EU Staff Handbook for Operating in Situations of Conflict and Fragility

It is widely recognized that failure to engage in fragile and conflict-affected situations differently and in an innovative manner is likely to entail major human, social, economic and security costs. Having this in mind, the European Union has put in place a new institutional setup, has issued a new policy framework and has developed a set of innovative, practical approaches to get the best value for money for its external assistance aid programmes and for making a real difference in reducing poverty on the ground.  However, while EU policies, methodologies and procedures for aid management are continuously adapting to the new challenges, effective action on the ground also involves building new staff skills, so as to ensure that the available human resources are able to provide the best possible expertise before, during and after a crisis. Thus, human resource becomes an essential factor of failure or success, in particular when dealing with a sudden crisis, but also when tackling transitional processes or implementing development programmes in a fragile context.

It is within this context that the European Commission, DG DEVCO –EuropeAid, Fragility and Resilience Unit, commissioned the development of the “EU Staff handbook for operating in situations of conflict and fragility” in 2014.

This is a handbook written by staff. It recounts staff experience as told in the first person and documented in evaluations. As such, it seeks to reap the benefits of the EU’s rich experience in situations of conflict and fragility.

It is also a handbook written for staff. As such it hopes to provide staff, who have been newly deployed to such situations, with a useful overview of current concepts, policies, instruments and good practices. It does not set out new policies or procedures at length; instead, it summarises them in a single document and points to where more detailed guidance and documentation can be obtained.

Last but not least, it is a living handbook. As new challenges emerge — be they related to demography, new technologies, climate change or identity politics — the business model for engaging in situations of conflict and fragility will evolve. This handbook will reflect the new developments and lessons learned.

All in all, this handbook constitutes a valuable summary of what we have learned so far and the instruments we have created and applied to date. We hope it will help staff to further draw on and enrich the vast knowledge and resource base that we have amassed in order to address the challenges of conflict and fragility effectively, be they entrenched and chronic, or emerging and unfamiliar.