Run Alone, Go Nowhere: the Quiet Discipline of Coordinating the UN in a War-Torn Country

Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, reflects on the challenges to international cooperation, the need for stronger partnerships and how the UN is committed to supporting the country during and after the conflict.  

What is the job of a UN Coordinator?

When I get asked what a Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator actually does, I answer that the job consists of two main responsibilities. One is representing the UN Secretary-General to Ukraine's authorities and to society at large. Resident Coordinators are the ambassadors of the SG, his eyes and ears on the ground. The second is coordination: persuading more than 20 UN agencies working in this country to pull in the same direction. My team and I do not run the UN agencies or implement projects; our duty is to encourage the UN to work as one in support of national priorities and the most vulnerable populations.

Coordination sounds bureaucratic. It is not. There is an African proverb I come back to often: "If you want to run fast, run alone; if you want to go far, walk together." This captures the logic of this job in one sentence, and also its central paradox. Large, well-resourced organizations are often tempted to move alone, convinced it is faster.

Colleagues have told me plainly that coordination meetings slow them down. They are not wrong. But experience shows that going alone rarely gets you as far as is needed and desirable.

Is coordinating UN work different in a war-torn country?

Ukraine has strong public institutions that have continued to function and deliver vital services despite the pressures of war. This is not always the case in war-torn countries, and in many ways it makes it easier for the UN to provide support in Ukraine. Close to 3,000 personnel work for the UN here, three-quarters of them Ukrainian, people who know the language, the history and the country far better than any international staff could.

Among the international personnel are experienced humanitarian and development practitioners who bring relevant experience and practices from across the globe.

Together, national and international UN personnel have established a track record I have witnessed firsthand while traveling the country: cash, material and service support for people who stayed near the front line, evacuation support for those who left, rapid response after strikes and more specific help for those most at risk of being left behind.

And we support government at all levels to continue and improve the delivery of essential services, such as in education, health, social protection and energy.

What makes it hard?

The challenges are just as real. Let's start with the uncomfortable fact that this war was launched by a permanent, veto-holding member of the UN Security Council, the body meant to prevent and end wars. In my engagements with young Ukrainians, some have asked me directly what the UN has done, since 2014, to prevent or stop this. It is a fair question, and I do not have a fully satisfying answer to it. 

One of the realities of working as UN civil servants is that our actions are governed by the collective decisions of Member States in the General Assembly and the Security Council. This means that when UN Resident Coordinators speak out about documented violations, advocate for peace and justice, and take the side of the victims of conflicts and wars, they must do so within the frameworks agreed by Member States. As Member States consider the reform of the United Nations, I hope they will strengthen the organization's ability to uphold the principles of its Charter and ensure more effective accountability when international law is violated.

Regrettably, we are witnessing among Member States across the globe an erosion of belief in solving problems together. Many conflicts and wars, as well as resulting challenges, for instance, from climate change or economic upheaval, do not stop at borders. Yet we are unfortunately living in times where the urge to act alone, nationally, unilaterally, is stronger than the instinct to act together. That worries me not just for the UN as an institution, but for what would come after it, if it were to collapse.

Then there is the issue of insufficient financial resources: shrinking humanitarian and development funding puts real strain on the system, and that strain has consequences beyond the balance sheet.

When resources are scarce, every organization must work harder to sustain its own programmes. Many UN organizations are entirely dependent on project funding and have little choice but to scale back or close when funding dries up. It is precisely this pressure that makes coordination harder, but also more necessary: the tighter resources get, the more deliberate we must be about working together rather than drifting apart.

How we build alliances and partnerships

Conversations with external UN partners must be mainly about issues that are genuinely of concern and relevant to all involved, and where increased understanding and alignment can lead to greater impact especially for those at risk of being left behind. It is always very rewarding when a partner tells me, after a meeting, that they had not thought about something I raised.

Meaningful relations in Ukraine, as elsewhere, must go beyond those perceived as the traditional donors of the UN. Some ambassadors from Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Africa are deeply engaged here and provide valuable insights about where this country is headed. Relations built over time, based on trust and common interest, eventually open the door to impactful cooperation, including funding.

Preparing for the day after

Like every Ukrainian, my team and I long for the day when the guns fall silent. We also carry a profound sense of responsibility, determined to support Ukraine as it enters a defining chapter, recovering, rebuilding and shaping its future. We have real expertise on the team, for example in mine action, conflict-related sexual violence and recovery planning. The Resident Coordinator's Office also has access to greater capacities across the UN system, in and outside the country, and the ability to pull them together as well as to convene relevant dialogue. Analytical, convening and facilitation skills are what we need most, notwithstanding that it is hard to create the space for "day after" planning when Kyiv is being heavily and relentlessly bombed.

To Ukrainians…

My consistent message to Ukrainians, including those living under temporary Russian occupation, is that what has been happening to Ukraine since 2014, encompassing the full-scale invasion since February 2022, the violations documented in various UN reports on conflict-related sexual violence, civilian casualties, human rights violations and massive internal displacement, is wrong, and in contradiction of the UN Charter itself. Our UN human rights team is documenting what is happening precisely because accountability and justice require evidence. 

In my statements and discussions, I attempt to consistently reflect our Secretary-General's calls for an unconditional, immediate ceasefire. Meanwhile, we will continue, with determination, the humanitarian and recovery work already underway across the country. And when the guns do fall silent, we will be there for what comes next too.

This blog was written by Matthias Schmale, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine. Please visit the UN team's website for more information about the UN's work in Ukraine.