PROBLEMS OF COORDINATION OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN AID PROGRAMMES IN UKRAINE

Abstract

In 2023, insecurity caused by a steady stream of bombardments across the country, heavy fighting and military operations on the frontline continued to hamper the ability of humanitarian actors to provide assistance and services to people affected by the war in Ukraine. Bureaucratic obstacles also affected humanitarian assistance. The humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, which was triggered by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, has resulted in the need for significant international humanitarian assistance to the affected population. Given the large number of humanitarian organisations and programmes operating in Ukraine, there is an urgent need for effective coordination of their efforts. The article emphasises that coordination is vital in humanitarian assistance, as it helps to reduce gaps and duplication in the provision of humanitarian assistance. It is determined that coordination plays an important role in ensuring preparedness and response to humanitarian challenges. It is established that coordination should be inclusive and that organisations responsible for coordination need sufficient capacity, including staff, funding, communication infrastructure and other resources. Effective coordination should be supported by high-level political leadership and incentives for cooperation. The humanitarian coordination of international programmes aims to improve the effectiveness of humanitarian response by ensuring greater predictability, accountability and partnership. The main challenges of coordinating international humanitarian assistance programmes in Ukraine were identified and analysed, including centralised coordination, diversity of approaches and standards, frequent bureaucratic obstacles, competition for resources and crowding out of local organisations, insufficient consideration of the local context and inflexible governance structures. Based on the analysis, recommendations were made to improve the effectiveness of cooperation between different actors in the humanitarian response to the crisis in Ukraine. Important recommendations include ensuring a more equitable distribution of financial and material resources between international and local organisations and involving local civil society organisations in the planning and decision-making process at all stages of the humanitarian response.