Humanitarian governance as an arena: (In)formal coordination and localised humanitarian action in Cúcuta, Colombia.

Abstract

This article examines how humanitarian governance in Colombia is shaped through the interaction of formal coordination mechanisms and informal, everyday practices. Using the humanitarian arena framework, alongside debates on localisation and the humanitarian-development-peace nexus, the article analyses humanitarian governance in Cúcuta, a border city affected by overlapping crises linked to armed conflict, migration, and structural inequality. Based on qualitative research including interviews, group discussions, and field observations, the study identifies a flexible and context-specific model of humanitarian governance that differs from conventional internationally led approaches. Findings show that humanitarian action in Cúcuta extends beyond emergency relief to include longer-term support for livelihoods, social protection, and community resilience. Humanitarian governance relies on both formal coordination structures and informal mechanisms, particularly las mesas, which facilitate negotiation, collaboration, and locally adapted responses. Nexus-oriented practices emerge organically from the realities of protracted crisis rather than through externally designed frameworks. The article contributes to debates on humanitarian governance by showing that negotiated humanitarian governance remains central even in contexts where state institutions retain significant regulatory authority. Rather than replacing formal governance arrangements, informal and everyday practices interact with them to shape humanitarian responses in complex crises.