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TACE PROCESS - EVALUATION REPORT OCTOBER 2013 Investor Newsletter ! Cuba-US Academic Workshops “TACE Process” - External Evaluation Report 2008-2013 Based on the findings of the external evaluation process conducted by Prof. Wolf Grabendorff PROCESS Introductory words and acknowledgements HIGHLIGHTS This report is the result of an the Global Partnership for the 2008 external evaluation process of a unique Prevention of Armed Conflict, PREPARATORY STAGE effort by Cuban and U.S. scholars, former CORDAID, Christopher Reynolds Context analysis - Consultation diplomats and foreign policy experts to Foundation, Arca Foundation, the Mexico process with scholars and institutions explore ways of improving the bilateral Office of the Heinrich Böll Foundation, in both the U.S. and Cuba - Process relations. The whole of the TACE the Center for Latin and Latino Studies design - Invitation to participants - Process intended to be a building block at American University, UNESP, Argentine Appointment of National in the development of a respectful and Council for International Relations – Coordinators in both countries positive Cuban-U.S. relationship, CARI-, City of Knowledge in Panama, especially in areas of mutual interest, FANJHN from Cuba, the Brookings 2009-2010-2011 WORKSHOPS where opportunities for cooperation Institution, Institute of Metheorology of Activities to address bilateral issues exist. Cuba, Molecular Immunology Center of identified as priorities: São Paulo CRIES would like to thank Prof. Cuba, Cuban Academy of Sciences, and (June 2009)-Panama (May 2010)- Wolf Grabendorff for taking the the Biomolecular Chemistry Center of Buenos Aires (July 2010)-Toronto responsibility of conducting this external Cuba). (October 2010)-Mexico D.F. (July evaluation process, with great dedication 2011) and professionalism. Additionally, we would like to show 2012 TACE IN THE CAPITALS our appreciation to the TACE Turning-point in the process: participants for their collaboration participants meet in Havana, and have during the four-years project, the the opportunity to meet with several Coordinators and the facilitation high government representatives - team for their engagement and “We want to express our deepest gratitude Later that year, they meet in commitment with this endeavor, and to to all of them for silently contributing to Washington D.C. to present the other people and advisers who improve relations between our countries and preliminary recommendations at the contributed with their build peace in our hemisphere, within the Brookings Institution, to scholars and recommendations, knowledge and framework of an initiative that reflects a decision-makers. suggestions to improve this collective strong commitment to the values of seeking effort. a more peaceful and fair world.” 2013 PUBLICATION OF Finally, our special RECOMMENDATIONS acknowledgements to institutions (Andrés Serbin - President of CRIES and Document with recommendations in and donors who supported us General Coordinator of the TACE initiative) 4 key areas published and advocacy throughout the years to develop this strategies implemented to reach initiative (Ford Foundation; the Royal both governments. Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, COORDINADORA REGIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES ECONÓMICAS Y SOCIALES (CRIES) www.cries.org TACE PROCESS - EVALUATION REPORT OCTOBER 2013 “ACADEMIC DIPLOMACY THE KEY CONCEPT “In the history of the conflict between Cuba and the United States there have been collaborative spaces that, despite not being highly publicized, have been sustained and are growing.” Milagros Martínez Reinosa Given the tension that has characterized the relationship between Havana and Washington, participants engaged in these exchanges have been, to a large extent, the real diplomats representing their nation in the other country. “A group of academics, former diplomats, experts and former officers (...) became part of an initiative to create a space for exchanges, where the discussion of perspectives, ideas and proposals started creating options rooted in mutual agreement, and where academia started contributing to end the existing stalemate. In contrast to other undertakings of this kind made by think tanks and academic institutions in both countries, a key advantage in TACE’s exercise is that it is based on unanimous consent—achieved between participants from both sides—without involving any formal agreements in recognition of the fact that there is a legacy of distrust that cannot be ignored, and that reciprocal visions are not only derived from political differences, but they also have roots in history. Despite these differences, there is no impediment to jointly explore opportunities to improve the bilateral relationship in topics of mutual interest.” Jorge Mario Sánchez Egozcue Introduction & for the first time or re-evaluate their To avoid to reflect only an views about the bilateral relations after “inside view” in the evaluation of the Methodological many years of absence. TACE process the outside expert aspects As a major product of their suggested to involve a “control group” of common efforts the TACE team has 4 outstanding experts in U.S.- Cuban recently published a compendium of joint relations. They were asked to respond to The four years lasting program recommendations as proposals for the same questions with the exception of “academic diplomacy” Cuba-United cooperation in areas of mutual interest of the one dealing with the intra group States Academic Workshop (TACE) called “Opportunities for U.S. –Cuban dynamics of the TACE team. Since all of coordinated by CRIES has received a Relations” which was presented to the the 4 members of the control group great deal of praise by academic as well public in Washington D.C. were well aware of the TACE process as political observers for its original For CRIES this seemed a they were very forthcoming in their efforts to develop the basis for a future perfect moment of having the entire cooperation with the evaluation effort cooperation between the United States TACE process evaluated by an outside and therefore permitting an outside view and Cuba. The process of slow change expert who was neither involved in the of the TACE program to be included in within Cuba had been the impetus for process itself nor related to any of the the evaluation. CRIES to suggest a medium term organisations funding or executing this bilateral academic activity with tacit and unusual and original project of “citizen All 12 experts who have rather informal support from both diplomacy”. responded to the evaluation governments. The basis for the evaluation of questionnaire have been ensured that The selection of the members the project has been a qualitative their observations will be handled of the TACE team was in itself a method, based on a questionnaire confidentially and no personal successful experiment to create a basis developed by the outside expert and identification will be used in this short of confidence building between not only mailed to all members of the TACE evaluation report. academic but also policy experts from team. Four (4) members of each side both sides, since about half of the team were willing to collaborate in the had been involved in the political Prof. Wolf Grabendorff evaluation effort by answering by mail or decision making process of the phone the 8 questions about their respective governments. The 8 Cuban perceptions of the development of the and the 9 US members of the TACE team groups coherence, activities and goals as have met 10 times over the four year well as the future perspectives for the period in 8 different countries allowing TACE program. many of the US participants to visit Cuba COORDINADORA REGIONAL DE INVESTIGACIONES ECONÓMICAS Y SOCIALES (CRIES) www.cries.org TACE PROCESS - EVALUATION REPORT OCTOBER 2013 Q&A 1. Since the beginning of the TACE process until now, willingness to improve the political dialogue, which has been demonstrated clearly by both governments during the last couple which changes of perception about U.S.-Cuban of years. The Cuban members of the team are very convinced relations have you personally experienced, and which that the access to their policy makers for TACE proposals has changes have you noticed inside the group? been much better than on the US side and that some TACE proposals even found their way in formal Cuban policy proposals like the speech of the Foreign Minister at the UN in October Even though some members of the group reflect upon 2012.Even some of the US members of TACE share that view but some small changes of individual perceptions most do not see a insist that the willingness to listen to the TACE proposals has also major change with regard to the groups perceptions en general. improved at the State Department and outright rejection has The ideological rift is still very much present as seen from both only been coming from the Republican hard liners in Congress. the Cuban and the US member’s responses. A gap of knowledge There is also an agreement on both sides that the of historical background and the national decision making influence of the TACE process has been notable upon experts processes on both sides and a lack of openness to embrace the and officials who are not members of the TACE team but have possibilities of change are seen as the principal reasons for the been in contact with those members or have been participating slow process of confidence building within the group. But there is in some of the events of the TACE process as experts and have also a general agreement that the increasing number of meetings than been able to transport some of the TACE concepts into the helped to widen the possibilities of consensus on some of those respective policy processes. Additional clarifications seem to be bilateral issues where the official positions of both governments needed in one of the positive developments resulting at least in seem to be totally unbridgeable. part from the TACE efforts – the increasing academic With regard to the TACE process itself the US engagement.