Empowering Local Actors: the UN and Multi-Track Conflict Prevention
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IPA Policy Report Empowering Local Actors: The UN and Multi-Track Conflict Prevention INTERNATIONAL POLICY WORKSHOP Executive Summary The International Peace Academy convened an interna- 10 December 2001, New York tional policy workshop in New York on 10 December 2001 in the conference room of Chadbourne and Parke LLP IPA gratefully acknowledges the direct bringing together approximately fifty members of the UN support of the Government of Germany for system and civil society representatives from around the this workshop, as well as the general world. The purpose of the workshop was to follow up on the June 2001 report of the United Nations Secretary- support of the Governments of the United General on the Prevention of Armed Conflict and address Kingdom, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, some of the opportunities and challenges involved in Sweden, Portugal and Italy for its ongoing working to prevent the outbreak of armed conflict in programme, “From Promise to Practice: tandem with relevant local actors. Strengthening UN Capacities for the The conference was designed to extract lessons from three Prevention of Violent Conflict.” case studies of partnerships between the UN and local actors, and among local actors—more specifically civil society organizations (CSOs)—that could inform future efforts in multi-track prevention where a multiplicity of actors have complementary, and conflicting, mandates and objectives. The lessons informed several normative Rapporteur: and operational recommendations that follow at the end Ben Rawlence of this report. Program Associate: The key elements that emerged from the conference Chandra Lekha Sriram proceedings are as follows: ❏ Conflict prevention is one of four key priorities for the United Nations (UN). However, the primary responsibility for the prevention of armed conflict TABLE OF CONTENTS rests on local actors. The UN must focus on the ways Executive Summary . .1 in which it can support their efforts to manage I. Introduction . .3 conflicts before they turn violent. II. Addressing Key Challenges . .4 ❏ III. Recommendations for Empowering Relevant CSOs and actors have a crucial role to play Local Actors . .8 in creating the conditions for sustainable peace. There Processes of Collaboration: Values, are two key obstacles to greater collaboration Methods and Attitudes . .8 between civil society actors and CSOs, and the UN: IV. Conclusion . .10 Agenda . .11 •Perception and misperception: Raised expecta- Participants . .13 tions combined with lack of familiarity regarding the operating procedures, mandates, resources and limits of the many UN departments and 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 10 017 T E L [ 212]687-4300 FA X [ 212]983-8246 W E B w w w. i p a c a d e m y. o r g IPA Policy Report agencies and the many civil society actors and enhance collaboration between the UN and CSOs CSOs generate frustration and militate against and civil society actors. Such mechanisms include collaboration. the creation of sustainable partnerships and networks that bring together relevant parts of the • Identifying entry points and appropriate UN system and appropriate local actors with interna- partners: The timing and nature of the UN’s role tional NGOs, academics, regional organizations and in supporting civil society actors and CSOs in subregional organizations. conflict prevention is extremely important. Identifying entry points requires early warning ❏ At the same time, CSOs and actors are no panacea, that links, effectively, analysis of the local and there are limits regarding what the UN can conditions and response. achieve in attempting to create the conditions for peace. In determining whether and how to engage ❏ The UN urgently needs to focus on ways in which it together, both the UN and CSOs and actors could can better interact with civil society actors and benefit from establishing clear goals as to how and organizations. Specific options include fostering why their collaboration would seek to prevent better linkages through contact with the Security conflict by asking themselves basic questions before Council as well as the Economic and Social Council proceeding: (ECOSOC). Intermediation by international NGOs might be the most feasible entry point for other 1. Why should the UN and CSOs be engaged in this CSOs and actors. In the field, the responsibility of the matter? Resident Coordinator or Special/Resident 2. When should they be involved? Representative to ensure coordination and collabo- 3. What, precisely, would the UN and CSOs be called on ration must include enhancing interaction with and to do? support of relevant civil society actors and organi- 4. Where would they be involved: at what political zations. level and in what geographic area? 5. How best should the UN and CSOs engage, with what ❏ There is a clear role for two-way advocacy and processes, personnel and financing? intermediaries—and intermediation mechanisms—to (l-r) Amb. Dieter Kastrup, David M. Malone, and Julia Taft 2 Empowering Local Actors: An International Peace Academy Report The UN and Multi-Track Conflict Prevention IPA Policy Report I. Introduction the UN in any country or region may be very different from that experienced in another. Typically a few agencies have an established, long-term presence in “the In June 2001, the United Nations Secretary-General field”—this is especially true of UNDP. Often, several issued a comprehensive report on the prevention of agencies and sometimes departments will be active, and armed conflict. The basic premise of the report “is that their efforts coordinated by a UN resident representative the primary responsibility for conflict prevention rests or coordinator. In some countries, a Special with national governments and other local actors.”1 The Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) may International Peace Academy held a one-day interna- have been appointed. tional policy conference in New York on 10 December 2001 entitled Empowering Local Actors: The UN and Partnerships between the UN and CSOs can thus be Multi-Track Conflict Prevention, which sought to address difficult to arrange and even harder to replicate. Every some of the opportunities and challenges involved in case is likely to be unique. This workshop attempted to working to prevent the outbreak of armed conflict in focus on the extent to which modes of engagement could tandem with relevant local actors. move beyond ad hoc arrangements to some generalized guidelines for cooperation applicable in multiple The conference was designed to extract lessons from three situations. examples—in the Crimea, the Mano River subregion, and Central America—that could inform future efforts in multi- Bridging the gap between Perception and Misperception track prevention where a multiplicity of actors have distinct (complementary as well as conflicting) mandates A key theme that emerged from the proceedings of the and objectives. The conference began by examining conference was the difference in perceptions and existing UN capacities and tools for supporting local expectations within and between CSOs and the UN preventive initiatives and to discuss the avenues open to system. This perceptual gap is the primary obstacle to the UN and local actors to engage early, and together, in improving collaboration between these groups and to the prevention of armed conflict. Through a practical empowering local actors to play a lead role in conflict focus on case studies of partnerships among the UN, prevention. Conference discussions revealed criticisms of national governments and local actors, the conference the UN based on misperceptions about the capacities and attempted to extract preliminary best practices from past mandates of the various UN organs. Conversely, calls by efforts. These lessons inform several operational the UN for civil society to play a more forceful role in recommendations that follow at the end of this report. conflict prevention often fail to recognize the limits on CSO operations. Many UNs, and many ‘other local actors’ Nonetheless, while increased mutual familiarity amongst There are a multiplicity of organizations, networks, UN and civil society actors should enhance the process businesses and people that fall under the definition ‘local of empowerment, not all barriers to increased coopera- actor’. For the purposes of this conference, the term civil tion can be explained by mere misunderstanding. In society organizations (CSOs) was defined so as to some cases CSOs have a clear idea of what the UN can indicate the focus on the range of non-state actors active contribute in a given situation, and yet they find that the in conflict prevention work including religious organiza- UN does not deliver—sometimes because it cannot, tions, the media, trade unions, civic associations, sometimes because it should not, and other times registered NGOs and private sector organizations. CSOs because it tries, but fails. CSOs often offer serious are not seen in opposition to governments; rather civil critiques of the way in which the UN is organized at the society is seen as encompassing the range of domestic country level, how financial assistance is administered and international social organizations that surround, and and the lack of cooperation among CSOs with similar in many ways shape, the state. expertise that could render partnering slightly easier. Some of these critiques are included in this report. Similarly, the UN is multifaceted: it comprises a set of departments, funds, and agencies with differing The problems encountered when the UN and CSOs think mandates, objectives and structures. The public face of about, and attempt, collaboration reveals an important 1 United Nations, Report of the Secretary-General on the prevention of armed conflict, A/55/985-S/2001/574, 7 June 2001, pg. 6. 3 An International Peace Academy Report Empowering Local Actors: The UN and Multi-Track Conflict Prevention IPA Policy Report opportunity for the future: the importance of two-way The regional NGO network has members and chapters in advocacy and the role of intermediaries—and intermedi- three countries throughout the region: Guinea, Sierra ation mechanisms such as networks and partnerships— Leone and Liberia.