Mission vs Safety: OCHA Somalia and the Baidoa Raid
This case provides students with a window into the reality of international humanitarian work, specifically the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). In July 2009, al-Shabaab militants overran the UN Common Compound in Baidoa, Somalia, and expelled “political” agencies. Under UN rules, international humanitarian personnel were obliged to leave as well—although they did not want to.
Case number:
SIPA-12-0002.0
Category:
Public Policy Cases
Topics:
aid to lawless societies, humanitarian organizations, multinational organizations, public sector management
Teaching resources:
Epilogue,
Teaching note