OCHA – Core Contribution

OCHA is the arm of the UN Secretariat that is responsible for bringing together humanitarian actors to ensure coherent response to emergencies. OCHA's mission is to mobilise and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors in order to alleviate human suffering in disaster and emergencies; advocate for the rights of people in need; promote preparedness and prevention; and facilitate sustainable solutions.

OCHA’s mandate is operationalized through the OCHA Strategic Framework 2010-2013, which is consistent with the Swiss programmatic framework aiming at prevention and preparedness, emergency response, reconstruction and advocacy. OCHA’s new Strategic Framework 2014 – 2017 will be drafted in 2013. Donors, including Switzerland, will closely follow the process with OCHA to make sure that its new strategic framework remains consistent with the donors’ strategic priorities. The SDC Core Contribution Management (CCM) tool enables a results-oriented management of the core contribution to OCHA.

OCHA worked to make the international humanitarian system more inclusive, strengthening coordination among existing partners, deepening relationships with national and regional authorities and collaborating with a wider set of actors. In December 2011, The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC, chaired by OCHA) adopted the Transformative Agenda (TA), designed to improve the quality of response across the humanitarian system through stronger leadership, greater accountability, better preparedness and improved advocacy.

SDC has been supporting OCHA with unearmarked core contributions since its creation in 1998. SDC has also provided support to OCHA field offices in various humanitarian contexts, in line with SDC geographic and thematic priorities, as well as to rapid response tools such as UNDAC and INSARAG and the UNEP-OCHA Joint Environment Unit (JEU), for which OCHA serves as a secretariat. Furthermore, SDC contributed to various OCHA trainings in the area of Civil-Military Coordination (CIMCORD). In addition, a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the deployment of SHA secondees was signed with OCHA in 2008.

OCHA continues to lead efforts to draw international attention to the consequences of humanitarian emergencies and to secure unhindered access for humanitarian agencies. OCHA is increasing efforts to secure new sources of financing through high-level outreach to non-traditional donors. However, OCHA recognizes that to win broader support, it must do more to demonstrate the impact of its work and that of its partners. The implementation of the Transformative Agenda remains a high priority.

Discussions with OCHA on its new Strategic Framework 2014-2017 will start in 2013. This new framework is due for end 2013. Switzerland will monitor the implementation of the IASC TA in the field and elaborate common messages in the agencies’ executive boards with other donors to support OCHA as chair of the IASC. Support to OCHA’s field offices in humanitarian contexts, in line with SDC geographic and thematic priorities will continue as well as the collaboration on specific issues such as access, humanitarian partnerships, civil-military coordination, and environmental emergencies.

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The OCHA Donor Support Group (ODSG) is composed of 25 donors. Top-5 donors are UK, US, Norway, Sweden and ECHO.

The coordination with other donors takes place in the framework of the ODSG which aims to support OCHA in fulfilling its mandated role. The ODSG members have committed themselves to providing political, as well as substantial financial support to OCHA through an annual unearmarked contribution of at least USD 500'000

Phase 17 01.01.2013 - 31.12.2014   (Completed)