As a partner institution of the Civilian Capacity (CIVCAP) Network which represents South Africa (SA), the Training for Peace Programme at ACCORD (TfP/ACCORD) and SA government officials attended a workshop on Government Provided Personnel (GPP) in the Rule of Law area. The workshop aimed at enhancing the knowledge and understanding of the CIVCAP Network partner countries on the GPP modalities for the deployment of CIVCAP within the Rule of Law area. In addition, it also aimed to inform CIVCAP Network partners about the substantive gaps where the United Nations (UN) needs civilian capacities.
The workshop was organised by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Federation in Moscow, Russia, on 24th – 25th June 2013. The workshop was attended by the CIVCAP Network partners who were accompanied by officials from their respective Ministry of Justice and the Department/Ministry in charge of the corrections service who are responsible for international engagements, and one official from their respective Foreign Ministries. TfP/ACCORD was represented by Ms Barbara Mohale – Peacekeeping Unit Programme Officer.
The workshop paved the way to improve general understanding of civilian deployment modalities, to identify potential capacities of justice and correctional expertise among the partners, and to generate new contributions to the UN peacekeeping and special political missions in the Rule of Law context. To achieve this, it was highlighted that government ministries need to work together with the CIVCAP networks and think-tanks to generate and identify future sources of capacity to UN field presences.
The impact of this engagement was an improvement to civilian deployments for SA’s bilateral assistance to, and multilateral engagements in post-conflict societies. This was in line with the TfP Programme’s strategic goal for improved and sustainable capacity for peace operations on the continent, which will be achieved by ensuring that functional organisational systems are put in place by the Member States which contribute personnel to peace operations, utilising relevant policy frameworks mandated by the UN, African Union (AU). In particular, the anticipated result of this activity was in line with TfP/ACCORD’s specific objective to build civilian capacity for the AU and UN peace operations, as well as those mandated by the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), such as the Southern African Development Community (SADC) which SA is a member of, and the African member states own bilateral efforts.
The TfP Programme at ACCORD is an initiative funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
