An Introduction to ACCORD

The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) is a non-governmental conflict management institution based in Durban, South Africa. ACCORD was established in 1992 to impact on the process of negotiation and conflict resolution in South Africa. The Institution's focus has since broadened to include the whole of the African continent, and its activities stretch from the SADC in the South, through the Great Lakes region to West Africa and the Horn of Africa in the north-east. ACCORD strives to offer innovative and effective African solutions to African challenges. Through its work over the last twenty one years ACCORD has developed a comprehensive peace model, officially recognized by the United Nations in 1996 as a viable model for Africa.

ACCORD's activities are divided between an Interventions Department and a Knowledge Production Department. Within the Intervention Department there are a range of activities further divided into Peacemaking, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding. The Knowledge Production Department is responsible for a range of publications that include a quarterly magazine Conflict Trends (now in its fifteenth year of publication); books and occasional papers and research reports. In 1999 ACCORD published the first accredited African Journal on Conflict Resolution (AJCR) on the Continent, which is published biannually and which is now in its fourteenth year of publication.

ACCORD has developed a successful track record over its twenty one year history, working with former President Nelson Mandela in facilitating the role of civil society in the peace process in Burundi and with former President Masire on the DRC. ACCORD also worked in preparing rebel groups for the negotiation process in Burundi, facilitated by the South African Government.  In September 2005 ACCORD was the first African NGO in the history of the United Nations Security Council to address the Council.

ACCORD also hosts several special initiatives. The Africa Peace Award is an event that honours an individual, group or country. The Award recipient is selected based on three criteria: 1) The protection of and respect for human rights; 2) Peaceful settlement of disputes and; 3) Good Governance of public affairs. The first Africa Peace Award was presented to the Community of Mpumalanga (KwaZulu Natal) in 1993, the second to then President Nelson Mandela in 1995 and the third award was presented to the Nation of Mozambique in 1997. The fourth Africa Peace Award took place in June 2000 and was awarded to the Nation of Nigeria.  The fifth Africa Peace Award was presented to the Children of Africa, with a special focus on the children of the DRC, in June 2003. The sixth African Peace Award was presented to the Nation of Burundi in June 2006.  The seventh Africa Peace Award was awarded to the Nation of Sierra Leone in 2010. The eighth Africa Peace Award was awarded to the Nation of Ghana in 2012.

ACCORD is planning the construction of a permanent Conflict Prevention Centre, the first in Africa. Our vision is of a retreat, conference, training and research facility that will provide a peaceful setting and a comprehensive range of services that can accommodate high level conflict interventions, continuous training and research. The Centre would also be a venue for policy makers, academics and practitioners to gather on a regular basis to discuss conflicts, formulate policy and evolve practical responses to conflicts in Africa.

ACCORD has a full time staff capacity of over one hundred (100) Staff divided between ACCORD's Head Office in Durban, South Africa, its Burundi Country and Rural Offices (in 2003 ACCORD opened its first office in Burundi) and its Country Office in Juba, the Republic of South Sudan (opened in 2012). ACCORD also has a small group of Fixed Term Consultants, in addition to been able to call on a network of Associates and Consultants, throughout Africa, to assist and provide expertise on the range of activities undertaken by ACCORD.

ACCORD's Board of Trustees, headed by Madame Graca Machel (President FDC, Mozambique) comprises of H.E. Ambassador Sibusiso Bengu (the former South African Ambassador to Germany and former Minister of Education); Professor Wiseman Nkuhlu (member of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation Board; Chairperson, Pan African Capital Holdings, former Chairperson of the NEPAD Steering Committee  and the former Economic Advisor to former President Mbeki); Professor Jairam Reddy (Chairperson of the Council of the Durban University of Technology and former Director, United Nations University International Leadership Institute); H.E. Ambassador Billy Modise (former South African Ambassador to Canada and former South African Chief of State Protocol); Mr Josias de Kock (former Chief Financial Officer for Premier Foods and a former Chief Risk Officer for Sanlam) and Mr. Vasu Gounden (Founder and current Executive Director of ACCORD). Professor Jakes Gerwel, (former Chair, Mandela-Rhodes Foundation and the former Head of the Office of former South African President Nelson Mandela), one of the five founding Trustees of ACCORD, passed away in 2012.

Latest News from ACCORD

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ACCORD trains SADC police officers in mediation

ACCORD continues to support the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) in its efforts to promote peace and security in the region by providing training support in conflict management, focusing on mediation and negotiation. Read more

17-05-2013 in Peacemaking

ACCORD trains South Sudan negotiators in mediation and negotiation

ACCORD's South Sudan Initiative (SSI) has held a Mediation and Negotiation Support Training (MANST) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for South Sudanese government officials and stakeholders who are directly or indirectly involved in the ongoing negotiation processes with Republic of Sudan.... Read more

10-05-2013 in South Sudan Initiative

ACCORD attends African Solidarity Initiative planning

ACCORD has participated in the African Solidarity Initiative (ASI) planning meeting that was hosted by the African Union/ Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (AU/PCRD) in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on 18 April 2013. The ASI is a new initiative... Read more

07-05-2013 in Peacebuilding

ACCORD hosts Governor of Khartoum

On 22 April 2013 ACCORD hosted the Governor of Khartoum, H.E. Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Khidr, from the Republic of Sudan, along with a delegation of ten senior officials, which included advisors and heads of the Strategic Projects Unit and... Read more

26-04-2013 in General

ACCORD starts online mentoring for UNMISS Civil Affairs Officers in South Sudan

As part of its training support to United Nations missions, the Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme at ACCORD has started an Online Mentoring Support Network (MSN) for the United Nations Missions in South Sudan (UNMISS). The aim of... Read more

24-04-2013 in Peacekeeping

TfP AGM and UN Meetings 2013

The Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme at ACCORD has participated in the TfP Annual General Meeting (AGM) in New York. The AGM aims to highlight the TfP Programmes main achievements and developments in 2012 and present its work... Read more

24-04-2013 in Peacekeeping

ACCORD elected Civilian Chair for 19th IAPTC Annual Conference

As a member, and current Civilian Chair of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centres (IAPTC), the Training for Peace in Africa Programme at ACCORD (TfP/ACCORD) has participated at this year's IAPTC Executive Committee Meeting. The meeting is an annual... Read more

23-04-2013 in Peacekeeping

ACCORD helps institutionalisation of the Pan-African Network of the Wise

In collaboration with the African Union Conflict Management Division, ACCORD participated to the Second Retreat of the Panel of the Wise (PoW) with similar regional mechanisms from 11th to 12th April 2012 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The institution was represented... Read more

19-04-2013 in General

Policy & Practice Brief captures recommendations from Southern African women mediators' seminar

Informed by key discussions, debates and recommendations that came out of the ACCORD-hosted Southern African Women Mediators Seminar (SAWMS) which was held from 21 to 24 November 2012, the recently published Policy & Practice Brief (PPB) titled 'Mediating peace in... Read more

19-04-2013 in Knowledge Production

TfP/ACCORD consults AU on peace support operations

In order to assist the AU in strengthening its capacity to plan, manage and implement Peace Support Operations (PSOs) on the continent, the Training for Peace in Africa at ACCORD (TfP/ACCORD) organised a consultative visit to the African Union (AU),... Read more

02-04-2013 in Peacekeeping

TfP attends workshop on understanding and integrating local perceptions in multidimensional UN Peacekeeping Operations

The Training for Peace Programme at ACCORD (TfP/ACCORD) has participated in a workshop on "Understanding and Integrating Local Perceptions in the Work of Multidimensional United Nations (UN) Peacekeeping Operations". Organized by the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (UN DPKO), the... Read more

02-04-2013 in Peacekeeping

ACCORD hosts AU Chairperson and Heads of RECs during BRICS Summit

On 28 March 2013, ACCORD hosted a high-level delegation of African officials, led by the African Union Chairperson H.E. Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, at ACCORD House in Durban, South Africa. The delegation comprised of the African Union (AU) Commission, the Executive-Secretaries of... Read more

31-03-2013 in General

APSTA colloquium examines peace support operations

As a member institution of the African Peace Support Trainers Association (APSTA), The Training for Peace in Africa Programme at ACCORD (TfP/ACCORD) has participated in the APSTA Training and Research Colloquium. The Colloquium aims to outline a mutually agreed framework... Read more

28-03-2013 in Peacekeeping

ACCORD contributes to first Malagasy defence dialogue on role of armed forces in state of crisis

ACCORD has participated in, and contributed to, a dialogue on the role of the Malagasy armed forces in a state of crisis, organised by the Madagascar Military School in Antsirabe. The reflection session focused on the long lasting political crisis in that country, since... Read more

28-03-2013 in Peacemaking

ACCORD interrogates regional cooperation for elimination of LRA

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is one of the deadliest insurgent movements to operate in Africa; both in terms of longevity, as well as the large-scale humanitarian upheavals it has caused. The LRA rebellion began in Uganda in 1986 and... Read more

28-03-2013 in Knowledge Production

ACCORD attends Post 2015 Development Agenda conference and g7 Technical Meeting

The g7+ group of countries was formed with the objective of creating a mechanism to monitor, report and draw attention to the unique challenges faced by fragile states. The g7+ was created to work in concert with international actors, the... Read more

24-03-2013 in Peacebuilding

ACCORD publishes conference paper on consolidation of peace after post-electoral crisis in Côte d'Ivoire

ACCORD recently published a Conference Paper titled 'Peace processes in Côte d'Ivoire: Democracy and challenges of consolidating peace after the post-electoral crisis' authored by Dr Doudou Sidibé. In this paper, Sidibé examines the reasons – other than former President Laurent... Read more

24-03-2013 in Knowledge Production

ACCORD hosts BRICS seminar on role of emerging powers in shaping international peace and security agenda

South Africa will be hosting the fifth BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) Summit at the Durban International Convention Centre (ICC) from the 26 to 27 March, 2013. Leading up to this event, there has been a series... Read more

22-03-2013 in Peacebuilding