This paper describes the phenomenon of the ‘bilateralisation’ of humanitarian response, and assesses its implications for UNHCR. It draws on a review of documentation from UNHCR and a series of interviews with a number of UNHCR staff. This research has both informed and been informed by a larger study by the Overseas Development Institute, which will report in Autumn/Winter 2002.
The remainder of this report is divided into four sections. Section 2 reviews the definition, origins and implications of the ‘bilateralisation’ of humanitarian response. Section 3 looks at the trend towards the bilateralisation of humanitarian aid spending. Section 4 examines the evolution of donors’ strategies for contracting their operational partners and for managing these contracts. Section 5 concludes the paper with an analysis of the implications for UNHCR.