From March 3 to 8, 2024, the World Food Program (WFP) Humanitarian-Military Interaction Course was held in Panama City (Panama). This first course in the region, which brought together a diverse audience and distinguished speakers, constitutes an important milestone in strengthening cooperation between humanitarian and military actors.
The course was attended by representatives from various institutions, such as the Inter-American Defense Board, the Canadian Armed Forces, USAID/BHA, ECHO, AECID, the United States Armed Forces, OCHA, UNICEF, UNODC, SINAPROC and personnel from WFP headquarters, as well as regional and field humanitarian offices.
The course was part of WFP's commitment to use Military Humanitarian Interaction (MHI) to support operations, especially in circumstances of crises and disasters, where the presence and role of military forces can be critical due to their operational strength. and logistics. The main objective was to facilitate the establishment and maintenance of a dialogue with military actors, based on the humanitarian principles of neutrality, impartiality, humanity and operational independence.
During the event, important issues were addressed, such as understanding the operations and decision-making processes of military personnel, practical coordination with the military on issues such as humanitarian notification systems, armed escorts or the use of military resources and of civil defense. The growing role of military forces in responding to disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean was also recognized, as was the importance of civil-military coordination for the success of humanitarian operations. Emphasis was placed on the need to establish strategic relationships and address the specific challenges of the region.
The WFP Humanitarian-Military Interaction Course in Panama represents a step forward in cooperation based on understanding between humanitarian and military actors to improve the effectiveness of aid operations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
During the stay of its representatives in Panama City, the IADB received an invitation from Mr. Manuel Gómez, Protempore President of CEPREDENAC and Vice Director of the National Civil Protection System (SINAPROC) of the Republic of Panama, to learn about the response capabilities to disasters in the country, as well as a guided tour of the COEN-Panama.
These meetings allowed us to strengthen the relations of the Inter-American Defense Board with strategic institutions in the field of Disaster Risk Management, the World Food Program and the National Civil Protection System of Panama.
