Samenvatting

Since the nineties the Netherlands armed forces have become increasingly active in humanitarian aid and reconstruction in countries where they have carried out peaceoperations. This activity implies close cooperation with civilian institutions, for which the concept of civil-military cooperation (CIMIC) has been developed over the past few years. For the armed forces CIMIC is not a policy objective in itself, but a tool for the purpose of force security, peacekeeping and reconstruction. Nowadays the term CIMIC encompasses the coordination of and cooperation between military commanders and the civilian population, including national and local authorities as well as international, national and Non-Governmental Organisations and institutions that support a military mission. Carrying out small-scale infrastructural projects is one of the most important CIMIC activities.