ACCORD’s Training for Peace Programme recently hosted an African Union (AU) Technical Workshop for the Heads and Civilian Dimension Focal Points of the African Standby Force (ASF).
The workshop, which fell on International Peace Day, was held from 20 – 21 September 2010 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The Heads and Civilian Dimension Focal Points of the African Standby Force (ASF) Planning Elements at the AU and Regional Economic Communities (RECs)/ Regional Mechanisms (RMs) levels and training institutions directly involved in the development of the civilian dimension came together to generate lessons from the two previous ASF phases of development (Roadmaps I & II) to ensure key civilian dimension inputs into the ASF Roadmap III processes.
The workshop allowed for the sharing of information on current efforts underway at both the strategic (AU) and operational (REC/RM) levels of implementation on the ASF civilian dimension process. Participants reviewed the status of the civilian dimension at each of the Planning Elements (PLANELMs) and facilitated the development of a draft coordinated ASF civilian dimension work plan from 2011 to 2013 – taking into consideration the unique differences of the respective regions.
Additionally, the Head of the AU Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD), Mr Sivuyile Bam, launched the ASF Civilian Dimension Book, developed to contribute towards increasing awareness and understanding of the civilian dimension among key decision makers at the AU, REC/RM and Member States level. An initiative to establish an ASF civilian dimension community of practice to facilitate information sharing of approaches and processes among the RECs/RMs and with the AU was also started.
The workshop forms part of the TfP/ACCORD support to the AU Peace Support Operations Division (PSOD) development of the civilian dimension a multidimensional African Standby Force.
