The Standby Partnership (SBP) is a network of bilateral agreements between organisations and United Nations (UN) agencies. The partnership commenced in 1991 in response to the humanitarian crisis in Iraq where it was necessary for the United Nations (UN) to rapidly increase its human resources at short notice.
Today it comprises a range of partners which provide support to UN agencies responding to humanitarian emergencies throughout the world via the secondment of gratis personnel. Each Standby Partner maintains its own roster of humanitarian experts who are called upon to fill staffing needs and gaps in UN operations.