OCHA West Africa Newsletter No. 2

INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1. Liberia: Prerequisites for Peace

2. Sierra Leone: Reaching the Vulnerable?

3. Guinea: The CAP Experience

4. Interview with the DSRSG/HC/RC of Sierra Leone

5. West Africa : Quo vadis? (ctd. From Issue No.1)

Liberia
Prerequisites for Peace ... and more

From our OCHA Office in Liberia

Given that conflict is the main cause of the IDP and refugee situation in Liberia, it is necessary to address the root causes of conflict so as to forestall a reoccurrence of further IDP/refugee crises in the future. This entails addressing issues such as security, economic recovery, reconciliation, good governance and equitable distribution of national wealth.

Security

Liberians are evidently tired of the prolonged civil strife and are desperate to get a chance to try and put their tattered lives together again. However, IDPs must be guaranteed their own security and that of their property and must be able to trust the system before they can resettle and engage in productive activities. The various security apparatus responsible for the protection of civilians and their property are ill trained and inadequately equipped to gain the trust and confidence of the population. Institutional support is, therefore, required to train and strengthen the capacity of these organizations as well as increase their awareness and understanding of fundamental human rights and basic humanitarian law. However, in the interim, it is imperative that humanitarian actors are provided with the necessary security guarantees to enable them to execute their mandates as they operate in a very fluid security situation.

Good governance and reconciliation

Given the ethnic dimension of the conflict and the need to ensure harmony in the communities, the adoption of informal, traditional and cultural approaches that bring about reconciliation should be actively promoted. Furthermore, Government initiatives towards good governance and reconciliation should be supported. In this regard, Government should be encouraged to initiate dialogue with the dissidents.

Investment for development

The re-establishment of peace must be solidly built on massive investment in sectors, which will provide some hope for the future such as education, health and sustainable economic development. An enabling environment needs to be created for private sector investment and the return of the middle class. Moreover, the Government needs to be held accountable for its own reconstruction and development process and encouraged to put a mechanism in place to monitor the share of revenue invested in social services. In addition, local administrative structures need to be strengthened and informal cross-border trade supported.

Empowerment of Civil Society

Civil societies need to be empowered to allow freedom of speech without fear. Women, in particular, need to be encouraged to actively participate in civil society and contribute to their own development.

Increased funding

Organizations, such as the UN agencies and NGOs need funding to execute reconstruction and development programmes, in particular those related to infrastructure development and economic recovery.

What action can be taken now ?

  • The current peace initiatives embarked on within the Mano River Union should be given the requisite political support, as the re-establishment of peace at the sub-regional level would facilitate the repatriation of refugees and resettlement of IDPs to their areas of pre-war residence.
  • The donor community should be sensitized on the imperative of increasing the level of funding for humanitarian purposes to meet the emergency needs of the IDPs and refugees and to support the resettlement and reintegration process
  • Support should be mobilized for the preparation of an Action Plan for poverty reduction and the strengthening of participatory governance through grassroots leadership.
  • Local human rights organisations should be supported to ensure adherence to human rights principles.

Funding update

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has recently received approval from their Special Relief Operations Service (TCOR) for a project for "Emergency Supply of essential Agricultural Inputs to Crisis-Affected Farmers in Bong, Bomi and Cape Mount Counties", totaling US$342,000. The objective of this project is to restore the agricultural capacity of the IDP households that fled to Bong, Bomi and Cape Mount Counties as well as to assist the resident households in IDP hosting communities in recognition of their food security needs. Under the project, 5000 IDP farm families and 2500 host farm families will be supplied with basic input packages comprising tools and seeds. Training will also be provided in crop production techniques for extension and field staff of collaborating NGOs, CBOs and the Ministry of Agriculture. Once trained, these staff will then train the beneficiary farmers. The expected output of the project is to improve food security and reduce dependency on direct food aid among the targeted IDP and host communities.

Sierra Leone
Reaching the Vulnerable with the CAP 2002

Reflections of OCHA Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone the CAP 2002 Theme of "Reaching the Vulnerable" reflects as much the pragmatic reality as it does a bona fide (and self-evident) humanitarian objective.

Trying to tackle the vast range of problems and needs facing a devastated Sierra Leonean population, with the limited resources available in-country and from international donors, is as discouraging as it is a daunting undertaking. It leaves little choice but to engage in hard-nosed priority setting, by sectors, geographic areas and, of course categories of affected persons themselves.

Internally Displaced Persons, resettled/resettling persons, returnees, refugees from elsewhere in the sub-region, ex-combatants, amputees and the war wounded, child soldiers, unpaid and dislocated health and education personnel, returning civil authority, destroyed communities, under fives whose life expectancies are among the lowest in the world, war widows and abductees, street children, HIV affected and potentially affected,.... ., and the list goes on. Who among them need assistance the most, and who need the most assistance? Ideally no one should be burdened with having to make such a decision. But funding realities dictate otherwise.

The most effective tool currently being utilized to address this issue of prioritization are the multi - sectoral, Interagency District Assessments, of which 5 of 12 have been carried out in the last 6 months. These assessments are being organized and coordinated by the National Commission for Reconstruction Resettlement and Rehabilitation (NCRRR), with the facilitation of OCHA. These are joint assessments undertaken in individual districts by teams of sector professionals from the GoSL, UN Agencies, and NGOs. They are both rigorous and arduous exercises, in newly accessible areas ultimately generating the kind of data and information needed to permit prioritization and joint planning decisions in 2002, as envisaged by the Sierra Leone CAP.

If the CAP 2002 does successfully elicit funding anywhere close to the 88 million dollars requested for humanitarian response in Sierra Leone, then these funds, and the programmes for which they are sought, will be directed at the most vulnerable people in regions and humanitarian sectors around the country.

Discouragingly many will be left out. We can only hope to minimize their numbers, and do our best to ensure that those who are left out are perhaps a little better off than those whom we manage to reach.

Not an ideal outcome, but one we always to have to live with when working in one of the poorest countries in the world!

West Africa - Quo Vadis?
Looking at the MRU - and beyond for the year 2002

Reflections from OCHA Geneva

The 15 West African States within ECOWAS - Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo - have in the past not only been conflict prone, but also increasingly affected by natural disasters. Even though some indications for peace-building and stabilization of the region have been noticeable (see WANL No.1), a number of negative and /or critical developments have taken place during the month of November, such as:

  • Ghana: 5,000 displaced, 50 killed in communal clashes;
  • Guinea Bissau: reported coup attempt;
  • Nigeria: ethnic clashes in Central Region, religious riot in Osogbo, internal conflict leading to some 400,000 displaced
  • Gambia: journalists and Human Rights activists arrested
  • Sierra Leone: disarmament stalled in Eastern Region, issues on withdrawal of Guinean troops in Koindu/Kailahun still to be resolved;
  • Ivory Coast: National Reconciliation Forum ongoing until 17 December 2001.

to name a few. These are selected issues, whose resolve will also determine the evolution of stabilization, peace and development.

If one looks at this as an equation, X + Y + Z = Peace, Stabilization and Development

it would be imperative to define the X , Y and Z to achieve the result given at the end of the formula. Could we suggest that a mix of a strong policy dialogue (International Community/ Governments/Civil Society), targeted sanctions (UN instrument), economic investment/debt reduction (private industry, international monetary institutions,) and social sector support (Governments/Humanitarian and Development Actors) would suffice to get that result? Or would we need to consider other mechanisms, instruments and interventions as well? Innovative approaches and thinking "outside established boxes" are probably some of possible additional factors which could make all the difference.

For the three Mano River Union Countries - Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia - that have participated in the development of the CAP 2002 some of these suggestions - innovative approaches, addressing the issue of transition from relief to development, social sector support etc. - have been included in the CHAP and strategic priorities as well as specific projects have been developed in accordance with these. For 2002, it remains to be seen, which ones can be realized , depending on the funding. Within the overall national and international strategies and activities to bring about a lasting peace to the MRU countries, the CAP plays a small but important role. It will indeed be one of the instruments that could positively influence the development of each of the MRU Countries and even beyond.

There are also other supporting initiatives to be considered when forecasting regional developments for 2002, such as the establishment of a United Nations West Africa Office in Dakar/Senegal due to focus on developing and promoting integrated sub-regional policies and strategies for activities in West Africa and providing a forum for the harmonization of UN system wide policies and strategies with those of ECOWAS other regional organisations, civil society and international partners among other goals.

The OCHA Regional Support Office in Abidjan/Ivory Coast will additionally be an important pillar to strenghten the UN humantiarian systemic response to the needs in the region.

Hope for 2002 can be expressed. Action needs to be taken to create the more peaceful reality for the people of West Africa.

INTERVIEW WITH THE DSRSG /HUMANITARIAN AND RESIDENT COORDINATOR OF SIERRA LEONE

Q: Currently the West Africa Region seems to be on a path towards peace, as demobilisation and disarmament continue, borders have been opened, and peace talks at very high levels are maintained. If you agree to this statement, which interventions and actions would you judge important now in order to stabilize this development?

A: Firstof all, the international community has to realise that peace is indivisible. A problem in one country can lead to problems in other countries in this region. Peace therefore has to be seen in a sub-regional context and we need a combination of regional and national approaches in order to further stabilize the situation. The UN is trying to do just that, by establishing the UN West Africa Office in Dakar and the OCHA Regional Support Office in Abidjan. Assistance strategies have to be developed with reference to IDPs, the revival of the Mano River Union, economic recovery etc. To advance the political agenda and the solution of existing problems, the leadership of the 3 countries has to be willing to address them. However, international political support would most certainly be an additional push-factor.

Q: This years CAPs in Sierra Leone and Guinea have specifically introduced "economic recovery projects". This seems to pave the way for humanitarian agencies to exit the countries and hand over to their development counterparts. Do you foresee humanitarian agencies exiting soon? If yes, why? If no, why not?

A: For 2002, we shall rely heavily on the CAP. At this point in time, most UN agencies have a foot in both camps: development and relief. In order to assist the poor and vulnerable people in the region, capacity needs to be built so that people can help themselves. The particular vulnerabilities of women and children have to be taken into consideration when defining projects and programmes that aim to empower population groups. Area based assistance is needed in the next 6-9 months and this is reflected in the recently produced CAP for 2002. In order to advance the implementation of appropriate projects, following the Kono and Kambia assessments, it is now envisaged to hold a donor conference in early 2002 to widen the circle of donors and avoid a hiatus, which could lead to weaken the process of consolidating peace. In that respect, UNDP, the World Bank and OCHA are foreseen to be lead partners to prepare this conference, where regional assessments together with budgets will be presented so that additional funding might be triggered to help the country with post conflict recovery.

Q: How do you see the developments in Liberia influence the West Africa Region? With continued fighting in Lofa County, low funding and rising humanitarian needs as well as continued sanctions, what role should humanitarian actors play in order to avoid a further decline at a regional level?

A: Obviously, the situation in Liberia influences developments in the region. With respect to humanitarian assistance we want to be sure that sanctions do not hurt the very people who are already suffering and remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance. We hope that the initiative of the Mano River Women's Peace Network will soon result in a Heads of State meetingof the Mano River Union.

Q: With the international community focusing more or less completely on Afghanistan since the 11 September attack what actions can and should be taken by the UN to draw the public's attention to Africa, where we see the majority of conflicts?

A: I guess that the best advocacy would be to show positive developments and consolidated peace. If a basic national recovery could be brought on its way, followed by a more long term sector support programme coupled with a strong government capacity building initiative. This would be the right direction. Good governance, sustained growth, a stable exchange and modest inflation rate will build confidence and attract international investment into mining, agriculture, tourism and other sectors.

(Mr. Allan Doss was available for this interview during his stay in Geneva for the CAP 2002 Launch)

Guinea
The CAP Experience in Guinea:
A consultative and participative approach

OCHA Guinea reports

The CAP process has been a new experience for Guinea. The CAP Workshop held in July was useful to prepare Government counterparts, NGOs and UN agencies for the process.

Building on that, a retreat was held in August for the UN focal points and the Government. The objective was mainly to review, modify and validate the results of the issues addressed during the workshop and agree upon a Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP). Immediately after the retreat, the first version of the CHAP was submitted to the UN Heads of Agencies for comments and refined according to the feedback received.

In the third week of August, sectoral stakeholders' meetings were organised by UN focal points in order to define the different sector plans in close consultation with all relevant partners. OCHA facilitated and monitored these meetings. The sectoral strategic objectives were later amended and validated in a UN country team meeting.

The drafting of the appeal followed the stakeholders' meetings based on the contribution provided by the focal points. Advanced drafts were completed by OCHA and submitted to the CAP Country Team for comments and corrections. In the meantime, the UN focal points started to draft projects in close consultation with their partners.

Constraints and achievements

Internal and external factors must be mentioned beforehand to shed light on the difficulties encountered :

The short timeframe between the workshop and the deadline for submission made it difficult to mobilise all partners involved.

Most NGOs were encouraged to participate and actually did attend the training workshop and the stakeholders' meetings.

Criteria for NGO participation are needed and will be elaborated in 2002.

As a result in Guinea:

  • The CAP reflects the common understanding and the agreed humanitarian action plan of the UN system, its partners and the Government.
  • Responsibilities were shared according to the mandates and capacities of each UN agency and created synergies.
  • The CAP and humanitarian action were placed within the framework of more global policies of poverty reduction currently implemented in Guinea (PRSP, UNDAF etc).
  • The document was presented and discussed with GovernmentMinistries: Territorial Administration, Decentralisation and Security; Co-operation; Foreign Affairs and Finance. Government officials expressed their will to validate it during the "Comité Interministériel".

Next steps

  • The office proposes to strengthen the prioritisation and review mechanism to ensure that projects are in line with strategic and sectoral objectives.
  • OCHA Guinea also proposes to use the CAP as its major tool for coordination by:

Facilitating regular CAP based sectoral meetings under the leadership of each responsible UN agency;

- Facilitating the set up of a CAP steering committee to ensure the follow-up of the process (update on the funding response, analysis of the gaps and constraints, recommendation to the UN Country Team etc);

- Ensuring the active participation of the Government at every step of the CAP monitoring process.

Lessons for the future:

OCHA Guinea wishes to emphasize the following issues for the future:

  • Ensure that focal points from each UN agency are clearly identified and fully engaged in the process from the training workshop to the preparation of the document by any appropriate action at HQ or Country level.
  • Develop mechanisms to monitor and assist CAP Country Teams (especially those new to the CAP) in the establishment of regular CAP-based sectoral meetings.

Disclaimer

This item is delivered to you by OCHA Geneva but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information, subscription etc. contact e-mail: kollies-cummings@un.org