Today, the United Nations Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Training Course (UN-CMCoord) was officially inaugurated in Alfaz del Pi. The course is organized by Helsinki España with the support of the Spanish Ministry of Defence and the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID).
This course, led by OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), aims to train humanitarian professionals in coordination between civilian and military actors in emergency and conflict situations. Civil-military coordination is essential to ensure that humanitarian assistance reaches affected populations in a safe and effective manner.
The course brings together 20 participants from 15 nationalities across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, currently working in complex humanitarian contexts such as Sudan, Palestine, Lebanon, or Ukraine. Over the coming days, participants will develop essential skills in planning, communication, and coordination between civilian organizations and military forces.
For example, in conflict situations, civil-military coordination allows peacekeeping forces to secure safe corridors for humanitarian aid delivery, while civilian organizations plan the distribution of food and medicine efficiently and safely, ensuring that assistance reaches those who need it most.
The opening ceremony featured:
- Cristina López Iscoa, Humanitarian Affairs Officer, Civil-Military Coordination Service, OCHA.
- Julio Francisco Carbonell Franco, CIMIC J9 Analyst, Ministry of Defence.
- María Jaén, President of Helsinki España.
- Isabel Muñoz, Councillor for Cooperation and Volunteering, Alfaz del Pi.
- Martine J.L. Mertens, CCouncillor for Foreign Communities, Alfaz del Pi.
The first session of the course was delivered by Josef Reiterer, Lead of Capability Development, Civil-Military Coordination Service, OCHA, introducing the key concepts of civil-military coordination in humanitarian contexts.
We would like to especially thank the Alfaz del Pi City Council, which always warmly hosts Helsinki España’s peace missions courses. Their commitment to creating a fairer world and promoting the internationalization of the municipality through inclusive initiatives is a cornerstone for the success of these training and international cooperation activities.
Through this initiative, Helsinki España reaffirms its commitment to training humanitarian professionals and promoting international cooperation, contributing to improved safety, effectiveness, and coordination in humanitarian operations where they are most needed.
