N'De Marius Cocoa
ICRC Delegate
Bonoua
Profil professionnel
Senior Protection Specialist and humanitarian leader with over 20 years of experience in conflict-affected African contexts, including extensive service with the ICRC, OCHA, UNHCR, and WFP. Experienced in International Humanitarian Law, protection of civilians, detention, community-based protection, and humanitarian access negotiations, with a strong track record in monitoring violations, influencing weapon bearers, and delivering effective protection responses in high-risk environments. Proven leader in managing multidisciplinary teams, shaping strategy, and implementing principled, neutral, and impact-driven humanitarian operations.
Vue d'ensemble
21
21
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
1
1
Certification
Expérience
Programme Associate / Head of Antenna
World Food Programme
Bouna
2026.01 - 2026.05
- Lead integrated food security, resilience, and emergency response programmes across Bounkani and Gontougo
- Manage sub-office operations, including staff supervision, partnerships, reporting, and programme quality
- Ensure compliance with WFP standards, accountability frameworks, and operational procedures
- Coordinate with government authorities and partners to support effective programme delivery
- Integrate protection mainstreaming into food assistance and resilience programmes
- Conduct protection risk analyses (access, exclusion, GBV risks) to ensure safe and inclusive delivery
- Monitor protection risks related to food insecurity and displacement contexts
- Strengthen Accountability to Affected Populations (AAP) and community feedback mechanisms
- Engage communities to promote safe, equitable, and inclusive assistance for vulnerable groups
Humanitarian Affairs Officer (CMCoord & Access)
OCHA
Maroua
2024.03 - 2025.04
- Led humanitarian access negotiations and coordinated civil-military (CMCoord) mechanisms in complex environments, representing OCHA with civil and military actors as well as key humanitarian stakeholders.
- Defined and implemented access and coordination strategies informed by political, security, and operational analysis, while monitoring and reporting on access constraints and protection incidents.
- Served as Protection Focal Point, ensuring integration of protection across inter-agency responses and mainstreaming it into coordination and access frameworks.
- Conducted advocacy on protection concerns with authorities and armed actors, collaborated with UNHCR, UNICEF, and UNFPA on joint protection strategies, and promoted safe, principled humanitarian access in high-risk areas.
Head of Operations
ICRC
Nouakchott
2023.02 - 2023.06
- Directed operational strategies, programme implementation, and stakeholder relations while managing programmes, budgets, and sub-delegation oversight.
- Coordinated and supervised protection activities, including detention, civilian protection, and restoring family links, ensuring full compliance with ICRC standards and International Humanitarian Law.
- Led protection risk and trend analysis to inform strategic priorities and integrate findings into operational planning.
- Maintained confidential dialogue with authorities and represented the ICRC with key stakeholders, promoting IHL compliance through high-level engagement.
- Strengthened protection programmes and improved access to vulnerable populations through sustained negotiation and principled humanitarian action
Field Security & Crisis Management Coordinator
ICRC
Bangui
2020.10 - 2023.01
- Managed security operations across a multi-site of the delegation in a high-risk environment, leading security risk management for both delegation and sub-delegations.
- Coordinated crisis response and contingency planning, enabling rapid incident response and minimizing operational disruptions, while advising senior management on critical security decisions.
- Integrated protection considerations into security planning (SSRM) and ensured protection-informed context analysis was embedded in operations.
- Strengthened secure access to vulnerable populations through effective risk mitigation measures, contributing to sustained humanitarian access during periods of heightened insecurity.
- Supported staff in safely delivering protection activities in conflict zones, reducing exposure to risk incidents and enhancing compliance with security protocols.
- Improved coordination with humanitarian actors, reinforcing secure operational frameworks and continuity of life-saving assistance
Head of Sub-Delegation
ICRC
Maroua
2019.03 - 2020.10
- Directed civilian protection strategy in the Far North of Cameroon while managing sub-delegation operations, staff, security, and partnerships.
- Led context analysis, programme implementation, and reporting, and successfully negotiated humanitarian access with authorities and armed actors, expanding access to previously unreachable areas.
- Oversaw protection programmes covering civilian protection, detention, and IHL promotion, conducting regular field missions, risk assessments, and protection monitoring that informed operational decision-making.
- Documented and analyzed IHL violations for confidential reporting and engaged weapon bearers and authorities to strengthen compliance with IHL, contributing to improved respect for civilian protection norms.
- Strengthened community-based protection mechanisms for internally displaced populations, increased community participation and early warning capacity, and led detention-related dialogue that resulted in improved treatment and conditions for detainees.
Deputy Head of Delegation / Protection Coordinator
ICRC
Mauritania
2017.08 - 2019.02
- Oversaw protection programmes and strategic operational planning, designing and implementing a national protection strategy that strengthened coherent, system-wide responses.
- Led multidisciplinary teams and managed resources to deliver high-impact programmes, improving operational efficiency and coverage.
- Directed detention programmes in line with IHL standards, resulting in tangible improvements in detention conditions, treatment safeguards, and monitoring access.
- Managed Restoring Family Links (RFL) activities, successfully reconnecting separated families and expanding tracing reach.
- Conducted confidential, high-level dialogue with authorities to promote compliance with International Humanitarian Law, contributing to strengthened adherence to protection standards.
- Monitored and reported protection concerns and violations, enhancing evidence-based decision-making and response prioritization.
- Strengthened protection mainstreaming across WASH, Health, and Economic Security programmes, increasing integration of protection safeguards across sectors.
- Delivered IHL training to authorities and partners, improving awareness, capacity, and application of humanitarian principles.
Head of Sub-Delegation
ICRC
Ndele/Birao
2015.01 - 2017.06
- Managed multi-sector humanitarian operations in conflict and crisis zones, demonstrating strong leadership in high-risk environments by overseeing field operations, security management, and context analysis to guide effective response.
- Conducted in-depth protection analysis of conflict dynamics and civilian risks, supervising monitoring and response activities to ensure timely and appropriate assistance.
- Promoted respect for International Humanitarian Law through direct engagement and ensured the delivery of protection assistance to affected populations while strengthening protection monitoring and analysis.
- Represented the ICRC in high-level dialogue with authorities and armed groups, successfully negotiating humanitarian access and protection guarantees.
Protection Delegate
ICRC
Kidal
2014.04 - 2014.12
- Implemented protection activities in insecure conflict environments, conducting detention visits in line with ICRC standards that contributed to measurable improvements in detainee treatment and conditions.
- Carried out systematic protection monitoring and documentation of IHL violations, strengthening evidence-based dialogue and influencing corrective actions by authorities and armed actors.
- Led civilian protection and family tracing activities, successfully facilitating family reunification and expanding access to Protection of Family Links (PFL) services.
- Engaged armed groups (MNLA and HCUA), to promote respect for IHL, contributing to increased awareness and improved compliance, while delivering targeted dissemination sessions that enhanced understanding and application of humanitarian principles.
Associate Field Protection Officer (International UNV)
UNHCR
Republic of Congo
2011.10 - 2012.10
- Ensured the effective application of international refugee law and protection standards through comprehensive protection assessments and programme implementation, contributing to improved compliance with national and international frameworks.
- Coordinated closely with authorities and partners to strengthen refugee protection systems and response capacities.
- Identified and supported persons with specific needs, including GBV survivors, children, and medical cases, leading to increased access to specialized services and timely assistance.
- Enhanced referral mechanisms and case management processes resulting in more efficient and targeted support for vulnerable individuals.
- Monitored protection risks to inform programming and decision-making, while delivering training on refugee protection and rights, strengthening stakeholders’ capacity and improving adherence to protection principles.
- Represented UNHCR in inter-agency coordination forums and high-level meetings with local officials, advocating for refugee rights and promoting collaborative solutions to emerging challenges.
Field Officer Protection
ICRC
Abidjan
2005.05 - 2011.09
- Led protection programmes and nutrition interventions in detention settings, contributing to improved care standards and enhanced detainee well-being.
- Conducted protection assessments and monitoring in conflict environments to inform targeted programme implementation.
- Coordinated child protection, and Restoring Family Links (RFL) activities, facilitating family tracing and reunification, re-establishing contact for separated family members, and supporting reunification cases.
- Strengthened collaboration with authorities and communities, resulting in greater adherence to protection standards and improved identification of vulnerable cases.
- Produced analytical protection reports to support evidence-based decision-making and enhance the effectiveness of protection responses
Formation
Master 2 - International Relations & Diplomacy
Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 University
Distance Learning study 2019.09 - 2020.10
Master 2 - International Project Management
Bioforce
2013.01 - 2013.06
Applied master’s degree - criminology
University Félix Houphouet Boigny
Abidjan 2002.10 - 2003.09
Bachelor’s degree - criminology
University Félix Houphouet Boigny
Abidjan 2001.10 - 2002.07
Compétences
- Protection of Civilians & IHL Implementation
- Detention & Detainee Protection (ICRC Standards)
- Protection Assessments
- Risk Analysis
- Violation Monitoring
- Humanitarian Access Negotiation
- Civil-Military Coordination (CMCoord)
- Community-Based Protection
- Programme Integration
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Protection Reporting
- Confidential Dialogue
- Leadership in Complex Security Environments
- Security & Crisis Management (SSRM)
- Training & Dissemination on IHL and Protection Principles
Certificats
- Certificate of Completion in Security Risk Management Professional – Regional Level, Disasterready.org in partnership with INSSA, 2025
- Certificate of Completion in Security Risk Management Professional – National Level, Disasterready.org in partnership with INSSA, 2025
- Certificate of Completion in Protecting Children in Humanitarian Settings (PCH1), edX in partnership with Columbia University, 2025
- Certificate of Completion on the fundamentals of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL), Disasterready.org in partnership with Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation Initiative, 2025
- Certificate of Completion in Stay Safe: Level 3- Security for Managers, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), 2025
- Certificate of Completion in Building High-Performance Teams, LinkedIn Learning in partnership with Project Management Institute, 2025
- Certificate of Completion in International Normative Framework in Humanitarian Protection, Humanitarian Leadership Academy in partnership with NRC, 2024
- Certificate of Completion in NRC - Humanitarian Access, Humanitarian Leadership Academy in partnership with NRC, 2024
- Certificate of Completion in People-Centered Management and Leadership Programme, Lantern Training in partnership with OCHA, 2024
- Certificate in United Nation Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination Training, OCHA in partnership with Civil-Military Cooperation Centre of Excellence, 2024
- Certificate of Completion in Safe and Secure Approaches in Field Environments (SSAFE) + Individual First Aid Kit (IFAK), UNDSS, 2024
- Certificate of Completion in United Nations Human Rights Council Training Programme, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR), 2022
- Certificate of Completion in Finance and Administration for Heads of Structure - Part 1 of, Learning and Development ICRC, 2022
- Security Awareness and Field Experience – SAFE 1, Learning and Development ICRC, 2021
- Certificate in Protection of the civilian population in armed conflict or other Situations of violence, ICRC Protection Department Training Unit, 2019
- Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Management Leading by Example, Humanitarian Leadership and Management School of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the University of Lucerne (The Faculty of Economics and Management), 2019
- Certificate of participation in Intramuros Networking, ICRC, Protection Training Department, 2018
- Certificate in Security Management and Crisis Management (SCMS), ICRC, Training Department, 2016
- Certificate of Completion in Children's Rights Programming, The Global Human Rights Education and Training Centre (HREA), 2012
- Certificate in Human Rights Monitoring, The Global Human Rights Education and Training Centre (HREA), 2008
Informations complémentaires
- Secouriste pour la Croix Rouge
- Cuisine du monde
- Activités associatives
- Lecture
- Passion pour la cuisine Ivoirienne
- Cinéma
Langues
French
Langue maternelle
English
Intermédiaire supérieur (B2)
Personnalisé
- Protecting Children in Humanitarian Settings, edX in partnership with Columbia University, 2025
- MEAL in Humanitarian Action, Disasterready.org in partnership with Cornerstone OnDemand Foundation Initiative, 2025
- Humanitarian Protection Normative Framework, NRC / Humanitarian Leadership Academy, 2024
- Humanitarian Access, NRC / Humanitarian Leadership Academy in partnership, 2024
- UN Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination, OCHA in partnership with Civil-Military Cooperation Centre of Excellence, 2024
- Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, ICRC, 2019
- Children's Rights Programming, The Global Human Rights Education and Training Centre (HREA), 2012
- Human Rights Monitoring, The Global Human Rights Education and Training Centre (HREA), 2008
Chronologie
Programme Associate / Head of Antenna
World Food Programme
2026.01 - 2026.05
Humanitarian Affairs Officer (CMCoord & Access)
OCHA
2024.03 - 2025.04
Head of Operations
ICRC
2023.02 - 2023.06
Field Security & Crisis Management Coordinator
ICRC
2020.10 - 2023.01
Master 2 - International Relations & Diplomacy
Jean Moulin - Lyon 3 University
2019.09 - 2020.10
Head of Sub-Delegation
ICRC
2019.03 - 2020.10
Deputy Head of Delegation / Protection Coordinator
ICRC
2017.08 - 2019.02
Head of Sub-Delegation
ICRC
2015.01 - 2017.06
Protection Delegate
ICRC
2014.04 - 2014.12
Master 2 - International Project Management
Bioforce
2013.01 - 2013.06
Associate Field Protection Officer (International UNV)
UNHCR
2011.10 - 2012.10
Field Officer Protection
ICRC
2005.05 - 2011.09
Applied master’s degree - criminology
University Félix Houphouet Boigny
2002.10 - 2003.09
Bachelor’s degree - criminology
University Félix Houphouet Boigny
2001.10 - 2002.07