Coordination as the flagship to the efficacy of humanitarian aid: Research on the influence of different coordination types on the efficacy of humanitarian aid operations in Africa

Abstract

AbstractAnnually, global populations need humanitarian aid due to various crises. Whilst numerous actors aim to provide assistance in these critical situations, this aid is often deemed ineffective due to duplication of efforts and a failure to ensure that all individuals in need are reached. This research aims to raise awareness of the significance of coordination in this field, as well as setting the stage for further research of issues and potential solutions within this policy domain. While “Coordination” is a widely accepted term that is regarded as a comprehensive solution, it lacks specificity regarding the type of coordination required. This research uses a meta‐evaluation to contend that despite extensive research on coordination within humanitarian interventions, there is still considerable room for improvement in this area. The findings, drawing on evaluations of humanitarian assistance in Africa, indicate that the success of coordination efforts varies depending on the type of coordination employed. They emphasize that humanitarian coordination positively impacts effectiveness, but this influence is contingent on the operationalization of the concept and the presence of various conditional factors. Several recommendations follow from these findings, including improvements on information exchange, short‐ and long‐term strategies and joint resource mobilization.