DG ECHO and newly appointed Grand Bargain Ambassador, and Susanne Fries-Gaier, German Federal Foreign Office.
Out of the box: Strategy Snacks
10.07.2023 11:30 - 13:00The GFFO is currently developing a new humanitarian strategy that will apply from 2024. What are the expectations and demands of German civil society? We discussed this with Oliver Müller, Caritas international, and Alexandra Rüth, German Red Cross.
European Network of Humanitarian Thinktanks
12.06.2023As part of the SPreAD Europe project, the CHA has initiated a network of humanitarian thinktanks in Europe – at a meeting in Madrid, the participating thinktanks have now adopted basic principles of cooperation.
Exchange on Germany's next humanitarian strategy
13.06.2023 15:00 - 16:30In mid-June, CHA invites to a confidential exchange on the new German humanitarian strategy from 2024, which is currently being developed.
Fourth meeting of European humanitarian thinktanks
11.05.2023 00:00 - 23:59In May, as part of the SPreAD Europe project, CHA is inviting European humanitarian think tanks to another meeting in Spain, this time hosted by IECAH.
Crisis without war - article in the "Vereinte Nationen" magazine
27.04.2023The latest magazine “Vereinte Nationen” of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für die Vereinten Nationen features an article by Ralf Südhoff and Berit Reich about the current global food crisis.
Humanitarian Leadership in a fractured world
20.03.2023On 20 March, Ralf Südhoff will speak at the European Humanitarian Forum 2023 on leadership in the humanitarian sector in relation to climate change.
Leadership and humanitarian change
15.03.2023
Ralf Südhoff participates in DG ECHO brainstorming meeting “Expanding the donor base - introducing new approaches”
24.01.2023CHA Director Ralf Südhoff will attend a follow-up workshop by DG ECHO on expanding the humanitarian donor base on 9 February 2023.
What do we mean when we talk about humanitarian leadership?
09.12.2022How is leadership defined? Does it work and if not, how can it be improved? These are the questions John Mitchell took with him to the Thought Leadership Lab hosted by GELI and CHA in Berlin and reflects on in this blog post.
#CHA22 Annual Conference Event review
30.11.2022From 23.11.2022 – 24.11.2022, CHA has organised its annual conference on the question “Where is the Humanitarian Turning Point?” Here you can revisit the conference or if you missed a particular session, re-watch the video compilation individually.
Sustainability and Humanitarian Aid - A Fundamental Change
03.11.2022 14:00 - 15:30How could green humanitarian practice be supported by basic commitments, standards or rules? KUNO, IECAH, Groupe URD and CHA invite to a webinar discussion.
CHA Annual Conference 2022: Where is the Humanitarian Turning Point?
23.11.2022 00:00 - 23:59Is it time for a „humanitarian Zeitenwende”, and what elements would be essential for this? This is the topic of the CHA annual conference in 2022.
European Network Retreat
06.10.2022 00:00 - 23:59In October, as part of the SPreAD Europe project, CHA invited to another networking meeting of European humanitarian thinktanks in France, hosted by the Groupe URD.
Berlin Thought Leadership Lab
10.11.2022 15:00 - 18:00The Global Executive Leadership Initiative (GELI) and the Centre for Humanitarian Action (CHA) invited to an exchange for German Humanitarian CEOs and leading personnel on the topic "Leadership for an Ever-Changing World".
Research trip: Perception of German humanitarian action
30.06.2022Starting on 29 June, CHA Director Ralf Südhoff is on a research trip to investigate how German and European humanitarian action are perceived internationally, as well as what profile and potential for improvement is attributed to them.
The triple nexus in practice: challenges and proposals for the Spanish cooperation
28.06.2022 16:00 - 17:30The IECAH presents its report «The triple nexus in practice: challenges and proposals for the Spanish cooperation». CHA director Ralf Südhoff will share the German experiences with this approach.
Second meeting of European Think Tanks
16.06.2022 11:00 - 13:30Following on from the network meeting in Berlin in March, humanitarian thinktanks from Europe met again in June at the invitation of CHA and as part of the SPreAD Europe project.
Workshop: Climate Change and Humanitarian Change
16.06.2022 10:00 - 16:00In this workshop, we examined the impact of climate change on the humanitarian system, especially on the practices but also on the norms and mandates of humanitarian action, and identify the challenges and opportunities for change for humanitarian actors.
Humanitarian Talk: Quality Funding
23.03.2022 14:00 - 15:00CHA and NRC invited to a Humanitarian Talk on Quality Funding as part of the European Humanitarian Forum.
Workshop of European Thinktanks
02.03.2022 10:00 - 15:30At the invitation of CHA and in the framework of the SPreAD Europe project, leading thinktanks from Europe met for a workshop in Berlin in early March.