Our Origins

CMCS (initially MCDU) was established within OCHA (then DHA) in March 1996 by decision of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), to act as the UN Focal Point to "ensure the most effective use of military and civil defence assets (MCDA) in support of all types of humanitarian missions where their use is appropriate".

In this regard it was requested to perform a number of functions "as a service to UN humanitarian agencies and other interested humanitarian partners, including information, liaison, support services at the request of a UN agency or department, training and other preparedness activities and initiatives leading to improved inter operability between humanitarian and military and civil defence organizations, as well as assistance to countries and organizations conducting national and regional exercises".

Our Vision

To provide leadership to the international humanitarian community on civil-military coordination in order to enable, facilitate, and strengthen humanitarian assistance and disaster response operations through appropriate and needs-based use of Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA).

Our Mission

As the UN focal point for civil-military coordination in humanitarian assistance activities, CMCS ensures the effective use of Military and Civil Defence Assets (MCDA) in disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations, establishes civil-military coordination mechanisms to facilitate interaction and cooperation, and upholds humanitarian principles in support of Humanitarian Coordinators (HC) and OCHA’s mandate.

Our Strategy

To effectively plan, mobilize and coordinate UN-CMCoord emergency response tools in support of HCs and humanitarian assistance operations, enhanced by the promotion of UN-CMCoord guidelines, deployment of skilled civil-military coordination officers and the implementation of the CMCS training and exercise programmes.

Our Functioning

CMCS reports to the Deputy Director and Chief, Emergency Services Branch (ESB) of OCHA Geneva. The section is also accountable to the Advisory Panel to CMCS, composed of representatives of the IASC Working Group and DPKO, and to the international Consultative Group on the use of MCDA, which has grown from the initial Standing Coordinating Group to include civilian and military bodies of all Member States, UN Agencies, the Red Cross Movement, the NGO consortia, international and regional organizations, under the continued chairmanship of Austria.

 Our Activities

To perform its mission and enforce its strategy, CMCS provides a range of services tailored to meet the needs of a wide and diverse audience.