Joining what belongs together? The triple nexus and the struggle for policy synthesis

Recurring crises and protracted conflicts world-wide have become the new normal and are leading to fragility, insecurity and migration. Since refugees flee from their insecure region to a less fragile one, the demands in the new region are twofold – the refugees need basic services such as shelter, medical service, food and sanitation, while the host countries and communities request support for a sustainable use of natural resources in what is now a region of increased population density. On-going crises and conflicts not only demand humanitarian assistance but also call for development co-operation and peace-building. If a crisis is protracted, as is the case in Bangladesh with the Rohingya refugees in Cox’s Bazar camp, then it becomes important to provide solutions bridging the gap between humanitarian assistance and development co-operation, while supporting peace-building. This interaction is called the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus, or simply the triple nexus.