Humanitarian Assistance

How can the United States and Europe improve the effectiveness and impact of their humanitarian assistance efforts? A team of scholars and practitioners led by the Global Public Policy Institute and the Center for Transatlantic Relations at Johns Hopkins University conducted field-based empirical research and engaged policymakers to improve U.S.-European cooperation in four key areas of humanitarian assistance: linking relief, rehabilitation, and development; applying best practices and lessons learned; improving business engagement in emergency relief and preparedness; and considering civil-military relations in disaster response. The authors provide an in-depth analysis of the current state of the humanitarian policy debate and the relevant institutional setup in the EU and the U.S. They compare doctrines, programming principles, and geographical and sectoral priorities and propose areas where these principles and priorities can be made coherent. They also offer specific recommendations for greater transatlantic coherence and effectiveness. Copublished with the Global Public Policy Institute.