Commercial-Humanitarian Engagement in the Horn of Africa Crisis: A Scoping Study of the Response in Kenya and Somalia

?is scoping study provides a snapshot of the engagement of
the commercial sector1 in the humanitarian response to the
Horn of Africa crisis of 2011-2012 through two case studies -
Somalia and Kenya. Much has already been written on the
systemic failings of humanitarian assistance in relation to the
crisis, both in terms of the failure to adequately reduce the risk
of and prepare for such recurring crises in the region, and the
failure to enact early response in relation to early warning
alerts. ?is scoping study, however, focuses instead on the
capacity challenge of responding to a crisis of such enormity
and complexity. Specifically, it examines how new forms and
models of engagement and collaboration with the commercial
sector can help “traditional humanitarian actors” address this
capacity challenge.