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Self Report 2017

The self-report on WHS Commitments below is organized according to the 24 transformations of the Agenda for Humanity. It is based on commitments pledged at the time of report submission. Click on the 'Expand' symbol to expand each section and read the reporting inputs by transformation.

1C
Remain engaged and invest in stability

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • Achievements at a glance

    After the elections in the Central African Republic (CAR), France called for a donor conference and then supported the decision of the European Union to host it. The Junior Minister for Development and Francophonie traveled to CAR in June 2016, and took part in international preparatory meetings for the donor conference. The Junior Minister for Development and Francophonie then took part in the donor conference in Brussels in November 2016, and announced that France would contribute the amount of EUR 85 million to help CAR within the next three years, thus confirming France as the first bilateral donor in CAR.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    France will continue its support to the Central African Republic, including to help it strengthen its capacities to implement and coordinate aid.

1D
Develop solutions with and for people

Individual Commitment

  • Achievements at a glance

    France conducted a regular dialogue with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on questions related to the implementation of International Humanitarian Law. In this framework, France and the ICRC organized in Paris during one day in November 2016 a high-level meeting on these questions. France also conducted regular dialogue with the ICRC with regards to the implementation of Resolutions 1 and 2 adopted at the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent. France also met on several occasions with NGOs to discuss and other civil society organizations to discuss questions related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    France will pursue its dialogue with civil society organizations on questions related to the protection of civilians in armed conflict.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    2E - Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

2A
Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities

Joint Commitment

Individual Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Protection of civilians is the core issue of peacekeeping operations. France is committed to strengthening the capacities of peacekeepers on this issue and supports ongoing reforms that are currently conducted at the UN.
    Regarding explosive remnants of war (ERW), they endanger the lives of civilians long after conflicts have ended, threaten the possibility for displaced populations to move back to their homelands, and hinder reconstruction efforts. Additional efforts in the field of cooperation and assistance, particularly when targeted at education and clearance efforts, can help mitigate this risk.

  • Achievements at a glance

    At the beginning of this year, France conducted a specific training for UN peacekeeping trainers. Throughout the training, trainees were trained on human rights and civil protection issues. In New York, France, within the framework of the peacekeeping reform, has formulated a number of proposals which should make it possible to improve the effectiveness of peacekeepers in protecting civilian populations.
    France delivers assistance for the clearance of ERW to numerous countries, on a bilateral basis, in the UN framework, and through NGOs. For instance, France provides direct and financial support to the Center for Humanitarian Demining Training (CPADD) in Benin. France has also sent experts for short-term training missions to several States, and is currently providing training to the Iraqi internal security forces. Moreover, France includes mine-removal teams when deploying armed forces, which carry out clearance operations and share their expertise with local teams.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    As a member of the Security Council, France, in close coordination with UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, ensures that the issue of the protection of civilians is effectively implemented by personnel deployed in operations.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Facing complex security and human environments, UN peacekeeping operations do not always have the means to adapt to the anticipation of attacks against the civil populations.
    The number of relevant international fora and the diversity of actors involved pose a challenge for the international coordination of efforts in the fight against Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    In 2017, the United Nations will continue its efforts to build capacity for more effective civilian protection. France continues to accompany and support this ambitious reform.
    In 2017, France aims at sustaining its efforts in planning, funding and carrying out assistance programs and awareness campaigns focused on ERW.
    Regarding improvised explosive devices (IEDs), in 2017, France is further planning to support discussions in international fora in order to increase cooperation to fight IEDs, in particular through the CCW and UNGA; and to work with organizations mobilized in this fight such as UNIDIR.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Respect and protect civilians and civilian objects in the conduct of hostilities', what would it be

    A preventive approach combining awareness-raising, training of armed forces and data recording and sharing is key to fighting the harm caused by explosive remnants of war.
    A comprehensive approach (awareness-raising, armed and security forces training, exchange of best practices) is necessary to counter the effects of improvised explosive devices.

2B
Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Compliance with international humanitarian law and human rights law by French armed forces and their partners is a priority and a key element for the success of military operations. It is a means to enhance multinational interoperability and to strengthen mutual capacities in a crisis or peacekeeping context. These capacities are dedicated to the protection of civilians and civilian goods against direct attacks and their effects, as well as to the prevention of sexual violence. More generally they are dedicated to the dissemination of international humanitarian law in accordance with our international obligations.

  • Achievements at a glance

    French operational legal advisors are deployed on operations fields where French and allied military capacities are engaged. They contribute actively to the dissemination of international humanitarian law and human rights law. This is notably the case in the framework of “Operation Barkhane” where these advisors are responsible for training activities for the armed forces of host countries and contingents of MINUSMA, when the latter are located near French precincts. Moreover, many training activities are conducted in France by specialized military entities.
    France also continued to actively promote the principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence in humanitarian action, in all relevant fora, including by implementing its partnership both with the International Committee of the Red Cross (Convention of 22nd of October 2014) and the French Red Cross, through regular dialogue with these two organizations at the highest level.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    Regular reports of the training activities conducted on the operations fields are communicated to the military authorities at the strategic level. They show that these training activities are well received by the trainees and allow for better sharing of best practices.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    More and more, humanitarian issues, especially as they relate to the question of access, are politicized in international fora, to the detriment of people in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    French armed forces will continue to ensure dissemination of international humanitarian law and human rights law through training activities for the armed forces of its partners that express the need for such training. They will be careful about developing specific training programmes in this regard. France will continue to raise awareness on the need for effective implementation of Security Council resolution 2286 (3 May 2016) on the protection of health care in armed conflict. It will also continue to advocate relentlessly for unhindered humanitarian access to all people in need in armed conflict, and for the protection of humanitarian personnel.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Ensure full access to and protection of the humanitarian and medical missions', what would it be

    The constant mobilization of the international community is needed to ensure safe, unhindered and sustained access to all people in need in armed conflict thoughout the world.

2D
Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability

Joint Commitment

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    As party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court since its establishment, France promotes universal adherence to it and commits to continue to fully cooperate with the International Criminal Court.
    France continues to be fully mobilized, particularly in international organizations, to ensure that perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity in Syria are placed under their responsibility and accountable to the courts.

  • Achievements at a glance

    Universalization of the Rome Statute:
    France supports the International Criminal Court (ICC) and promotes the universality of the Rome Statute in all international forums, in particular the UN Security Council, but also in its bilateral relations.

    Financial support:
    France has been providing financial support to the ICC since its inception. It is the 3rd contributing country. France's contributions for the year 2017 exceed EUR 12 million.

    Cooperation / mutual legal assistance:
    France provides intensive cooperation and mutual legal assistance to the Court, and in particular to the Office of the Prosecutor. France is in fact the State that cooperates most with the ICC.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    In terms of the fight against impunity:
    France fully supports the resolution adopted at the General Assembly on 21 December 2016 at the initiative of Liechtenstein, which it co-sponsored, and which aims to establish an "international, impartial and independent inquiry mechanism" under the control of the United Nations to facilitate investigations and to assist in the trial of those responsible for the most serious crimes committed in Syria since March under international humanitarian and human rights law. This mechanism is a first step before those responsible can be tried.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    In the fight against impunity and the universalization of the Rome Statute:
    France will remain fully mobilized on the issue of withdrawal from African countries and will continue to facilitate dialogue with these countries, both bilaterally and within the framework of the European Union.
    France regrets that, despite all the initiatives it has taken and the support they have received, the Security Council has still not been able to refer the situation in Syria to the International Criminal Court. France will remain mobilized on this subject, notably within the framework of the Independent International Investigation Mechanism.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Take concrete steps to improve compliance and accountability', what would it be

    It is essential that perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity are held accountable and brought to justice.

2E
Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    France has been committed to promoting universal adherence to the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols, the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons, the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM) and the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, since their respective entry into force. It is a party to all of them, and considers that their universalization is necessary to effectively reduce human suffering, reinforce the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, and contribute to international and regional peace, security and stability.

  • Achievements at a glance

    For instance,
    - France has carried out diplomatic efforts with the authorities of 57 States not parties to the CCW since 2012 and with the authorities of 19 States not parties to the CCM since 2015 to promote adherence to these conventions. Together with Zambia, France is now in charge of coordinating universalization efforts in the framework of the CCM.
    - France has contributed EUR 170.000 to the Voluntary Trust Fund of the ATT in order to fund projects to ensure the effective implementation of the Treaty. France also actively participates in numerous outreach programs which aim to promote the universalization and effective implementation of this treaty.

    France also took an active part in the negotiations to implement resolutions 1 and 2 of the 32nd Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    France assesses progress through indicators like the number of demarches carried out in favor of the universalization of these treaties; the number of assistance programs financed and carried out; the number of cooperation programs implemented.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Lack of political interest and fear of administrative / resources burdens may discourage some States from adhering to a number of Treaties.
    The lack of administrative and human resources may hinder the implementation of some provisions, such as the transparency ones.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    France will pursue its diplomatic efforts in favor of the universalization of these treaties, in particular the CCM for which it is the coordinator for universalization. It will also continue its commitment to providing cooperation and assistance programs to requesting States, for instance in order to steer effective implementation of the ATT, both through funds allocated to the Treaty’s Voluntary Trust Fund, through the European Union’s outreach efforts, and through bilateral assistance.

    France will also continue to participate actively in the negotiations to implement resolutions 1 and 2 of the 32nd Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Uphold the rules: a global campaign to affirm the norms that safeguard humanity', what would it be

    Political will and diplomatic mobilization can help foster the universalization of the main international instruments promoting peace, security and stability.
    Efforts to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law must be pursued to enhance protection of civilians in armed conflict.

3A
Reduce and address displacement

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    The escalation of humanitarian needs due to inter alia spiraling conflict, violent extremism and forced displacement by the millions is putting a heavy strain on host communities, humanitarian actors and donors. We have to continue to respond to emergencies and address the needs and vulnerabilities of the 130 million persons in need of humanitarian assistance worldwide, half of whom are forcibly displaced.
    For France, it is a shared responsibility between all States and all actors. This responsibility was reaffirmed in New York at the General Assembly high level meeting on September 19 and at the September 20 Summit on refugees.

  • Achievements at a glance

    In 2016, France dedicated 71% of its humanitarian funding to conflict induced humanitarian crises. French funding goes primarily to UN agencies, especially after the French President decided to reinforce France’s funding in response to the Syrian crisis . The aid is dedicated to IPDs, refugees and host communities.

    Partnerships have been developed to encourage innovative approaches to support the self-reliance of refugees and IDPs, especially the Initiative for Gaziantep, a common platform that aims at creating synergies between the activities funded by the European Union and its member states. France also supports, at the European level, cash-based assistance programs that improve the self-reliance of refugees and IDPs, for example in Lebanon.

    France actively takes part in the elaboration of the Global Compact on refugees and of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration both to be adopted in 2018.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Regarding the above mentioned pacts, a major priority for France is to maintain in the upcoming negotiations the distinction between migrants and refugees, avoid potential confusion between regular and irregular migration and work with the law as it stands. While France is committed to consensus, it considers it paramount that the outcome document be clear, coherent and balanced with, on the one hand, a view to combating irregular migration and organized crime (migrant smuggling and human trafficking) and, on the other hand, a view to having a positive and inclusive approach to regular migration, including economic and educational migration.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    France will continue to take an active part in the elaboration of the above mentioned pacts.

    France also supports the structural reform of the common European asylum system, in line with the principles of solidarity and responsibility above.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Reduce and address displacement', what would it be

    The international community must address the root causes of forced displacement by providing political solutions to crises and creating the conditions for women and men to live with dignity in the country of origin or in the first country of asylum.

  • Cross cutting issues

    IDPs Refugees

3D
Empower and protect women and girls

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    France has always promoted human rights, gender equality, equal access for women and men to political, social and professional activities and fight against gender-based discrimination, violence and stereotypes. This work is carried out at the national, regional and international level.
    France respects the commitments of Muskoka taken in June 2010 by which the states committed themselves to EUR 7 billion to achieve Objectives 4 and 5 of the eight Millennium Development Goals about mother and child’s health. On this occasion, the French authorities agreed to allocate EUR 500 million over five years to the destination of the countries defined as priorities.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France has continued to implement its commitments of Muskoka, through the interventions of the French Development Agency as well as through its contributions to UN agencies - the World Health Organization, United Nations Population Fund, UN Women, and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) - as well as its contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and the International Drug Facility and the GAVI Alliance.

    Furthermore, France's second national action plan on Women, Peace and Security (2015-2018) was elaborated through an interministerial process and led to close consultation with civil society. The objectives of the plan can be broken down into five pillars: Participation of women in the management of conflict and post-conflict situations; Protection of women against violence and protection of women's rights in Conflict and post-conflict; Fight against impunity; prevention; Promotion of the "Women, Peace and Security" agenda at the regional and international level.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    France's second national action plan on Women, Peace and Security (2015-2018) is a living document. From this perspective, a follow-up approach is pursued:
    • Semi-annual meetings of a steering committee, involving all the ministries and administrations concerned.
    • The National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) and the High Council on Equality between Women and Men (HCE) will be invited to join a meeting of the Steering Committee once a year.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    - National plans and strategies to improve gender and equality mainstreaming in all of France’s international interventions, including humanitarian ones, involve the participation of many public actors. It is thus important to develop an integrated and coordinated approach. Regarding France's second national action plan on Women, Peace and Security (2015-2018), this coordination role is played by the steering committee which gathers on a regular basis.

    - Since most of humanitarian interventions target vulnerable populations without discriminating according to gender, it is sometimes difficult to measure the extent of gender and equality mainstreaming that they improve.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    - The National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH) and the High Council on Equality between Women and Men (HCE) will conduct a mid-term assessment of France's second national action plan on Women, Peace and Security (2015-2018).

    - France is working towards the adoption of a “gender marker” for the projects financed by its Humanitarian Emergency Fund (FUH), inspired by the gender marked created by OEDC’s Development Assistance Committee, which aims at ensuring that a significant part of our humanitarian interventions aims at improving gender and equality mainstreaming.

  • Cross cutting issues

    Gender

4A
Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Since 2014, France has put a lot of emphasis on the humanitarian-development nexus (i.e. drafting of a Fragility-related National Strategy, creation of a Post-conflict and Stabilization Unit within the MFA, creation of a Crisis and Post-conflict Unit within the French Development Agency, creation of a EUR 100 million per year facility to target vulnerabilities) to ensure that our emergency action helps solve crisis on the long run. From this perspective, it is key that humanitarian action reinforces rather than replaces national and local systems.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France has started to design :
    (i) a capacity building mechanism aimed at strengthening NGOs’ local partners;
    (ii) a prequalification mechanism aimed at mobilizing local actors in capacity to respond to an urgent crisis immediately, and reinforcing the capacities of pre-selected NGOs through an organizational diagnostic;
    (iii) a localization marker, aimed at assessing France's commitments towards local actors.
    France also works with national governments to reinforce their civil protection, in the framework of the EU (EUCPM, ENPI) and of INSARAG (training, national accreditation, light USAR). France advocated on these issues at the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week in February 2016 in Geneva.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The localization marker will enable France to assess progress towards its enforcement of local and national systems.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    The main challenges identified are :
    (i) the difficulty to find the right balance between promoting localization and safeguarding humanitarian principles in some armed conflicts (instrumentation, reprisals);
    (ii) the difficulty to reconcile capacity building, which is a long-term process, with short-term emergency humanitarian response;
    (iii) the lack of dedicated financing for capacity building;
    (iv) the competition for skilled manpower with international actors (UN, INGOs etc.).

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    The first implementation of the pre-qualification mechanism of NGOs will be initiated soon in Palestinian Territories.
    France will work all throughout 2017 to review its national humanitarian strategy: localization will be a key part of it.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems', what would it be

    Reinforcing national and local systems rather than replacing them is part of a wider strategy: it is key to transcend humanitarian-development divides and ensure that humanitarian response helps solve crisis on the long term.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    4C - Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

4B
Anticipate, do not wait, for crises

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Anticipation (trained personnel, effective organizations, upstream studies…) is key for any effective response to crisis. During the rotating presidency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for COP 21, France decided to identify gaps in current international cooperation on early warning systems and launch an initiative to catalyze projects for early warning systems in most vulnerable countries.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France has focused its action to enhance anticipation on :
    i) civil protection : France’s civil security has mobilized 650 civil servants to train more than 5500 interns all over the world in 2016 and took part in many preventive evaluations of critical infrastructures such as Mosul’s dam. France also works with national governments to reinforce their civil protection, in the framework of the EU (EUCPM, ENPI) and of UNDAC-INSARAG (training, national accreditation, light USAR). France advocated on these issues at the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week in February 2016 in Geneva;
    ii) climate change : France has taken the presidency of the steering committee of the Climate Risk Early Warning Systems (CREWS) initiative, which aims to cover all Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States with efficient Early Warning Systems by 2020. So far, USD 22 million have been pledged, which will be consumed by the planned projects.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    With regard to civil protection, the EU's court of auditors evaluates the EU Civil Protection Mechanism on a regular basis. France’s civil security uses indicators such as the number of people trained, the number of EMT and light USAR certified. Regarding climate risks, a global mapping of the state of warning systems and climate vulnerability in countries was conducted. The CREWS steering committee approved notes for operational procedures on project developing and programming, and on monitoring and evaluation. The outcomes will be presented at the Global platform on disaster risk reduction (May 2017), meant to measure progress towards Sendai Framework targets.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    UNDAC is to reinforce its action to anticipate and prepare for crisis. Monitoring should be developed to ensure countries implement UNDAC’s advices.

    Regarding climate, new funding contributions towards a target of USD 100 million in 2020 are necessary to ensure that hydro-meteorological services in vulnerable countries can be covered. A third steering committee will take place in May 2017. New funding pledges shall be announced by partners. Global progress will be assessed at the global platform on disaster risk reduction in Cancun.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Anticipate, do not wait, for crises', what would it be

    Prioritize projects with most transversal benefits to prevent multiple dimensions of crises. A focus shall be made on early warning networks.

  • Cross cutting issues

    Disaster Risk Reduction

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    4C - Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

4C
Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Silos between humanitarian and development actors prevent the international community to tackle crisis on the long term.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France has filled the gap between humanitarian and development at an institutional level by creating a Post-conflict and Stabilization Unit within the MFA and a Crisis and Post-conflict Unit within the French Development Agency (AFD). Coordination between MFA and AFD on response to crisis has been formalized through regular meetings.

    There is also a joint thinking between humanitarian and development institutional actors through a partnership with the think tank URD (Emergency Rehabilitation Development). The creation of an Anticipation Unit within the MFA also enables better joint analysis.

    New funding has been given to transcend humanitarian and development divide: a EUR 100 million per year “Vulnerability Fund” (Facilité d'atténuation des vulnérabilités et de réponse aux crises) was created within AFD to fund multi-year programs focusing on protracted crises.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    France’s fragility-related national strategy and AFD’s “Vulnerability Fund” strategy will define monitoring indicators to measure progress and assess impacts.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    France is to adopt in 2017 its fragility-related strategy, designed together by humanitarian and development institutional actors.
    The first implementation of projects funded by the "Vulnerability Fund" will take place at the end of 2017. It will be an occasion to test and improve coordination between humanitarian and development actors.

    At a European and international level, France advocates for a reinforcement of the coordination
    (i) between humanitarian and development actors (ECHO/DEVCO at a European level; HCR-UNICEF-WFP/WB-UNDP-FAO at an international level, under the leadership of the United Nations’ coordinator);
    (ii) between EU and UN actors.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    5B - Invest according to risk

5A
Invest in local capacities

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Since 2014, France has put a lot of emphasis on the humanitarian-development nexus (i.e. drafting of a Fragility-related National Strategy, creation of a Post-conflict and Stabilization Unit within the MFA, creation of a Crisis and Post-conflict Unit within the French Development Agency, creation of a EUR 100 million per year Facility to target vulnerabilities) to ensure that our emergency action helps solve crisis in the long run. From this perspective, it is key that humanitarian action reinforces rather than replaces national and local systems.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France has started to design :
    - A capacity building mechanism aiming at strengthening NGOs’ local partners;
    - A prequalification mechanism aiming at mobilizing local actors in capacity to respond to an urging crisis immediately, and reinforcing the capacities of pre-selected NGOs through an organizational diagnostic;
    - A localization marker, aiming at assessing our commitments towards local actors;
    France also works with national governments to reinforce their civil protection, in the framework of the EU (EUCPM, ENPI) and of INSARAG (training, national accreditation, light USAR). France advocated on these issues at the Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Week in February 2016 in Geneva.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    The localization marker will enable France to assess progress towards its enforcement of local and national systems.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    The main challenges identified are :
    (i) the difficulty to find the right balance between promoting localization and safeguarding humanitarian principles in several political contexts (instrumentation, reprisals);
    (ii) the difficulty to reconcile capacity building, which is a long-term process, with short-term emergency humanitarian response;
    (iii) the lack of dedicated financing for capacity building;
    (iv) the competition for skilled manpower with international actors (UN, INGOs etc.).

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    The first implementation of the prequalification mechanism of NGOs will be initiated soon in Palestinian Territories. France will work all throughout 2017 to review its national humanitarian strategy: localization will be a key part of it.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Invest in local capacities', what would it be

    Reinforcing national and local systems rather than replacing them is part of a wider strategy: it is key to transcend humanitarian-development divides and ensure that humanitarian response helps solve crisis on the long term.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    4A - Reinforce, do not replace, national and local systems

5B
Invest according to risk

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    France chaired the COP 21 which led to the Paris agreement on climate: tackling the risks associated with climate change is key to avoid a surge in natural disasters caused by global warming.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France is framing an approach to mainstream disaster risk reduction in development investments and international cooperation. France specifically funded the CREWS initiative for early warning systems in low/middle income countries (EUR 10 million) and the Insuresilience initiative for risk sharing through sovereign and regional insurance funds (EUR 5 million to an African risk capacity whose funding is triggered according to objective index of disaster situation).
    France is lead in civil protection actions in international cooperation in favor of systemic shift (EU Caribbean Richter 2017, for instance).
    France supported the EU action plan on the Sendai framework, including in development cooperation, and is aware of the UN action plan on this Framework. France, through the CREWS initiative, also contributed to the funding of the early warning global conference preliminary to the Global platform on DRR in May 2017.
    The French Development Agency (AFD) has already dedicated EUR 575 million of its portfolio to climate adaptation.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    France is assessing progress through both financial targets (EUR 1 billion per year in 2020 for climate adaptation) and the monitoring it has helped design to measure progress towards the targets of the Sendai framework, that will be presented at the Global platform on DRR in May 2017.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    AFD will keep implementing its commitment to reach EUR 1 billion per year in 2020 for climate adaptation. CREWS third steering committee will take place in May 2017, and global progress will be assessed at the Global platform on DRR in May 2017.

  • Cross cutting issues

    Disaster Risk Reduction

5C
Invest in stability

Individual Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    France sits on the boards of the most important IFIs, which aim at financing public goods. With the expansion of protracted crisis these past few years, the financing of long-term refugee and internally displaced persons caseloads and of countries hosting these refugees has become a public good.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France has advocated successfully to make fragility a priority of the operations financed with International Development Association funds (IDA 18, 2017-2019). Resources mobilized for fragile states will be doubled with regard to IDA 18 (2015-2017). A “refugee sub-window” will also be created to finance development schemes for refugees and host communities.

  • Cross cutting issues

    IDPs Refugees

5D
Finance outcomes, not fragmentation: shift from funding to financing

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Silos between humanitarian, development, peacebuilding, stabilization and climate financing must be transcended to develop a much needed more effective and comprehensive response to crisis, especially within the context of protracted crisis.

  • Achievements at a glance

    At national level, France has filled the gaps between humanitarian and development through the creation of a Post-conflict and Stabilization Unit within the MFA and a Crisis and Post-conflict Unit within the French Development Agency (AFD). Coordination between MFA and AFD on response to crisis has been formalized through regular meetings and a joint analysis through a partnership with the think tank URD. New funding has been allocated to transcend the humanitarian and development divide: a EUR 100 million per year “Vulnerability Fund” (Facilité d'atténuation des vulnérabilités et de réponse aux crises) was created within AFD to fund multi-year programs focusing on protracted crises.
    At the European and international level, France has advocated for joint analysis and better operational coordination between the EU, the UN and the World bank, and between the UN coordinators and Peacekeeping heads of missions. It has also advocated for more flexible funding mechanisms.

  • Next step to advance implementation in 2017

    France is to adopt in 2017 its fragility-related strategy, designed together by humanitarian and development institutional actors.
    The first implementation of projects funded by the "Vulnerability Fund" will take place at the end of 2017. It will be an occasion to test and improve coordination between humanitarian and development actors.

  • Other related Agenda for Humanity transformations

    4C - Deliver collective outcomes: transcend humanitarian-development divides

5E
Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency

Individual Commitment

Core Commitment

  • What led your organization to make the commitment?

    Growing reporting requirements and diverging reporting norms among donors are a burden for NGOs, undermining humanitarian action’s cost-efficiency by making administrative costs excessive.

  • Achievements at a glance

    France’s FUH (Humanitarian Emergency Fund) reporting requirements are widely recognized for their simplicity.
    At the international level (European Union, United Nations), France advocates continuously for a simplification and harmonization of donors’ reporting requirements.

  • How is your organization assessing progress

    France holds regular meetings with relevant French NGOs among its Humanitarian Concertation Group (HCG) and has informal talks with many French and international NGOs, in which these questions are frequently discussed.

  • Challenges faced in implementation

    Other international issues such as fighting against terrorism financing collide with the need to alleviate and harmonize reporting requirements. The right balance needs to be found.

  • If you had one message for the annual report on what is most needed to advance the transformation 'Diversify the resource base and increase cost-efficiency', what would it be

    Alleviating reporting requirements is a key issue if we want humanitarian action to be more efficient.