A brief history of the IARAN

The Inter-Agency Research and Analysis Network (IARAN) was established in 2012 as a collaboration between The French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs (IRIS) and Save the Children International. During its early years, IARAN focused on working closely with humanitarian practioners to develop and design analytical products to support improved decision making. In 2014, IARAN graduated from it’s test phase and IRIS partnered with Action Contre la Faim to pilot the project on a larger scale.

Through these partnerships, IARAN pioneered innovative methods for collaborative strategy development and planning, leveraging foresight to embed futures thinking into the humanitarian ecosystem. Our goal has consistently been to enhance the long-term impact of humanitarian efforts, promote anticipatory action, and advocate for a shift in power towards local leadership, ensuring that communities are better equipped to address future challenges and empowered to make strategic decisions.

In 2019, IARAN became independent entity, focusing on collaboration and driving change in the humanitarian sector. Today, IARAN remains a key player in humanitarian foresight, committed to innovation and long-term impact.

A book capturing the results of the IARAN research project and exploring the tools and methods that were developed was published in the autumn of 2021 - Strategic Planning in the Humanitarian Sector.