IASC Principals are the heads of all IASC member agencies or their representatives.

They meet twice a year in conferences chaired by the Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC), Mr. Mark Lowcock, usually in April and December. For urgent matters, the IASC Principals can schedule ad hoc meetings.

»  Responsibilities of IASC Principals:

• making strategic and policy decisions which have system-wide implications;
• endorsing major operational decisions, particularly with respect to implementation of the Transformative Agenda (TA);
• arbitration where no consensus can be reached at the Working Group or Emergency Directors levels;
• advocating common humanitarian principles, collectively or individually, on behalf of the IASC;
• approving the general work programme of the IASC, the WG, and the EDG;
• bringing issues to the attention of the Secretary-General and the Security Council, through the ERC; and
• designating Humanitarian Coordinators and selecting coordination arrangements.

The Emergency Relief Coordinator, supported by the IASC secretariat, consults IASC member agencies on the agenda for IASC Principals Meetings.

IASC Principals meeting, 3 December, hosted by ICRC

IASC Principals meeting, May 2018, hosted by UNICEF