USAID Civilian-Military Cooperation Policy

Purpose: This policy establishes the foundation for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) cooperation with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) in the areas of joint planning, assessment and evaluation, training, implementation, and strategic communication. This cooperation is designed to facilitate a whole-of-government approach in which U.S. Government (USG) agencies work within their mandated areas of responsibility in a more coherent way to provide a coordinated, consistent response in pursuit of shared policy goals to include, inter alia, humanitarian relief efforts, counter-terrorism initiatives, civil affairs programs, and reconstruction and stabilization efforts.

Such improved cooperation is a critical element of stabilization efforts in fragile states, particularly in pre- and post-conflict environments. This paper clarifies, formalizes, and defines the parameters of USAID’s interaction with DoD. It complements the efforts of the Department of State, Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization (S/CRS), to define a broader civilian interagency engagement with DoD. DoD representatives in the field and in Washington do not seek to supplant USAID’s role, but rather look to the Agency for guidance in identifying how the military can play a more supportive role in USAID’s development activities.

The companion internal document, Civilian-Military Cooperation Implementation Guidelines, further details functional areas for USAID DoD cooperation, provides legal guidance on operational issues, and illustrative approaches for implementing this policy framework.

The present policy is not intended to modify or supplant existing USAID policies regarding disaster response activities. Standard operating procedures of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA), will continue to be used in these situations.