Title: HOPE AGE (Humanitarian Operations Planning Exercise in Assertive Governance Environments).

Session format: In-person interactive session, English

Date/Time: 25 March 2024, 14h00-15h30 Geneva Time

Abstract: 

In a rapidly changing world, new potential for major wars is uprooting norms of how to provide aid. International humanitarian actors must proactively plan for unexpected challenges. This session explores the question: how can humanitarian actors scale-up unprecedented operations in countries with functioning and assertive governance structures, particularly at the start of a large-scale conflict?

In the fictional setting of HOPE AGE, a hypothetical discussion-based exercise, we will explore ways of enhancing preparedness through Serious Games, helping humanitarian actors and other stakeholders identify otherwise obscured needs, gaps and their potential to operate in such contexts.

Over a 90-minute session, small groups will confront a future scenario, planning backwards while counting down to a forecasted significant cross-border combat operation, actively highlighting key limits, tasks and objectives in anticipated humanitarian provision.

Debriefing and group discussion will then feed into partners’ reflections, including UN OCHA’s, on anticipatory planning requirements for such scenarios. The session will also allow partners to reflect on the further potential of such simulation and exercise tools for  capacity building and better response planning.

Target audience: humanitarian organizations, civil protection agencies, militaries, academia

Speakers: Dr. Timothy Peacock, University of Glasgow