All operations surveyed in 2023 had a national-level Inter-Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG), an operational coordination body chaired by OCHA that reports to the HCT. ICCGs ensure actions are taken across clusters to address delivery gaps and enhance coordination efficiency.
Membership
The average size of national-level ICCGs has seen a considerable increase, rising from 30 members in 2022 to 34 in 2023. The operations with the largest ICCGs are South Sudan (65 members), the Central African Republic (59 members) and Afghanistan (58 members).
National-level ICCG average size – 2021 to 2023
The composition of national-level ICCGs remained varied, generally including cluster coordinators, information management officers, and technical advisers. Participation by agency emergency coordinators fell to 46 per cent of ICCGs, down from 60 per cent in 2022. National NGOs participated in 46 per cent of ICCGs, comparable to 47 per cent in 2022. When including all local and national actors, this rises to participation in 75 per cent of ICCGs in 2023, compared to 73 per cent in 2022 and 63 per cent in 2021, including national/local authorities (DRC, Haiti, Philippines, Lebanon), Red Cross / Red Crescent national societies (Haiti, Philippines, Lebanon) and cluster coordinators hosted by NNGOs in 13 operations. However, local, or national actors made up only 7 per cent of ICCG members in 2023, compared to 11 per cent in 2022. Seven operations had no local or national actors in their ICCGs in 2023: Madagascar, Mali, Mozambique, Sudan, Syria (Damascus), Yemen and Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, international NGO participation dropped slightly from 60 per cent of ICCGs in 2022 to 57 per cent in 2023.
ICCGs were predominantly chaired by OCHA Heads or Deputy Heads of Office (64 per cent), while 29 per cent were chaired by Heads of Coordination Units in OCHA Country Offices. This represents a continued reduction in ICCGs chaired by OCHA senior management, from 67 per cent in 2022 and 77 per cent in 2021.
ICCG composition global average – 2021 to 2023
Presence in ICCGs – 2021 to 2023
Meeting frequency and focus
The frequency of ICCG meetings varied depending on the operation. In 2023, 82 per cent of ICCGs convened on a fortnightly or monthly basis, up slightly from 80 per cent in 2022. Weekly meetings were held in 14 per cent of operations, including the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Sudan, and Venezuela. In Zimbabwe, the ICCG met every two months or on an ad-hoc basis.
ICCGs devoted an estimated 31 per cent of these meetings to processes related to the Humanitarian Programme Cycle (HPC), followed by operational analysis and preparedness activities, reflecting a consistent trend over the years.
ICCG time dedicated to each area of work – 2021 to 2023
Tools and policies
ICCGs reported on the status of annual workplans, terms of reference and performance reviews, showing varying trends across these areas from 2021 to 2023. The proportion of ICCGs with terms of reference slightly declined from 90 per cent in 2021 to 87 per cent in 2022 but rebounded to 96 per cent in 2023. The percentage of ICCGs conducting annual performance reviews also declined over this period, with 90 per cent in 2021, dropping to 74 per cent in 2022 and 70 per cent in 2023. The prevalence of workplans decreased from 60 per cent in 2021 to 53 per cent in 2022, with a modest rise to 54 per cent in 2023.