Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs

The Executive Committee on Humanitarian Affairs, ECHA, is one of the four Committees created by the Secretary-General in the framework of the UN reform with the aim of enhancing coordination among UN agencies in various fields. Chaired by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, ECHA meets on a monthly basis in New York. ECHA’s membership, notably with the participation of UN Departments, adds a political and peacekeeping dimension to humanitarian consultations.

A single Secretariat in OCHA serves the IASC and the ECHA. This arrangement ensures that parallel discussions in the two Committees are based on a common understanding of the problems and on effective decision-making  processes. The Secretariat has a strategic role in supporting the Emergency Relief Coordinator in his capacity as the chairman of both committees, and the Assistant Emergency Relief Coordinator in his capacity as the  chairman of the IASC Working Group, to ensure that they function effectively and in a coordinated manner.