EMPO
Request a consultation
Standards & Protection10 November 2026EMPO

How humanitarian coordination works in Myanmar today

A neutral overview of Myanmar's humanitarian coordination: the Humanitarian Country Team, the 2026 plan, clusters, hubs and the role of local actors.

Short answer

Myanmar's humanitarian response is coordinated through the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), guided by an annual Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP). The 2026 plan covers 10 clusters and five sub-national hubs, and relies heavily on local and national organisations. Local groups can take part by joining their nearest hub or cluster, sharing information and linking with international partners.

Key points

  • The HCT gives strategic direction; the HNRP is the annual plan.
  • The 2026 plan has 10 clusters, with sub-national hubs for area coordination.
  • OCHA describes local responders as the backbone of the response.
  • ALNAP reports that coordination often works best through local relationships.
  • Check current structures with OCHA, because arrangements change.

What is the basic structure?

Many local organisations hear terms such as HCT, HNRP, cluster and hub, but are not sure how they connect. This article describes the structure from public sources. It is neutral: it describes how coordination is organised and does not take any political position. Arrangements change, so confirm current details with OCHA Myanmar.

The ALNAP Myanmar country report for the State of the Humanitarian System 2026 states that the response is coordinated through the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT), which gives strategic direction across the cluster system. The main framework is the Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan (HNRP), an annual planning instrument issued under the Humanitarian Programme Cycle.

What does the 2026 plan say?

OCHA published the Myanmar HNRP 2026 in December 2025. Key points from the OCHA page and the ALNAP report:

Item2026 HNRP
People in need16.2 million, across 227 townships (about two-thirds of the country)
People targeted4.9 million, down from 6.7 million in 2025
Prioritised2.6 million people
Funding required$890 million, with $521 million prioritised
FocusLife-saving and protection activities, with more focus on displaced people and hard-to-reach areas

OCHA states that the plan removes resilience, disaster risk reduction, prevention and basic social services-type activities from its scope. The plan also integrates parts of the "Humanitarian Reset" agenda, with a focus on community involvement, simplified and locally led coordination structures, and pooling of resources for a more localised response.

Which clusters and hubs exist?

The Humanitarian Action platform lists 10 clusters in the 2026 plan.

  1. Education
  2. Food Security
  3. Health
  4. Nutrition
  5. Protection
  6. Shelter / NFI / CCCM
  7. WASH
  8. Coordination, Thematics and System Support
  9. Early Recovery
  10. Multi-Purpose Cash

Cluster strategy documents describe sub-national coordination across five hubs. For example, the Education Cluster names hubs for Rakhine, Northwest, Kachin, Southeast, and All Shan and Kayah, and the Shelter/NFI/CCCM strategy describes a cluster of five hubs, with sub-national clusters, area-based approaches and technical working groups. Clusters also take part in inter-cluster coordination groups at national and sub-national levels, which inform HCT decisions. The Shelter strategy states that meetings are held in Yangon or online, with translation to help local partners participate. See also WASH basics and shelter and NFI basics for technical guidance linked to these clusters.

ALNAP describes OCHA's area-based coordination model across five operational hubs, with Area Humanitarian Coordination Teams, and reports that the previous cluster architecture was considered too burdensome. Because cluster documents for 2026 still describe cluster coordination, check with OCHA how clusters and area teams work together in your area.

What is the role of local and national actors?

Both OCHA and ALNAP stress the role of local actors. OCHA states that the overall access environment is expected to remain heavily constrained, requiring strong reliance and risk sharing with local responders, who it calls the backbone of the response. ALNAP reports that local and national actors, including civil society organisations, mutual aid networks and community-based responders, have become the primary conduit for assistance across large areas. It also notes that the HCT is developing a localisation strategy.

ALNAP findings from interviews also include observations that deserve attention. Local actors interviewed said they are not deeply involved in some decision-making, that the formal structure does not reach all areas where people need help, and that coordination often works best through long-standing local relationships and informal networks. These are the report's findings, based on interviews, and not a full picture of every area. See also our article on risk sharing between partners.

How can your organisation take part? Four steps

  1. Find your hub and sector. Ask OCHA or a cluster coordinator which hub covers your township and which cluster fits your work.
  2. Join and share. Ask to be added to meetings and mailing lists, and share activity information using the format the group uses, so duplication is avoided.
  3. Use the plan as a reference. Read the HNRP section for your sector and area, and see how your proposal fits its priorities. Check donor rules on what is in scope.
  4. Keep your own coordination. Maintain links with trusted local networks and partners, even where the formal structure is thin.

Practical cautions

  • Protect sensitive information. Share locations and names only as far as needed and as safely as possible.
  • Follow your own humanitarian principles in every coordination forum.
  • Expect change. Funding, access and structures shift, so check sources regularly.

How EMPO can help

EMPO is a reliable, Yangon-based training and consultancy provider and one of Myanmar's leading names in practical NGO training, with 1,200+ people trained and 15 partner organisations. We help local teams build practical skills in humanitarian standards, proposals and organisational development, in English and Burmese, online or in person across Myanmar. See our training services or contact us.

Sources

Questions people ask

What is an HNRP?

A Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is the annual planning instrument of the humanitarian programme cycle. It sets out people in need, response priorities, targets and funding requirements.

How can a local NGO join the coordination system?

Contact the cluster or hub coordinator for your area and your sector, ask to join mailing lists and meetings, and share your reports. Some clusters hold meetings online or with translation to help local partners take part.

Is this structure the same in every area?

No. Access, security and administration differ, and ALNAP reports that international structures and local networks often work in parallel. Always ask the local coordinator how it works in your township.

All insights