Verbal agreement doesn't always need to be written --- I think a verbal agreement can be as strong as written, depending on culture, context and the magnitude of the situation. Also requiring things to be written and endorsed can create unnecessary delays, things might need to go further up the line and get stuck. Whereas verbal can be maybe progressed the next day e.g a relief distribution, having this in writing might then require lots of officials to attend but verbal agreement might enable it to happen quicker.

Source author: Catherine Gearing cathgearing@gmail.com