The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR) Executive Secretary, Ambassador Liberata Mulamula and the Founder and Executive Director of the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (Accord), Mr Vasu Gounden, signed this 11 August in Bujumbura a Memorendum of understanding between their two organizations, whereby the two parties are to work together to support common objectives.

ACCORD held an interactive training course for key peacebuilding actors in the DRC from 25-29 July, 2011 in Lubumbashi. The aim was to enhance understanding on the Presidential elections to be held in November 2011, to enable stakeholders to play a role in preventing and mitigating electoral violence.

On 18 July 2011 the Executive Director of ACCORD, vasu Gounden, was invited to be a resource person at a seminar on South Africa's membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the period 2011-2012, hosted by the South African Department for International Relations and Co-operation (DIRCO). Gounden was asked to provide an assessment of solutions to conflicts in Africa.

From 11 - 14 April 2011 the Executive Director of ACCORD, Mr. Vasu Gounden led an ACCORD delegation to Juba, South Sudan, to conduct high-level consultative meetings on the peace process in that country.

Peacekeeping analyst Gustavo de Carvalho represented TfP/ACCORD in a panel discussion on "Reflection from the Training Community" at the Training & Rostering Community Consultation on the United Nations (UN) Report of the Independent Review of Civilian Capacity in the Aftermath of Conflict. The Consultation was aimed at providing a forum for the civilian training and rostering community to consider and comment on the above-mentioned UN report, and to agree on steps to implement aspects of the report that may address training and rostering related issues.

The Executive Director of ACCORD, Vasu Gounden, was invited to be a resource person at the 'Second Africa Governance, Leadership and Management Convention', hosted by the Kenya Institute of Management and the Africa Leadership Forum from 2-5 August 2011 in Mombasa, Kenya.

Mr Zinurine Alghali, Peacekeeping Unit Senior Programme Officer, represented TfP/ACCORD at the Joint African Union (AU) /European Union (EU) Experts Workshop and contributed to the review of activities undertaken so far with regards to the implementation of the EU support programme to African Training Centres; for the African Standby Force (ASF).

In late July 2011, ACCORD is to hold the second in a series of trainings on collaborative negotiation for agro-forestry education institutions in Francophone Africa. Given that natural resource conflicts have emerged as a key issue challenging local, regional, national and global security, ACCORD values the opportunity to bring our conflict management expertise and experience to this vital area.

On 04 and 05 July 2011 the Executive Director of ACCORD, Vasu Gounden, was invited to be a resource person at 'Strengthening Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation' Retreat hosted by the Permanent Mission of Turkey to the United Nations (UN) for the UN Security Council, in Istanbul. The Retreat brought together members of the UN Security Council at ambassadorial level, as well as other stakeholders, to discuss ways to strengthen preventive diplomacy and mediation.

Between 10 and 17 June 2011 the Executive Director of ACCORD, Mr. Vasu Gounden, accompanied by ACCORD's Senior Political Advisor, Mr. Aziz Pahad, and ACCORD's General Manager of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Hayden Allen, visited Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark.