ACCORD undertook a field research mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 8-24 August 2007. Mr. Gustavo de Carvalho, Research Coordinator with ACCORD’s Peace and Security Unit, conducted several meetings with key stakeholders in the peacebuilding context, in order to assess the different coordination processes that are currently being implemented in that country in terms of peacebuilding efforts.

ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Programme is undertaking a field research visit in Liberia from 24 July – 10 August. The aim of the field visit will be to conduct an assessment of peace-building coordination as it is occurring in Liberia. This necessitates an identification of the main coordination mechanisms that have been set up and an assessment as to their opportunities and challenges thus far.

Cedric de Coning, Research Fellow at ACCORD, has been invited to present the main findings of the book - Unintended Consequences of Peacekeeping - which he co-edited with Chiyuki Aoi and Ramesh Thakur, at the 9th Workshop of the Norwegian Atlantic Committee regarding civil-military cooperation on Friday 8 June, in Oslo, Norway.

ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Programme will host a Civilian Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Course (CPPC) in Pretoria, South Africa, from 21-25 May. The course will involve approximately 25 participants selected from across the continent, and is a key component of the TfP. It aims to prepare experienced civilians, working in various relevant fields of expertise in Africa, for service in peacekeeping and peace building missions.

Ms. Yvonne Kasumba, Senior Programme Officer for ACCORD's Training for Peace Programme, will participate in a “Peacekeeping Training Support and Coordination” workshop in Addis Ababa from 24-26 April, hosted by the African Peace Support Training Association (APSTA).

ACCORD’s TfP Programme will be conducting an in-mission Conflict Management for Peacekeepers Course for the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) from 6-8 August. The training will be conducted for a group of thirty mid to senior-level managers within the mission, the UN Country Team, and representatives from the Liberian Government.

ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Senior Programme Officer, Yvonne Kasumba and the Country Programme’s Manager, Kwezi Mngqibisa are co-facilitating a ‘Conflict Management for Peacekeepers’ training from 18-19 June at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Peacekeeping Training Centre (RPTC) in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Cedric de Coning, Research Fellow at ACCORD, will be co-facilitating an UN OCHA Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination (UN-CMCoord) Course from 22-24 May in Starum, Norway. The UN CMCoord Course is aimed at familiarising representatives from the humanitarian and military community with UN humanitarian policies on civil-military coordination. 

On 8 May 2007, Cedric de Coning, a Research Fellow with ACCORD’s Peace Operations Unit, will deliver a presentation on “the Future of Peace Operations in Africa” at the Geneva Center for Security Policy’s New Issues in Security Course (NISC). 

ACCORD’s Training for Peace (TfP) Programme has been assisting the African Union Peace Support Operations Division (AU PSOD) with the development of the civilian dimension of the AU African Standby Force (ASF). Specifically the programme has assisted with the formulation of the project document entitled, ‘Draft Policy Framework of the Civilian Dimension of the ASF’.