The most recent contribution to the debate is the report UN Integration and Humanitarian Space, (http://www.odi.org.uk/publications/docs/7526.pdf) produced jointly by ODI and the Stimson Center. There has already been discussion of this report in a number of fora, and no doubt some of you have already seen or been asked to comment on it.

Among the feedback that has been generated is the NRC discussion paper A Partnership at Risk?  (http://www.nrc.no/arch/_img/9608308.pdf). This paper looks at some key issues related to integrated missions, and raises concerns that are shared by a lot of humanitarian organisations.  

The roundtable will be chaired by Laura Hammond, and there will be brief presentations by Samir Elhawary, one of the authors of the integrated missions report, and by Marit Glad, author of the NRC paper. There will then be time for discussion and debate. The idea is to allow operational organisations clarify thinking around this issue and others that may be related, and to look at some steps forward on this issue. Some of the topics they hope to discuss include:

-          What is the future for structural integration in complex environments? Has the ODI/Stimson Center paper had an impact? What changes can we expect to see?

-          What are some commonalities between the debate on integrated missions and that on strategies like the Building Stability Overseas Strategy (BSOS), the ‘comprehensive approach’ or ‘whole of government approaches’? What lessons may be transferrable?  

-          How do ‘political’ and ‘humanitarian’ actors communicate and share space without causing one another difficulties? How can we avoid polarisation without blurring the lines?