Report of the Regional Humanitarian Meeting for West Africa: 17-18 Jul 2003

I. SUMMARY
The Regional Humanitarian Meeting for West Africa, convened by the Secretary General's Humanitarian Envoy for the Cote d'Ivoire Crises, and hosted by UNICEF, was held in Dakar from 17-18 July 2003. The Meeting brought together Donors, UN, NGO and civil society partners to review and finalize the Regional Strategy and Plan of Action proposed by the Joint Humanitarian Field Review Mission.

The Meeting highlighted and reiterated the need for improved partnerships and coordination in response to the regional crises. It was agreed that a humanitarian strategy for West Africa would be ineffective if we do not: adopt a holistic approach by integrating humanitarian, political, security and development action at the country and sub-regional level; enhance the capacity of regional institutions to prevent and respond to crises; strengthen our partnerships with civil society in peace building and reconciliation; engage in effective conflict prevention and post-conflict resolution.

Discussions centered on the key issues that required a concerted regional approach: Protection; Coordination, planning and resources; Humanitarian leadership and management; and developing Consolidated Appeals for 2004. Participants endorsed the main findings and recommendations of the Mission and stressed the following:

Protection: There is a need to develop a regional protection strategy that: strengthens monitoring, reporting and accountability mechanisms; reinforces and disseminates norms and laws; ensures access to populations in need; promotes access to basic social services as a key element of protection; separates displaced civilians from combatants; addresses the gaps in protection of third country nationals and host communities; and supports local capacities for peace building and conflict prevention.

Coordination, Planning and Resources: The key priorities are: developing a sub regional operational plan that includes cross border negotiations and access, with a priority focus on Liberia; designing cross border programmes for interventions such as HIV/AIDS and SGBV; harmonising assessment and vulnerability analysis tools; ensuring regional flexibility in funding and resource allocation; and enhancing donor coordination and resource mobilization.

Humanitarian Leadership and Management: Priorities should focus on: expanding the remit of the Humanitarian Envoy to reflect the regional nature of the crises; integrating humanitarian strategies with political, security and development action through interaction with SRSGs and regional bodies; negotiating access and providing standby funds for the Humanitarian Coordinator in Liberia: deploying a Humanitarian Coordinator and negotiating access in Cote d'Ivoire; developing a coherent strategy for international engagement in Guinea.

CAP 2004: In order to provide a framework for regional strategic planning and resources mobilization, it is essential that a sub regional Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) and Consolidated Appeal are developed to complement country appeals. The regional appeal should mobilize funds for regional programmes such as health, HIV/AIDS, Protection and SGBV. The CAPs should support transitional and peace building initiatives and be linked to other planning and resource mobilization mechanisms.

Keeping up the momentum: The reestablishment of a OCHA Regional Support Office (RSO) in Dakar was resoundingly seen as a critical ingredient in driving the regional strategy and approach. The RSO would lead and monitor the implementation of the Regional Strategy and Plan of Action, in close partnership with an advisory group composed of donors, UN, NGOs and the Red Cross Movement and other partners.

II. Field Review Mission: Main findings

The pattern of war and conflict across the sub region is fuelled by domestic crises and perpetuated by regional instability.

  • The conflict in Liberia is at the epicenter of the crises with serious consequences for the rest of the region. The regional strategy should be centred on action in Liberia.

  • Cote d'Ivoire: There are still major humanitarian problems, especially in the West, with potential for increased instability from Liberia. There has been progress in the North however lack of basic social services remains a major problem.

  • In Guinea there are concerns regarding the protection of refugees. There is also imbalanced assistance to host communities that can lead to further tensions. Development assistance has been suspended, while limited humanitarian assistance remains the only source of external assistance. The culture of violence amongst youth is a cause for concern and a potential trigger for a full-blown crisis.

  • Sierra Leone has made impressive progress over the past year and serves as a pool of experience that can be transferred to the regional level. However, the instability in Liberia remains a potential threat to destabilizing the newfound peace.

Common Regional Themes:

  • Unemployed and illiterate male youth who are a major source of recruitment by armed groups.

  • Recruitment of children into armed groups

  • Illegal management of natural resources, and the use of children and youth for mining.

  • The widespread flow of arms and weapons

  • Widespread violence and disregard for human rights and humanitarian law.

  • Collapse of infrastructure and basic social service provision.

Major Challenges in Response:

  • Inadequate response to protection and material needs of Third Country Nationals;

  • Safe and unhindered access to populations in need

  • Security and safety of humanitarian staff and assisted beneficiaries.

  • Inadequate international attention to the crises,

  • Low and inconsistent rates of funding response across the region.

  • Lack of an integrated approach in understanding and responding to the crises.

  • Lack of coherent operational and contingency planning across the region.

  • Lack of a sub regional approach to disarmament and demobilization.

Main Areas for Action

  • Developing a regional protection strategy.

  • Engaging in advocacy with donors, governments and regional bodies.

  • Developing a comprehensive programme for third country nationals.

  • Providing better protection and services to refugees and IDPs.

  • Ensuring the civilian character of camps.

  • Launching national and sub regional DDR and small arms collection programmes.

  • Improving national and sub regional coordination.

  • Linking relief, recovery and development activities.

  • Improving Donor coordination.

  • Improving humanitarian leadership and promoting a structured dialogue with political actors.

  • Developing a regional strategy for promoting a culture of peace through sensitization and information campaigns

  • Improving assistance to host communities, displaced migrants and vulnerable populations who are not displaced.

  • Providing opportunities for returnees

III. Working Groups: Conclusions & Recommendations

West Africa -- A Crisis of Protection

Monitoring and accountability:

  • The role of the international community in monitoring protection should be reinforced by; field actors systematically reporting violations of HR and IHL to the Security Council; monitoring links between governments and armed groups and reporting to the SC.

  • Guidelines should be developed for reporting to International Criminal Courts.

  • UN missions should include HR advisors.

Humanitarian Access & Basic Social Services:

  • Without an intervention force in Liberia there will be no humanitarian progress. In the meantime, negotiation for access should be intensified with a focus on cross border operations and securing humanitarian corridors.

  • Access of both displaced and host populations to basic social services should be seen as key elements of any effective protection strategy.

Norms and Laws:

  • Norms and laws need to be reinforced and disseminated widely at the community level, in concert with local norms.

  • Peer information programmes need to be developed

  • Fighting impunity should be linked with IHL, African Charter/ Rights of the Child and ICCs.

Combatants:

  • Separating combatants from civilians in camps should be linked to regional DDR programmes.

  • Advocacy to prevent recruitment of children

  • Immediate demobilisation and reintegration of children soldiers

TCNs:

  • Support to TCNs after return needs to be strengthened and monitored.

Capacity building:

  • Capacities of governments, communities and youth should be reinforced for conflict prevention, peace building and protection of children and civilians.

The Humanitarian Community: Coordination Planning and Resources

Coordination

  • The OCHA Regional Support Office (RSO) should be reestablished in Dakar by October 2003.

  • The Humanitarian Envoy should provide the leadership role for initiatives of the RSO.

  • The RSO should work closely with Country Teams

  • The RSO should monitor the implementation of the Regional Strategy and Plan of Action.

  • The role and participation of government and national actors in humanitarian planning and coordination with political engagement should be redefined.

Vulnerability Assessments

  • Assessments, vulnerability analysis, monitoring and evaluation tools should be harmonised.

  • A central regional database should be developed and maintained.

  • Information management for planning response should be strengthened.

  • Lessons learned and best practices should be transferred across the region.

Resource mobilization

  • Funding should be allocated on a regional basis with flexibility in order to improve response capacities.

  • A Regional Donor Meeting should be convened to help explore regional funding mechanisms. Allocation of resources to respond to the crises in Liberia should be prioritized.

Planning

  • A Regional Operational Plan for Liberia should be developed as a top priority (August 2003).

  • A Regional Contingency Plan should be developed (September 2003).

  • Cross border programmes for HIV/AIDS, SGBV and women's rights need to be developed.

The Long-Term Strategic Approach: Humanitarian Leadership & Management

Regional Level

The OCHA RSO should:

  • Be based in the UN Office for West Africa in Dakar as the humanitarian arm of the SRSG's Office. The RSO TOR should compliment that of the SRSGO WA, which include: providing political leadership; linking humanitarian and political action; addressing cross cutting issues at a regional level; promoting sub regional integration; mainstreaming UN action.

  • Monitoring regional trends and issues to ensure that they are taken into account by country teams by providing analysis and advice.

  • Map resources and advice on allocation or redistribution based on needs and priorities.

  • Interface with regional political institutions, diplomatic corps, headquarters, donors, governments, non-state actors, and national institutions when needed.

  • Negotiate cross border access for all agencies.

Liberia

  • The Liberia Country Team should be strengthened.

  • Surge capacity (staff, logistics) should be identified and deployed immediately.

  • A joint assessment with donors and NGOs should be conducted as soon as possible.

  • Flexible standby funds should be made available to the HC.

  • Negotiation for access and cross border operations should be initiated immediately.

Cote d'Ivoire

  • A Humanitarian Coordinator should be deployed immediately

  • Access should be negotiated for all agencies.

  • The humanitarian community should be closely involved in the DDR programme.

Guinea

  • Negotiations for cross-border operations should be initiated.

  • A coherent strategy for engagement in Guinea should be developed with donors, political actors, SRSG WA and donors.

Strategic Implications For The 2004 Appeals

Regional

  • A Regional Common Humanitarian Action Plan (CHAP) should be developed.

  • A Regional Consolidated Appeal (CA) should be developed for programmes and projects that require a regional approach, including: health, peace building, food security, Protection, DDR, transitional initiatives and capacity building.

  • The regional CHAP and Projects should be cross-referenced to country CAPs.

  • The OCHA-RSO should facilitate the development of the Regional Appeal through regional and country consultations.

Country Appeals

  • Country Appeals should be developed for Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Cote d'Ivoire (Ghana, Mali and Burkina Faso).

  • Projects for: Peace building, capacity building emergency conflict management and transition should be included and clearly identified in country appeals.

  • Vulnerability analysis and impact monitoring tools should be enhanced.

Linkages

  • The Country Appeals should be linked with Common Country Assessments (CCA), UN Development Assistance Frameworks (UNDAF), National Recovery Strategies and Poverty Reduction Strategies.

  • Synergy between partners within and outside the CAP should be reflected at the sectoral, country and sub regional levels.

  • The CAP Process should be accompanied by a vigorous high-level advocacy campaign.

Transition

  • Peace building and Conflict Prevention initiatives should be supported through capacity building and support to regional institutions and civil society.

  • Support to national institutions and coordination structures should be enhanced.

  • Donors should review their funding mechanisms to better support transition initiatives.

IV. NEXT STEPS

Priorities for immediate action

  • Rapid response to the crises in Liberia, including negotiating access and cross border humanitarian operations.

  • Donors to provide rapid support to operations in Liberia.

  • Launch a comprehensive Regional DDR programme to break the cycle of violence comprising national programmes undertaken using consistent criteria and approaches. Establish and define the leadership role of the Regional Humanitarian Envoy

  • Establish and define the leadership role of the Regional Humanitarian Envoy

  • Establish the OCHA Regional Support Office.

  • Donors to establish regional coordination mechanisms.

Maintaining the momentum

The next Regional Humanitarian Meeting for West Africa should be combined with a meeting with regional political actors.

" How can we move from monitoring to influencing conflict prevention?"

THANK YOU!

  • UNICEF for organizing and hosting the Regional Meeting
  • Mission Members for their hard work and endurance during the mission.
  • UNHCR and WFP for logistical support
  • The Country teams for all their hard work in organizing the visits and providing their insights.
  • The meeting participants for their enthusiastic participation.
  • The Liberia Country Team: our thoughts were with you throughout the mission and meeting.

"We hope that the spirit of enthusiasm for regional collaboration and cooperation will continue, to improve the quality of our response to the people of West Africa! "