ACCORD has re-launched their long-awaited Occasional Paper Series. The series will focus on exciting and diverse analysis of current and emerging conflict transformation research, theory and praxis. Through substantive treatment of a subject of current and immediate interest, the OPS will contribute towards a growing body of knowledge on broad and interwoven issues in the field of conflict resolution in Africa, and from a wide variety of sources across the continent.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has identified Salt Rock Hotel as the venue for its biannual, strategic Africa conference, to be held from 27-29 March. Some 45 aid officials from Sweden and Sida’s missions in Africa will participate. Anders Mollander, Sweden’s Ambassador to South Africa, will also be in attendance.

The Founder and Executive Director of ACCORD, Vasu Gounden, has been invited by the Folke Bernadotte Academy, based in Sando, Sweden, to be a resource person on their inaugural training course entitled ‘Facilitation of Dialogue Processes and Mediation Efforts’, which runs from the 19-25 March in Sando.

Richard Kamidza, a Senior Researcher at the African Centre for Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) and Patrick Macrory, of the International Senior Lawyers Project (ISLP) based in Washington, USA, conducted a needs assessment mission with stakeholders in Botswana from 27 February-2 March, regarding the trade negotiation course ACCORD and the ISLP will run from 8 – 12 May 2006.

The Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme has been invited by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to participate in their pre-deployment training for troops to be deployed to the United Nations Mission in Cote d’Ivoire (UNOCI). The training will take place in Pretoria, South Africa, from 6-10 March, and the modules on Conflict Management for Peacekeepers and Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) will be presented by the Programme at the course.

ACCORD is participating in the 2006 ‘Peacekeeping, Reconstruction and Stability Operations in Africa’ conference taking place in Midrand, South Africa from 28-31 March. Cedric de Coning, Research Fellow at ACCORD, is making a presentation on ‘Incorporating Civil Military Coordination into Reconstruction Operations’ on Tuesday 28 March, and he is facilitating a workshop on 31 March entitled ‘Analysing Civil-Military Coordination As A Critical Success Factor In Complex Peace Operations.’

The Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme has been invited by the Kenya Peace Support Training Centre (KPSTC) to participate in their tenth United Nations Military Observers training course. The training was held over three weeks in March 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya, and the ACCORD ran modules on conflict analysis, negotiation and mediation on the 13th.

ACCORD’s Managing African Conflict in Southern Africa (MAC IQC) Programme is presently undertaking a series of consultation meetings with electoral stakeholders in Angola, from March 14-18. Mr. Kwezi Mngqibisa, an ACCORD Senior Manager, is leading the consultations with Ms. Joyce Titi Pitso, an Elections Consultant attached to the programme.

From 8-9 March, ACCORD will host a high level delegation of visiting parliamentarians from Iraq who are on a study tour of South Africa. The tour is being arranged by the UN Assistance Mission for Iraq and the Institute of Justice and Reconciliation, which is based in Cape Town. The tour will take place from 6-11 March and will included meetings in Cape Town, Durban and Gauteng.

The ACCORD Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme will host a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) Curriculum Development workshop in Pretoria, South Africa from 6-7 March, which will involve a group of approximately 10International and African DDR experts.