To build on the successes of the past, knowledge must be captured and transferred. This applies equally to sensitive areas such as disarmament, demobilization and reintegration. In a key step towards the development of an African body of knowledge, the African Union (AU) Peace and Security Department has embarked on the development of a Compendium of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) experiences on the African continent as well as on the development of a DDR training manual. This is part of an AU DDR Capacity Program being implemented in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) and the World Bank – Transitional Demobilization and Reintegration Program (TDRP). Conflicts have economic consequences and challenge the development of peace, security and development.
It is widely acknowledged that DDR is crucial to restoring stability and preventing relapse into conflict. Therefore, a successful DDR program helps create a climate of confidence and security paving the way for a range of peace building and recovery activities.
DDR programmes have shifted from the traditional context of post-civil war peace processes to mitigating the proliferation of risks towards violence that traditional peace processes and mediation efforts have had limited success in resolving. As a response, the AU Commission has undertaken efforts towards the structural prevention of conflicts, through the development of tools to assist Member States’ vulnerability to conflict and assist them elaborate appropriate mitigation strategies. A workshop to advance such efforts through the development of a related compendium and training manual was held from 12-13 May 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The Compendium aims to provide a repository for DDR experiences and provides researchers and policy makers with material to provide comparative analysis of the different DDR experiences. Concurrently, the training manual that will be developed will contribute towards standardizing DDR training within the AU security infrastructure and harmonizing DDR practices by disseminating and training DDR practitioners on the best practices and the most recent innovations in DDR tools.
The Compendium produced thus far presents the desk review study conducted to date and delegates were able to propose the appropriate methodologies for further development of the Compendium. This was imperative for the process of development and validation for the Compendium as it guided the approach of case studies that were to be utilised. Experiences were shared and information was gathered from the various DDR training entities and other training institutions offering training in order to identify the strengths, challenges, gaps and deficiencies’ of the current training offered.
The AU DDR Compendium creates a platform to develop a repository for these experiences and provide researchers and policy makers with material to make comparative analysis of the different DDR experiences. This document will assist in providing lessons learned, allowing countries to capitalize on what has worked in similar settings. It will also provide an overview analysis of the development of DDR programs and processes on the African continent, highlighting key achievements and common challenges faced by national governments and regional organisations during implementation efforts. By extension, in-order to adapt training material to the constant flux and evolving nature of DDR operations, it is important to take into consideration contemporary DDR and bridge the growing rift between expectations and reality.
Given the role and engagement of ACCORD/TfP in building capacity in Africa and a partner to the African Peace Support Trainers Association (APSTA), the ACCORD/TfP was able to share its training experiences in Africa and outside the continent at the 13-15 May event, and gave guidance on the development of the training manual. This was achieved by focusing on the importance of standardizing training materials in provision of peace support operations.
This initiative is in line with the TfP Programme’s strategic goal for improved and sustainable capacity for peace operations on the continent, through ensuring that functional organizational systems are in place in the UN, AU and REC/RMs.
The Training for Peace Programme at ACCORD is an initiative funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For more information on ACCORD’s work through the TfP programme, please contact Ms Irene Limo, Senior Programme Officer, Peacekeeping Unit on Irene@accord.org.za or Ms Barbara Mohale, Programme Officer, Peacekeeping Unit on Barbara@accord.org.za.
