ICRC cooperation in humanitarian emergencies with the UN --- I agree with your analysis. Currently, I work with OCHA in a humanitarian setting and we have difficulties cooperating with ICRC. They are ilusive and tend to have much distance from the humanitarian community at a strategic level. However, as a UN staff, I can understand to a certain degree this separation. This is mainly due to issues of perception and abiding by the principle of neutrality. In many contexts, the UN have a very close relationship with the government that sends a wrong message to other stakeholders in the conflict mainly, the non state armed groups. Due to fear of government reprisal and animosity, the UN choses to note engage with certain actors which compromised the negotiations for access.

Source author: Riyadh Sidat riyadh.sidat@un.org