Subnational HCTs and ICCGs

Subnational Humanitarian Country Teams

In 2023, 13 out of 28 operations (46 per cent) had subnational HCTs. Afghanistan (7), and Syria (Damascus) (6) recorded the highest numbers of subnational HCTs, maintaining their position as the operations with the most subnational HCTs from 2022.

OCHA chaired the majority of sub-national HCTs, leading 29 out of 52 (56 per cent), with 22 of these solely chaired by OCHA. Deputy Humanitarian Coordinators (DHCs) chaired 8 per cent of subnational HCTs, and local authorities chaired 10 per cent of subnational HCTs. Other UN actors, local NGOs, INGOs and NGO consortia also took on chairing roles in a number of contexts. Donor participation was noted in 11 per cent of subnational HCTs.

Subnational Inter-Cluster Coordination Groups

In 2023, 77 subnational ICCGs were active across 21 operations, marking a slight decrease from the 82 subnational ICCGs recorded in 2022. These subnational ICCGs were present in 75 per cent of all operations, highlighting a sustained emphasis on operational coordination at the subnational level. Operations with high numbers of subnational ICCGs included Sudan (9), Ethiopia, South Sudan, and Somalia (7 each), followed by Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, and Syria (Damascus) (6 each). As the crisis escalated, Sudan emerged as the operation with the highest number of subnational ICCGs in 2023, whereas South Sudan had the highest number in 2022.

OCHA chaired the vast majority of subnational ICCGs during 2023. Local authorities chaired or co-chaired 8 per cent of subnational ICCGs, including four subnational locations in Somalia and one in Honduras, whilst local authorities were involved in 21 per cent of subnational ICCGs.

Number of subnational HCTs and ICCGs by location

Area-based and localized mechanisms

In 2023, 71 per cent of operations (20 out of 28) reported having area-based coordination at the subnational level, a slight increase over 2022, when 67 per cent of operations (20 out of 30) employed such models. These approaches, tailored to specific local needs, spanned various levels of coordination, from provincial or departmental structures to highly localized arrangements, often led by NGOs. Subnational area-based or localized mechanisms were reported by surveyed operations in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Chad, Colombia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Lebanon, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria (Gaziantep, NES area), Ukraine, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zimbabwe.