Civil-military co-operation

Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) involves military commanders establishing connections with civilian agencies in operational theaters.

In the mid-1990s, primarily in response to lessons learned in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo, most NATO members began developing their own CIMIC structures, which lead to the establishment of the Civil-Military Cooperation Centre of Excellence in The Hague in 2001.

In post-conflict scenarios, military units such as engineers, medical teams, and, in some cases, veterinarians are often engaged in civilian interactions.

For soldiers, basic greetings and key phrases can serve as icebreakers, while CIMIC units might have individuals with more advanced language abilities.

Locally employed civilians can help with interpretation, and training in cultural etiquette is essential to avoid unintended offensive behavior.

For instance, by establishing connections with non-governmental organizations or local officials, CIMIC personnel might identify specific mission threats.

CECIL working group developed tools to enhance assessments, streamline information flow within CIMIC, and share pertinent info with the staff.

Efforts are needed to enhance collaboration between NATO and civilian partners in operations, with a particular focus on addressing challenges related to information sharing.

The CECIL Working Group identified diverse CIMIC reporting formats, often due to the absence of standardized guidelines across different headquarters.

During the Partnership for Peace (PFP) Exercise VIKING '05, representatives from SHAPE and JFC Brunssum discovered the need for better CIMIC reporting.

Through the CMO, NATO and its partners are exploring innovative ways to collect and disseminate all relevant civil and military information on Crisis Response Operations in order to begin creating a shared sense of situational awareness among the global community.

The data held in the ACSP comes from several sources: the Government of Afghanistan (GOA), Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT), and international, governmental and non-governmental organizations (NGO).