TM2: Working in Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations (FCS)

Content Overview:
Workshop Summary and Feedback from the Field
From the Perspective of HQ and Field Office
Important Documents
Archive

Workshop Summary and Feedback from the Field

Conflict is development in reverse. The international community is stepping up its concern for FCS and Switzerland wants to join in. In the SDC draft message 2013-2016 a substantial number of the partner countries are in fragile and conflict affected situations (FCS). In order to transform the enhanced commitment for FCS in sustainable results on the ground, SDC has to meet new challenges: Increasing the internal expertise, creating room for more flexible staffing policies and investing in analysis and risk management. Security remains a main concern.

The issue of FCS has gained momentum on the international development agenda. Markus Heiniger, focal point of the CFA-network, referred in his initial presentation to the World Development Report 2011 on FCS, to the recent activities of INCAF (the OECD network on conflict and fragility) and to the “International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding” – a platform of fragile states (G7+) and donor countries, which has held its second global meeting on June 14-16, 2011 in Monrovia.

1,5 billion people live in areas affected by repeated cycles of political and criminal violence causing human misery and disrupting development. Up to date no fragile state is on track with the MDG-goals. Fragile states need an increased attention by the international community in order to reduce poverty, improve their MDG-performance and for general security concerns. To break the cycle of violence the 2011 World Development Report – presented by Segolène Adam – advocates for the strengthening of legitimate national institutions and governance in order to provide citizen security, justice and jobs – as well as alleviating the international stresses that increase the risk of violence.

TOOLS: CONFLICT SENSITIVITY IN THE CENTRE
Aid effectiveness in FCS demands for specific instruments. The f2f meeting confirmed the utility of a number of tools for both humanitarian and development actors on the strategic as well as on the operational level. Those tools must serve the overarching goal to improve development results in the field. They should be combined in a flexible manner. The main tools are:
Conflict sensitive programme management CSPM remains possibly the most holistic approach to the work in FCS;
Do no harm (do least harm);
Conflict (actors) mapping;
Conflict tree and other instruments for analysis;
MERV (Monitoring von Entwicklungs-Relevanten Veränderungen) is useful on national and on local level, since most FCS contain a number of specific local conflicts with or without links to the dominant conflict setting. The “MERV” format could be updated and should include humanitarian aid.

SDC shares this analysis and is willing to join the international effort to enhance peacebuilding and statebuilding. As a matter of fact almost half of the development partners of the regional cooperation are fragile states. Participants of the f2f-meeting in Jordan discussed what an enhanced engagement in FCS for SDC may implicate. Many methodical procedures are similar whether working in stable or fragile environments (focus on poverty, multi-stakeholder approach, the strengthening of state and civil society). There are however a number of additional risks and challenges which were outlined by the thematic responsible Christoph Graf and in a video message by the head of CIS region, Véronique Houlman. Their views were commented and complemented by many inputs of network members from the field and the headquarters.

The main challenges touch upon the HOW TO WORK in FCS:

Coping with higher risks: To engage in FCS bears political and operational risks which may also affect the results. Delivering sustainable results on the ground must be at the core of our operations. But expectations must be realistic and the quest for results shall not lower our security standards.
Security of the staff must always come in the first place. Security concerns must inform our strategic choices at the headquarters and also our operational decisions in the field. “Soft” security measures, informed manly trough the lens of Conflict sensitivity, comes first.
Strengthening institutional capacities: In order to perform as credible actor and achieve sustainable results, SDC has to strengthen the internal expertise (analysis, policy development and conflict sensitive project management). The building up of capacities must be based on staffing policies with a long term view. Those policies have to allow for more flexible approaches with regard to working conditions, incentives and duration of contracts in FCS.
Investing in analysis: Conflict sensitive programme management CSPM is a learning process and requires time. Additional means have to be invested in the analysis of contexts and in the shaping of strategic options drawing both from internal and external actors and resources.
Whole of government approach: In FCS coordinated approaches and joint strategies of all Swiss actors (SDC both humanitarian aid and development cooperation, PD IV, and other governmental actors) are imperative. The common strategies have to build on the complementary knowledge and mandates of the different Swiss actors. They shall cover shorter periods (2-3 years max.) and be handled with flexibility in order to adapt to environments with a potential for rapid change.
Strategy to update: The SDC peacebuilding strategy dates from 2003. In the past eight years the international debate on FCS has developed. New sources of conflict appeared (climate, water, food security) as well as new approaches (SSR) and actors (G+7) to tackle them. To mirror these international developments and to build in the orientations of the message 2013-2016 the SDC peacebuilding strategy shall be updated, as focal point Markus Heiniger announced.

Video summary of the workshop with voices from some of the working groups (part 1): This video features: Martin Jäggi, Anne Claude Cavin, Giancarlo de Picciotto(2:10), Mohammad Barakat (4:31)

(Video: Hans Peter Reiser, Armin Rieser, Hynek Bures)

ADDITIONAL TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED IN FCS
Peacebuilding and statebuilding touch on a number of political, social, cultural, economic and security issues which require a differentiated set of tools and approaches presented in parallel workshops: Security System Reform SSR, Dealing with the Past DwP/Transitional justice, gender issues, protection of civilians and reform of the state are among them. It is not one single approach which has all the answers to peacebuilding and statebuilding. A difference can be made however by a smart combination of approaches according to local requirements. Where, when and how to apply and combine them and who takes the lead in a specific context setting is object to close coordination among the Swiss governmental actors (SDC, PD IV, other actors) on both technical and strategic level.

There are many crosscutting issues in peacebuilding and statebuilding which require specific attention. Participants of the f2f meeting got acquainted with challenges and new approaches to communication, staff management, security and financial planning, which were outlined by network members and discussed in groups.

The network advocates for a pro-active approach to communication. In fragile contexts involving numerous external actors with different civilian and military mandates, pro-active communication establishes transparency and trust and enhances staff security. Development workers must invest sufficient time in explaining their mandate to the authorities and the local population and in reporting the results of their actions, including in local languages wherever possible.

Video summary of the workshop with voices from some of the working groups (part 2): This video features: Martin Jäggi, Anne Claude Cavin, Jean-François Cuénod (2:05), Hellan Atmar (5:04)

(Video: Hans Peter Rieser, Milena Mihajlovic, Hynek Bures)

Conclusion: The f2f-meeting in Jordan has confirmed that Swiss actors share common ground with regard to analysis, approaches and tools for FCS. The views from the field and the headquarters are complementary and do not differ in substance. The meeting has set a solid base for further activities. Participants agreed that the network activities shall be demand driven and respond to the needs of the field in the first place. Improving security and perspectives for citizens in FCS is an overarching objective of the network.

Thomas Jenatsch
Dead Sea, June 25, 2011

From the Perspective of HQ and Field Office

Véronique Hulmann, Head of the CIS Division, provides us with a point of view from Bern on Conflict Sensitive Program Management (CSPM). In the first video, Véronique shares her experience on program management during times of conflict and how CSPM is being strengthened in the CIS division. In the second video Véronique lists a few lessons learnt and challenges in this endeavor.

Part 1: Strengthening CSPM within the Country Program: Why and How

(Video: Hynek Bures)

Part 2: Lessons Learnt and Challenges

(Video: Hynek Bures)

Cyrill Prissette, Deputy Regional Director, SDC Amman, provides us with a field office perspective

(Video: Armin Rieser, Hynek Bures)

Important Documents

Conflict-Sensitive Programme Management CSPM [LINK]
Integrating conflict sensitivity and prevention of violence into SDC Programms – A handbook for practitioners. SDC publication.

Communication in Conflict Sensitive Program Management – Some Points to Consider [PDF]
What is good communication? What basic rules should development workers follow in fragile contexts? And why are these rules also important for those who are not performing communicative functions?

Peacebuilding – SDC Guidelines [PDF]
SDC Policy Guidelines for Peacebuilding (2003).

More SDC engagement in fragile contexts [PDF]
Paper on “More SDC engagement in fragile contexts – what does that mean?”; discussed in Management’s Committee for Policy Issues Meeting of 09-09-2010.

WDR Geneva_DAH final [PDF]
The opening speech of SDC director-general Martin Dahinden on ‘Conflict, security and development’, on the occasion of the launch of the World Development Report 2011 in Geneva, 24 March 2011.
The World Development Report 2011: Conflict, Security, and Development may be downloaded here.

Trends in International Debate on Aid in FCS [PDF]
Powerpoint slides of the presentation on trends in the international debate on aid in fragile and conflict affected situations, given by Segolène Adam during the first block of the FCS workshop.

TM2: Working in Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations (FCS)