The European Union has launched the EU Humanitarian Surge Support initiative, a two-year initiative designed to reinforce the humanitarian community’s ability to respond rapidly, coherently and predictably to crises and emergencies worldwide.
By building on the long-standing expertise of NORCAP and iMMAP, the initiative ensures that surge deployments are fast, efficient and complementary to ongoing efforts led by UN agencies, NGOs and local stakeholders. Rather than creating a parallel system, this initiative works in close collaboration with established mechanisms such as the Standby Partnership Network and the United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC).
“The EU’s priority is to ensure that people affected by crises receive rapid and coordinated support. This initiative strengthens established mechanisms rather than replacing them, helping the humanitarian system respond faster and more efficiently when emergencies strike,” says Michela Matuella, Director of the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre (ERCC).
“The real value of this project lies in working together, not in working alone. With the increasingly challenging international context and decreasing funding on several fronts, we must always consider how we can improve our work and best support people affected by emergencies” says NORCAP Executive Director, Benedicte GiaEver.
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“Through this collaboration, we aim to strengthen existing humanitarian surge mechanisms by drawing on our 15 years of experience in providing specialised technical expertise to the global humanitarian community. Our role is to ensure that deployments are not only timely, but also relevant, well-coordinated and supporting the operational challenges of our partners in contexts where escalating humanitarian needs are evident,” says Guido Pizzini, iMMAP’s Business Development & Partnerships Director.
Across the two-year period, the project aims to support 10 emergency responses, deploying experts in areas such as information management, health, logistics, coordination, cash programming and environmental assessment. There are no geographic restrictions, allowing the mechanism to support crises wherever needs emerge. With a budget of EUR 2.5 million, the project will run until September 2027.
A collaborative governance model underpins the initiative. Strategic direction is provided by a Joint Planning Group comprising ECHO as the donor, NORCAP as project lead and iMMAP as implementing partner. Day-to-day delivery is overseen by a project management team made up of NORCAP and iMMAP.
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