On 19-21 October 2016 ACCORD participated in the above workshop titled “Ten Years of AU Post-Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy (PCRD) Implementation: A reflection on progress, opportunities and challenges”, which was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The workshop brought together organisations working towards the advancement of PCRD, to jointly reflect on what has been achieved and what remains to be done. This included participants and high-level representatives from the African Union Commission (AUC) – including the various Directorates at the Commission; Heads of the AU Liaison Offices (AULOs), representatives of Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Civil Society Organisations, Think Tanks, the United Nations (UN), and Academia.
On 19 October 2016, ACCORD’s Founder and Executive Director, Vasu Gounden, along with ACCORD Research Fellow, Dr Cedric de Coning, were resource persons in a session tilted “From Stabilisation to Peacebuilding: The Dynamics of Managing Transitions from Stabilisation to Long-term Peacebuilding. The session aimed to reflect on the broad dynamics of managing transitions from initial stabilisation, which often has a heavy military footprint to long-term peacebuilding, with a focus on reconstruction, revitalisation of public service institutions, and short- to medium-term socio-economic and political development. Among other thing the panellists looked to address the challenges and opportunities of ‘winning hearts and minds’ of the local civilian population and the critical shortage of human and financial resources to tackle the immediate needs of communities in areas under the control of a peace support operation.
In closing, the AUC stated its commitment to endeavour to build synergies to ensure the Commission delivers as one and encouraged partners to deepen their engagement with the Commission in this important area.
