Fourth Consolidated Annual Progress Report on Activities Implemented under the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF)

Transcription

1 Fourth Consolidated Annual Progress Report on Activities Implemented under the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) Report of the Administrative Agent of the Peacebuilding Fund for the Period 1 January to 31 December 2010 Multi-Donor Trust Fund Office Bureau of Management United Nations Development Programme 31 May 2011

2 United Nations Peacebuilding Fund Recipient Organizations Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) International Labour Organization (ILO) International Organization for Migration (IOM) International Development Law Organization (IDLO) Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) United Nations Children s Fund (UNICEF) United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN) United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN Habitat) United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) World Food Programme (WFP) Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report i

3 Contributing Donors Australia Austria Bahrain Belgium Brazil Canada Chile China Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Egypt Finland France Germany Iceland India Indonesia Ireland Israel Italy Japan Kuwait Libya Luxembourg Mexico Morocco The Netherlands Nigeria Norway Org. of the Islamic Conference Peru Poland Portugal Private Donor (President of the 61 st Session of the UN General Assembly) Qatar Republic of Korea Romania Russian Federation Saudi Arabia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Thailand Turkey United Arab Emirates United Kingdom Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report ii

4 Abbreviations and Acronyms ASG BCPR BINUB BONUCA CAAFAG CAR CDCPA CNIDH CSO DDR DRC EC ERW FAO FDN FNL GBV HRCSL IDP ILO IOM IRF LOA M&E MDNAC MDTF Office MFI MONUSCO MOU NACS NGO OHCHR Assistant Secretary-General Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Resolution United Nations Integrated Office in Burundi United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups Central African Republic Commission for Civil Disarmament and the Fight against the Proliferation of Light and Small-Calibre Arms National Independent Commission for Human Rights civil society organization Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration Democratic Republic of the Congo European Commission Explosive Remnants of War Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations National Defence Force National Liberation Forces Gender-Based Violence Human Rights Commission for Sierra Leone Internally Displaced Person International Labour Organization International Organization for Migration Immediate Response Facility Letter of Agreement Monitoring and Evaluation Ministry of National Defence and Former Combatants Multi-Donor Trust Fund Office, UNDP Micro Finance Institution United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo memorandum of understanding National Anti-Corruption Strategy non-governmental organization Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report iii

5 OIF ONS PBC PBF PBSO PRF PRS RSF RSLAF SAA SGBV SLPP SSR STAREC TOR UN UN-Habitat UNCDF UNDAF UNDG UNDP UNESCO UNFPA UNHCR UNICEF UNIDO UNIPSIL UNMIL UNODC UNOPS UNPFN UNPOL UN WOMEN UXO USAID WFP YES International Organization of the Francophonie Office of National Security Peacebuilding Commission Peacebuilding Fund Peacebuilding Support Office (United Nations) Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility Poverty Reduction Strategy Facilitator s Special Representative Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces Standard Administrative Arrangement Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Sierra Leone People s Party Security Sector Reform Stabilization and Reconstruction Plan for Eastern DRC Terms of Reference United Nations United Nations Centre for Human Settlements United Nations Capital Development Fund United Nations Development Assistance Framework United Nations Development Group United Nations Development Programme United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization United Nations Population Fund United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees United Nations Children s Fund United Nations Industrial Development Organization United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone United Nations Mission in Liberia United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime United Nations Office for Project Services United Nations Peace Fund for Nepal United Nations Police United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women unexploded ordnance United States Agency for International Development World Food Programme Youth Employment Scheme Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report iv

6 Definitions Approved Project/Programme An Annual Work Plan, a project/programme document, etc., that is approved by the relevant decision-making body (for PRF projects: country-level Steering Committees; for IRF projects: ASG for Peacebuilding Support) for fund allocation purposes. Direct Costs Costs that can be traced to or identified as part of the cost of a project or programme in an economically feasible way. Donor Commitment A Donor contribution as per signed Letter of Agreement with the UNDP Multi-Donor Trust Fund Office (MDTF Office), in its capacity as the Administrative Agent of the PBF. Donor Deposit Cash deposit received by the MDTF Office for the PBF. Indirect Cost 1 A general cost that cannot be directly related to any particular programme or activity of the organization. These costs are recovered in accordance with each organization s own financial regulations and rules. Project Commitment The amount for which legally binding contracts have been signed, including multi-year commitments that may be disbursed in future years. Project Disbursement The amount paid to a vendor or entity for goods received, work completed, and/or services rendered (does not include unliquidated obligations). Project Expenditure Amount of project disbursement plus unliquidated obligations related to payments due for the year (except for UN Organizations that have adopted the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS). Project Financial Closure A project or programme is considered financially closed when all financial obligations of an operationally completed project or programme have been settled, and no further financial charges may be incurred. Project Operational Closure A project or programme is considered operationally closed when all activities for which a Recipient Organization is responsible under the approved programmatic document have been completed. Project/Programme/Joint Programme document An annual work plan or a programme/project document, etc., which is approved by the relevant decision-making body for fund allocation purposes. 1 UNDG Financial Policies Working Group. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report v

7 Project Start Date Date of transfer of first instalment from the MDTF Office to the Recipient Organization. Recipient Organizations Organizations that have signed a memorandum of understanding with the MDTF Office. Total Approved Project Budget Amount approved by the PBF country-level Steering Committee or the ASG for Peacebuilding Support. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report vi

8 Table of Contents EXECUTIVE SUMMARY... 1 INTRODUCTION PBF STRATEGIC APPROACH The Peacebuilding Fund Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility Immediate Response Facility PROJECT APPROVAL AND IMPLEMENTATION UPDATES Project Approval Status Project Implementation Status Monitoring and Evaluation, and Reporting Fund and Country-Level M&E Project-Level M&E PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION: ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES PBF Global Priorities Thematic Area 1: Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue Thematic Area 2: Promote Coexistence and Peaceful Resolution of Conflict Thematic Area 3: Revitalize the Economy and Immediate Peace Dividends Thematic Area 4: (Re-)build Essential Administrative Services and Infrastructure Country Summaries Burundi Central African Republic Guinea Guinea-Bissau Liberia Sierra Leone Comoros Côte d Ivoire Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Nepal Uganda Chad Haiti Kenya Kyrgyzstan Somalia Sri Lanka Sudan Timor-Leste Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report vii

9 3.3 Catalysing and Supplementing Other/Longer-Term Funding FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE Overview of Financial Performance Financial Delivery Rates Donor Contributions Received Interest Transfer of Funds to Recipient Organizations Transfer of Funds to PBF Countries Expenditure Reported by Recipient Organizations Total Expenditure Reported by Category and Reporting Period Expenditure by Recipient Organization with Breakdown by Category PBF TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY CONCLUSION ANNEX 1: EXPENDITURE BY PROJECT WITHIN COUNTRY, AS OF 31 DECEMBER 2010 ($000) Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report viii

10 Tables Table 3-1 Thematic Area 1: Summary of Funds Transferred Table 3-2 Thematic Area 2: Summary of Funds Transferred Table 3-3 Thematic Area 3: Summary of Funds Transferred Table 3-4 Thematic Area 4: Summary of Funds Transferred Table 3-5 Summary of Projects in Burundi as of 31 December Table 3-6 Full list of PBF projects in Burundi Table 3-7 Summary of Projects in Central African Republic as of 31 December Table 3-8 Full list of PBF projects in CAR Table 3-9 Summary of Projects in Guinea as of 31 December Table 3-10 Full list of PBF projects in Guinea Table 3-11 Summary of Projects in Guinea-Bissau as of 31 December Table 3-12 Full list of PBF projects in Guinea-Bissau Table 3-13 Summary of Projects in Liberia as of 31 December Table 3-14 Full list of PBF projects for Liberia Table 3-15 Summary of Projects in Sierra Leone as of 31 December Table 3-16 Full list of PBF projects in Sierra Leone Table 3-17 Summary of Projects in the Comoros as of 31 December Table 3-18 Full list of PBF projects in the Comoros Table 3-19 Summary of Projects in Côte d Ivoire as of 31 December Table 3-20 Full list of PBF projects in Côte d Ivoire Table 3-21 Summary of Projects in DRC as of 31 December Table 3-22 Full list of PBF projects in DRC Table 3-23 Summary of Projects in Nepal as of 31 December Table 3-24 Full list of PBF projects in Nepal Table 3-25 Summary of Projects in Uganda as of 31 December Table 3-26 Full list of PBF projects in Uganda Table 3-27 Summary of Projects in Chad as of 31 December Table 3-28 Full list of PBF projects in Chad Table 3-29 Summary of Projects in Haiti as of 31 December Table 3-30 Full list of PBF projects in Haiti Table 3-31 Summary of Projects in Kenya as of 31 December Table 3-32 Full list of PBF projects in Kenya Table 3-33 Summary of Projects in Kyrgyzstan as of 31 December Table 3-34 Full list of PBF projects in Kyrgyzstan Table 3-35 Summary of Projects in Somalia as of 31 December Table 3-36 Full list of PBF projects in Somalia Table 3-37 Summary of Projects in Sri Lanka as of 31 December Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report ix

11 Table 3-38 Full list of PBF projects in Sri Lanka Table 3-39 Summary of Projects in Sudan as of 31 December Table 3-40 Full list of PBF projects in Sudan Table 3-41 Summary of Projects in Timor-Leste as of 31 December Table 3-42 Full list of PBF projects in Timor-Leste Table 4-1 Financial Overview, Cumulative as of 31 December 2010 ($000) Table 4-2 Financial Delivery Rate by Sector within Country, for the Period Ending 31 December 2010 ($000) Table 4-3 Financial Delivery Rate by Country within Sector, for the Period Ending December 2010 ($000) Table 4-4 Donor Contributions, Cumulative as of 31 December 2010 ($000) Table 4-5 Received Interest at the Fund and Agency Level ($000) Table 4-6 Transfer of Net Funded Amount by Recipient Organization ($000) Table 4-7 Net Funded Amount by Sector within Country ($000) Table 4-8 Expenditure by Category ($000) Table 4-9 Expenditure by Recipient Organization with Breakdown by Category ($000) Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report x

12 Figures Figure 3 1 Figure 3 2 Figure 3 3 Figure 3 4 Figure 3 5 Distribution of Funds Transferred by Thematic Area, Cumulative as of 31 December Thematic Area 1 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December Thematic Area 2 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December Thematic Area 3 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December Thematic Area 4 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report xi

13 Executive Summary The Fourth Consolidated Annual Progress Report on Activities Implemented under the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is consolidated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi-Donor Trust Fund Office (MDTF Office) in its capacity as the Administrative Agent/Fund Administrator of the PBF. The report is submitted to the Secretary-General, through the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Peacebuilding Support, heading the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) that, as Fund Manager of the PBF, provides overall direction and guidance to the programme management of the PBF. The report is also submitted to Donors contributing to the PBF. It serves as an important input into the Secretary-General s reports to the Security Council and the General Assembly. This consolidated report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2010 and provides narrative, results-based and financial information on progress made in the implementation of projects funded by the PBF, as well as the common achievements and challenges. Information on results has been consolidated both under the global thematic areas of the PBF as well as under each country where the PBF is active. The report is prepared based on information and data contained in the individual progress reports and financial reports and statements submitted by Recipient Organizations to the MDTF Office. It is neither an evaluation of the PBF, nor the MDTF Office s assessment of the performance of the Recipient Organizations. However, the report does provide PBSO and PBF country-level Steering Committees with a comprehensive overview of achievements and challenges associated with projects funded by the PBF, enabling them to make strategic decisions and take corrective measures, as appropriate. As Manager of the PBF, PBSO is responsible for performance assessment, using a variety of tools including independent country evaluations. As of the end of the reporting period, 31 December 2010, the PBF had funded projects in 19 post-conflict countries: Burundi, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nepal, Côte d Ivoire, Comoros, Guinea, Kenya, Haiti, Somalia, Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, Sudan, Chad, Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan. A significant increase in funding was noted in 2010, highlighting the extent of peacebuilding needs and the Fund s increasing capacity to respond. Efforts have been made in the course of 2010 to make the design and implementation of PBF projects more results-based and more responsive to root causes of conflict. The PBF Strategic Approach The PBF was launched on 11 October 2006, following General Assembly and Security Council resolutions A/60/984 and S/2005/1645 (2005). The PBF aims to provide rapid and catalytic resources that are of direct relevance to advancing peace processes in post-conflict settings. The PBF can establish a crucial bridge between conflict and recovery at a time when other funding mechanisms may not yet be available. The PBF strengthens institutions of governments, legislatures and civil society to sustain the peace. With mechanisms for rapid reaction, it addresses countries immediate needs and critical gaps as they emerge from conflicts and thus focuses on providing support during the very early stages of a peacebuilding process. The PBF is guided by the following principles: transparency, flexibility, operational speed, accountability, catalytic effect, effectiveness, needs-based allocations and national ownership. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 1

14 The PBF attaches a high priority to countries that come before the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), but is also available to countries designated by the Secretary-General. PBC countries account for 70 percent of total funding allocated to PBF countries, i.e. $137.0 million out of $195 million allocated at the end of the reporting period. During 2010, a Business Plan for and a Performance Management Plan (PMP) have been developed. These two tools will guide planning and strategy for the coming period. In order to strengthen the strategic positioning of PBF/PBSO as a key actor for peacebuilding, a new Business Plan has been endorsed by PBSO Senior Management that provided an opportunity to develop a PMP with clear strategic results against which the country-specific relevance for peacebuilding will be measured in future. This new management tool will not only provide more results-oriented programming and budgeting, it will also enable PBF to streamline the monitoring of and reporting on results from a more programmatic standpoint, and to measure if sector changes from PBFsupported country portfolios can be sustained and contribute most effectively to the peacebuilding process. In its fourth year of operations, the PBF has now put in place the necessary preconditions for effective M&E systems that build on lessons learned from external evaluations in previous years and driving results improvements that are increasingly being highlighted across countries where the PBF has provided support. At the heart of the Business Plan is an approach based on expected allocations of $100 million per year to a portfolio of up to 20 active countries at any one time, with a mixture of large grants for priority countries and smaller grants to respond to critical opportunities. The PBF Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility (PRF) supports a structured peacebuilding process driven by national actors based on a joint analysis of needs with the international community. The PBSO establishes a country allocation based on an approved PBF Priority Plan and delegates project approval authority to a Joint Steering Committee co-chaired by the national government and the UN. The PBF Priority Plan focuses on objectives that have a direct and immediate relevance to peacebuilding within one or more of the four thematic areas of the PBF as detailed in the PBF Results Framework: Thematic Area 1: Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue Thematic Area 2: Promote Coexistence and Peaceful Conflict Resolution Thematic Area 3: Revitalize the Economy and Immediate Peace Dividends Thematic Area 4: (Re-)build Essential Administrative Services and Infrastructure In 2010, 36 new PRF projects were approved in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nepal, Central African Republic, Guinea- Bissau, Guinea, Comoros, DRC and Uganda. These are in addition to 97 projects approved for funding in 2007, 2008 and In total, 133 PRF projects have been approved by national steering committees from 2007 through In addition, Lebanon and Guatemala were made eligible for funding under the PBF PRF in However, as of the end of December 2010, no PBF Priority Plan had been approved, nor any projects funded in both countries. The PBF Immediate Response Facility (IRF) is designed to jump-start immediate peacebuilding and recovery needs. It is a flexible and fast funding tool for single or multiple projects. Projects submitted by the Senior UN Representative in countries that meet the criteria receive funding within three weeks. In 2010, 13 new IRF projects were approved. New countries to receive IRF funding in 2010 were Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka and Sudan. Additional 2010 IRF funds went to Burundi, Guinea, Haiti and Sierra Leone. Prior to 2010 a total of 13 IRF projects were approved, and therefore a total of 26 IRF projects in 14 countries have been approved by the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support (ASG/PBSO) by the end of The cumulative total amount funded under the IRF is $45.2 million, with $23 million falling under PBF Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 2

15 Thematic Area 1. Interventions commonly focused on security institutions, political mediation efforts, support in electoral processes and reintegration of vulnerable groups. Project Approval and Implementation Status During the reporting period 1 January to 31 December 2010, under the PRF, 36 new projects were approved for PBF funding: by the UNPFN Executive Committee in Nepal (3 projects); and by the PBF country-level Steering Committees in Liberia (1 project), Central African Republic (13 projects), Sierra Leone (1 project), Guinea- Bissau (1 project), Comoros (4 projects), Guinea (3 projects) 2, DRC (7 projects) and Uganda (3 projects). New countries to receive funding under the IRF in 2010 were Chad (one project), Kyrgyzstan (one project), Sri Lanka (one project) and Sudan (three projects). Additional IRF funds approved by the ASG/PBSO went to Burundi (one project), Guinea (three projects), Haiti (one project) and Sierra Leone (two projects), giving a total of 13 IRF projects approved in Total approved funding in 2010 was $89.9 million for 49 projects, which compared with previous years is a significant increase in funding for a similar number of projects 3. At the end of 2010, the total PBF allocated portfolio (PRF country envelopes and IRF allocations) encompassed $250.2 million for a total of 159 projects in 19 countries. Of this, $219.5 million had been transferred to Recipient Organizations by the end of December Eleven countries have been made eligible for PBF funding under the PRF since 2006, totalling country envelopes of $195 million. Four new country envelopes have been approved in 2010: one for a new country ($14 million for Uganda) and three for existing PBF countries under the PBC: $20 million for the second PBF tranche for the Central African Republic, $7 million for a new Priority Plan in Sierra Leone, and $3 million for a quick-start Priority Plan in Liberia, which joined the PBC in Of the 159 approved projects, 93 were executed by UNDP. Other Recipient Organizations executed the following number of projects: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) (5), International Labour Organization (ILO) (2), International Organization for Migration (IOM) (13), Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) (4), United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) (1), United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (UN-Habitat) (2), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) (7), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) (12), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) (14), United Nations Children s Fund (UNICEF) (16), United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) (1), United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN WOMEN) (3), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) (1), United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) (11) and World Food Programme (WFP) (4). A greater diversity of UN organizations are becoming implementers of the PBF. As of 31 December 2010, 85 projects had operationally closed: 2 in 2007, 5 in 2008, 18 in 2009 and 60 in A large number of projects, about 48 percent, in several countries are jointly implemented by two or more agencies. In Burundi, Nepal, DRC, Uganda and Côte d Ivoire the majority of projects are jointly implemented, and so are a significant number of projects in Sierra Leone, Liberia, the Central African Republic, Guinea and the Comoros. Joint implementation of projects between UN agencies and UN missions is also common. For example, in Burundi 14 out of 21 projects are implemented jointly by BINUB and UNDP, but also UNICEF and OHCHR, 2 Due to the security situation and the 2010 elections in Guinea, the three PRF projects have been approved using IRF procedures, i.e. approved by the ASG/PBSO. 3 This compares with $35.9 million approved in 2009 for 46 projects and $48.1 million approved for 38 projects in Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 3

16 while in Sierra Leone 13 projects are implemented jointly by the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) and UNDP, as well as with IOM and UNOPS. Project Implementation: Achievements and Challenges This report consolidates the individual project narrative reports issued by the Recipient Organizations. Summaries of results and challenges are presented both by PBF thematic area and by country. In general, in all thematic areas there is a mix of projects that support central state structures and those that support localized community initiatives targeting civil society actors. In addition, there is a good balance of projects supporting interventions in both rural and urban areas and populations. Gender is mainstreamed across a large selection of projects. Youth is a very commonly occurring target group across projects, particularly under Thematic Area 3 due to the perceived role of youth in economic recovery. Support for institution-building occurs frequently, with a particular focus on security, and to a lesser degree justice, institutions that are seen as playing a key role in the restoration of public order and trust between authorities and populations. Common themes and approaches are seen across countries. Examples of common interventions include support to Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR), army, police and courts, as well as socio-economic reintegration. Training is the most common project activity, followed by awareness-raising and advocacy efforts. Under Thematic Area 1 (Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue), the PBF has provided continued funding for UN support of peace agreements, mediation and political dialogue efforts in Burundi, the Central African Republic, Côte d Ivoire and Guinea. The UNDP supported UN mediation assistance to Guinea to ensure adherence to the Ouagadougou agreements in terms of equipment, operations and advocacy activities. The mediation was a factor in the presidential elections being held according to the established timetable and in restoring trust between the main actors involved in the transition. In the Central African Republic UNDP has implemented recommendations of the dialogue process. Sensitization and subsequent communications from the population to the authorities have drawn attention to the urgent need for victim compensation and resulted in efforts to start a national reconciliation process. Reinforcing the role of the police has been at the core of activities in Burundi, Sierra Leone, the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, the Comoros, Somalia and DRC. In Somalia, UNDP has assisted the Government of Puntland to initiate reform of the police, with a focus on right-sizing the police to be more manageable and effective, developing standards for the police and improving the capacity of officers to respect those standards. In Burundi, BINUB and UNDP have supported efforts toward the separation of the armed branch of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) from its political wing. Activities have allowed for the timely return of approximately 11,000 adults associated with FNL combatants to their communities of origin, which has resulted in improved security in the areas surrounding the pre-assembly sites as indicated by armed violence statistics monitored during the period of return. In the strengthening of justice institutions, efforts by UNICEF in the Comoros have improved access to justice for the most vulnerable, reinforced the population s confidence in the justice and prison systems, and strengthened the effectiveness of the justice system through an increase in resolved cases. Projects in the Central African Republic, Nepal, the Comoros and DRC have addressed socio-economic reintegration of vulnerable groups, such as women and children. In the Central African Republic, UNICEF in 2010 ensured a greater understanding on the part of armed groups of the legal instruments of protection of children, resulting in their involvement and cooperation throughout the project. In Nepal, a UNICEF and OHCHR joint programme has been critical in monitoring and reporting on the discharge and rehabilitation process and ongoing violations of children s rights, as mandated by UN Security Council Resolutions 1612 and Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 4

17 Under Thematic Area 2 (Promote Coexistence and Peaceful Conflict Resolution), a wide diversity of projects have been implemented. The promotion of coexistence and resolution of conflicts is inherently very context specific, and UN projects have therefore adapted to specific needs in the various countries to be able to contribute to sustainable peacebuilding tailored to local realities. Projects largely focus on strengthening institutions that promote social cohesion, respect for human rights and oversight. The positive role of women in reconciliation efforts has also been emphasized. IOM and UNIPSIL in Sierra Leone have supported the effectiveness of the Parliament, which has positively affected service delivery in the operations of Parliament. Also in Sierra Leone, IOM has executed a project addressing regional issues, in this case along the Sierra Leone/Guinea border, which has contributed to increased trust and unity among the border communities and to the rejuvenation of socioeconomic activities in the area. In Liberia, UN-Habitat has supported the establishment and initial functioning of the Liberian Land Commission by implementing a series of conflict-mitigation and institution-building activities that make a direct contribution to the peacebuilding process yet are part of a long-term land reform programme. Oversight functions have been reinforced in Sierra Leone by supporting the National Anti-Corruption Strategy (NACS) Secretariat. Building capacity of human rights mechanisms and addressing rights violations has been the focus of projects in Nepal, Burundi and CAR. OHCHR, BINUB and UNDP jointly supported the launch of the National Independent Commission for Human Rights in Burundi along with nationwide sensitization activities with broad participation among various social entities, as well as intensive advocacy activities with Parliament aimed at speeding up the legislative process and amending the draft law. OHCHR has supported the Government of Nepal to formulate bills for the establishment of the transitional justice commissions, as well as compiling a comprehensive data set on alleged human rights and humanitarian law violations for use by the commissions when they are established. In Liberia, the UNFPA-executed Strengthening Prosecution of Sexual and Gender- Based Violence (SGBV) Offences supported SGBV Crimes Unit investigators, victims support advocates and prosecutors to build up SGBV cases for prosecution, reducing instances of resorting to violence or the use of informal justice mechanisms such as trial by ordeal. UNFPA and UNICEF in Nepal are also documenting conflict and post-conflict SGBV through a process that has provided access to health, legal and psychosocial services to over 4,000 women and girls. Projects that promote coexistence and reconciliation importantly tend to focus on the role of women in such processes. UNFPA and UN WOMEN in 2010 completed an evaluation of the capacities of women s associations and community groups in the mediation and management of social conflicts across the three Comorian islands. In Central African Republic, women have in 2010 established networks and undertaken advocacy work to promote the protection of women s rights and peace based on assistance provided by UNDP. Under Thematic Area 3 (Revitalize the Economy and Immediate Peace Dividends), projects focus on delivering services, training and employment opportunities for the population, in contrast to efforts that are directed at institution-building. There is a strong focus on youth, with 50 percent of projects specifically identifying youth as the target group. Support for professional development and for the establishment and functioning of youth associations are also included. A few projects focus on supporting the (re)integration of women in recovery efforts. Professional development, mostly focused on youth, has had positive results in the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, the Comoros, Nepal and Haiti. In the Comoros, the UNDP/UNIDO project has introduced new production, conservation, processing and marketing techniques to enable beneficiaries to increase production and improve their living conditions. With the objective to reduce intercommunal conflict, jobs are being created and women and youth encouraged to participate actively in socio-economic development. In Nepal, an ILO and FAO Jobs for Peace project has engaged young women and men in productive employment opportunities and empowerment, achieving broad-based employment creation through quick-impact job creation approaches in conflict-affected and vulnerable districts that generated a total of 30,423 paid work days in Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 5

18 A set of projects encouraging the socio-economic reintegration of vulnerable groups, often through employment, are being implemented in Burundi, the Central African Republic, Liberia, the Comoros, Guinea, Timor-Leste and Uganda. With the aim to strengthen local governance and development of national capacities for reintegration in Burundi, UNDP has encouraged the voluntary return of people affected by war, strengthened social cohesion through the promotion of good governance, and supported the revival of productive activities and the promotion of local entrepreneurship. Financial services and micro-credit schemes are often featured components of projects in training and professional development. In Guinea-Bissau, the UNDP saw 61credits awarded to young men and women to start their own business. Functional young companies have created jobs for about 183 youth. In order to create space for livelihood activities and revitalize economic activity for populations affected by conflict in Sri Lanka, UNDP and UNICEF have addressed the problem faced by many returnees who are as yet unable to re-establish their livelihoods due to the mine or unexploded ordnance (UXO) contamination of surrounding agricultural and grazing land. In the Central African Republic, UNDP has through project activities strengthened technical capacities of populations to boost agro-pastoral production, which has seen improved living conditions and increased agricultural production, a necessary condition for the return of peace and stability in the area of operation. Under Thematic Area 4 ((Re-)build Essential Administrative Services and Infrastructure), strengthening government institutional capacity to deliver services to the population has largely been the focus. In most cases, projects concentrate on security institutions and strengthening government capacity in the coordination and implementation of peacebuilding activities. This thematic area had the fewest projects: 14 across six countries. One project focused specifically on the restoration of state authority at local levels by deploying civil administration staff in 25 administrative entities (320 staff) in the DRC. Strengthening of state institutional capacity in the security sector was the aim of projects in Burundi, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau. UNDP activities in 2010 in Sierra Leone resulted in a relevant, cost-effective Chiefdom Security Coordinators (CHISECs) initiative that was welcomed by local security actors as it provided early warning capacity and a forum for resolution of local conflicts, preventing escalation to violence. Projects in Burundi, Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone supported the rehabilitation of military barracks, with a view toward improving soldiers interaction with civilians. Government coordination capacity in strengthening state authority was improved by UNDP in the DRC. Local ownership was particularly achieved in North and South Kivu where governors have presided over the CTCs. In Uganda, projects to strengthen government institutional capacity to deliver services include capacity-building of local government on local economic development, i.e. joint and strategic management of resources and the stimulation of the economy, and on protection issues including gender budgeting and child protection. Common challenges across all thematic areas, but not necessarily across all countries, can be divided into three categories: difficulties related to the political context and political sensitivities, challenges in engagement with stakeholders, and operational challenges. Engagement with national counterparts has been a major challenge, together with weak local capacity. Suspension of planned activities in some provinces of the DRC due to the late publication of the order extending the duration of the Stabilization and Reconstruction Plan for Eastern DRC (STAREC) led to delays for UNDP. Involvement of local authorities was also slow in the same context, including late publication of lists of administration officials to be trained and deployed. UNFPA in Central African Republic found in the area of implementation an absence of micro-credit institutions capable of managing credits. UNICEF and the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC (MONUSCO) experienced constraints in project implementation due to lack of sufficient Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 6

19 resources and a shortage of ownership and accountability from authorities involved in the demobilization process. In the Comoros, UNFPA experienced delays due to the implementing partner s shortage of skills in administrative and financial management, despite the fact that training was given in project planning, management and monitoring. The political context in countries was a cause of delay or adaptation in project implementation. The Presidential and General Elections in Sri Lanka in the course of 2010 resulted in significant changes within Government, and additional time was required to re-establish working relations and operating modalities with new officials. In Guinea, PBF projects had to adapt activities given the delay of the second round of presidential elections and the associated outbreaks of political and ethnic tensions. Similarly, given that 2010 was an election year in the Comoros, the sensitive political context including the election campaign, the different priorities or unavailability of national counterparts and eventual changes in government staffing meant that many projects encountered difficulty proceeding without clear partnerships within government institutions. For UNDP and UNFPA projects this meant difficulties in engaging implementing partners. Given the tight timetable for the elections, several activities of the project supporting the Burundi Electoral Process would have benefited from a more in-depth engagement, particularly in the areas of training on gender mainstreaming to have a real impact on gender issues. In the DRC, there were bottlenecks in discussions on the objectives and modalities of police deployment, particularly since the needs tend to fluctuate depending on political considerations and the security situation on the ground. Over the course of 2010 in Nepal, political energies have been largely focused on establishing a consensus government and invigorating a partially implemented Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), rather than pushing forward the sorts of strategic measures that are necessary for implementation of many PBF-funded projects and achieving longer-term peacebuilding goals. Technical issues related to specific projects were also a challenge. The withdrawal of one of the selected banks following the first evaluation of micro-credit in Guinea-Bissau meant a lowering of credit rates extended to youth in 2010, which consequently decreased the proportion of enterprises created. The two programmes supporting DDR processes in the Sudan experienced problems related to the ex-combatant caseloads. In the Eastern programme, the Government of National Unity requested the demobilization and reintegration of additional caseloads of 2,000 ex-combatants. A variety of operational challenges made implementation difficult in several areas in Nepal. They have included challenges to the operational space of development actors, such as restricted access to project areas, demands from political groups for donations, interference in hiring and tendering processes, and strikes. Procurementrelated difficulties were experienced in several countries. For example, in the Comoros, delays in the procurement of materials and equipment following the withdrawal of various providers affected implementation for a number of projects. Projects implemented in Guinea-Bissau typically face challenges in procurement due to a lack of materials found locally. Financial Performance Overall Recipient Organizations have reported that PBF contributions for projects in countries including Somalia, the Comoros, Burundi, Sudan, Guinea, the Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau have generated further assistance from additional resources. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 7

20 As of 31 December 2010, the PBF has received contributions from 49 donors in a total amount of nearly $361 million. The PBF has the broadest donor base of any MDTF administered by the MDTF Office. Funds with a value of $31.3 million were received in The combined contributions of the five largest 2010 PBF donors, namely Sweden ($8.7 million), Germany ($5 million), Canada ($5 million), Russia ($4 million) and Finland ($2.7 million), accounted for 81 percent of total contributions in Israel and Switzerland also contributed to the PBF in Sources of funds for the PBF include donor contributions, Administrative Agent (Fund) earned interest (the interest earned by the MDTF Office on the balance of funds remaining in the PBF account), and agency-earned interest, which is the amount earned by the Recipient Organizations on the undisbursed balance of the PBF funds. Total earned interest as of 31 December 2010 amounts to $17.4 million. Out of a cumulative PBF portfolio of $378 million, a net amount of $219.5 million had been transferred by the MDTF Office to 16 Recipient Organizations for 159 projects in 19 countries. Funds have also been deducted for the MDTF Office s Administrative Agent fee of 1 percent ($3.6 million), bank charges ($9,324) and direct costs ($10.8 million, of which $939,266 were transferred in 2010) related to the implementation by the PBSO of activities related to the PBF (including expenditures related to the PBF Advisory Group, support to the offices of senior UN Representatives and the national counterparts responsible for the management of the PBF programme at the country level). It is worth noting that the total Administrative Agent fee and direct costs amount to $14.4 million, well below the total interest earned of $17.4 million. Calendar year 2010 was the first year that the PBF recorded refunds from Recipient Organizations, amounting to $1.7 million. As of the end of December 2010, the balance of funds with the Administrative Agent was $144 million 4 and with Recipient Organizations $73 million, or 33 percent of the transferred amount at the end of the reporting period. The PBF recorded cumulative expenditure for both PBF facilities, from 1 January 2007 to 31 December 2010, of $146.3 million or 66.7 percent of total transfers of $219.5 million. Considering that a significant additional amount of funds were approved in the course of 2010, coupled with the start-up of several new projects during the latter half of the year, the 2010 delivery rate is quite high. This delivery rate is particularly noteworthy when considering the challenging circumstances under which PBF projects are implemented. Burundi and Sierra Leone, the two countries with the largest net amount funded across the entire PBF, and the first recipients of PBF funding (since 2007), are both at high delivery rates of 96.6 percent. Timor-Leste has a delivery rate of 98.8 percent, while Guinea-Bissau has recorded over-expenditure with a delivery rate of percent. Relatively low delivery rates in Central African Republic, Comoros, DRC, Guinea, Kyrgyzstan, Sudan and Uganda are due to recent approval and start of country envelopes and projects. Turning to look at thematic areas, in cumulative terms, the Security thematic area has the largest share of net funded amount of $66.3 million, representing 30.0 percent. Burundi, the Central African Republic and Sierra Leone have received a large part of the funds for Security. This is followed by Democratic Governance, which has a net funded amount of $45.8 million, representing 21 percent of total funding. Through the IRF mechanism, the PBF has funded a total of $45.2 million, or 20.6 percent of total PBF project funding. Within the IRF, Sudan has received the largest share, followed by Guinea and Burundi. 4 This amount does not include the Administrative Agent fee and direct costs deducted; however, it does include earned interest as well as funding allocated to PBF countries (country envelope) but not yet transferred to Recipient Organizations. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 8

21 UNDP received the largest portion of PBF funding, receiving $130.4 million ($40.2 million in 2010), or 59 percent, of the total amount approved for project funding. However, this share is decreasing compared with 2009 when UNDP had received a total of 69 percent at the end of December The second largest share of funding was received by UNOPS at 8 percent, while UNICEF received 7 percent and UNFPA 6 percent. Three additional Recipient Organizations, namely UNCDF, UNIDO and WFP, were first-time recipients of PBF funding in Country-Specific A country envelope for Burundi of $35 million was approved in support of the PBF Burundi Priority Plan in January In total, 18 PRF projects have been approved by the PBF Burundi Steering Committee, and three IRF projects have been approved by the ASG/PBSO. Total transfers for the PRF of $34.6 million amount to 99.2 percent of the overall country envelope of $35 million. At the end of 2010, 16 out of the 21 total projects had been operationally closed, with 5 projects still running. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $37,853 with an overall delivery rate of 96.6 percent. The net funded amount for Burundi ($39,206) is the highest across all countries in the PBF portfolio. The large majority (77 percent) of funding for Burundi has gone to supporting governance efforts and strengthening the rule of law in security and defence forces. A country envelope for the Central African Republic of $10 million was approved in support of the 2008 PBF Central African Republic Priority Plan, and a second country envelope of $20 million was approved on 16 February 2010 in support of the revised Priority Plan. In total under the first country envelope of $10 million, 12 PRF projects and one IRF project were approved. Ten of these projects operationally closed in the course of At the end of 2010, two projects were still running under the first PRF envelope. 100 percent of funds have been transferred while overall delivery rate lies at 86.4 percent. Programme expenditure at the end of 2010 under the first envelope is $9.1 million. Under the second country envelope of $20 million, 13 new PRF projects were approved and started activities in At the end of 2010, $19.2 million or 96 percent of funds has been transferred under the second envelope. Programme expenditure under the second envelope was however rather modest at 8.6 percent due to the fact that most projects started activities in the latter half of In total, $30,684 has been transferred to Central African Republic, with an overall delivery rate of 38.2 percent, low due to the very recent onset of the second envelope of $20 million. A country envelope for Guinea of $6 million was approved in April 2009 in support of the PBF Guinea Priority Plan. To allow quick start-up of activities amid the security situation and the 2010 elections, Guinea has received PRF funding using IRF procedures. In total, six PRF projects and four IRF projects have been approved by the ASG/PBSO. Three PRF and three IRF projects were approved in 2010 only. Total transfers for the PRF amount to $6 million, which equals the overall country envelope. One of these PBF projects is completed and the remainder are still running. Net transferred amount to Guinea is $12.3 million, of which $6 million is under the PRF and $6.3 million under the IRF. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $6.3 million, with an overall delivery rate of 51.0 percent, up from 41.2 percent in A country envelope for Guinea-Bissau of $6 million was approved in support of the PBF Guinea-Bissau Priority Plan on 16 April In total, six PRF projects have been approved by the PBF Guinea-Bissau Steering Committee, one of which was in Total transfers for the PRF are at $6 million at the end of 2010, 100 percent of the overall country envelope. Two projects had been operationally closed by the end of 2010, leaving a total of four projects still running. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $6.1 million, up from $3.5 million in This represents an over-expenditure of funds of $303,000. The overall Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 9

22 delivery rate for Guinea-Bissau is thus percent. However, this figure reflects a percent delivery rate for one project under the Democratic Governance thematic area. A country envelope for Liberia of $15 million was approved in support of the PBF Liberia Priority Plan in December In November 2010, a Quick Start Priority Plan Phase II was approved for funding, consisting of a single project: Enhancing Access to Security and Justice at the Decentralized Level, executed by UNOPS and UNDP with a value of $3 million. With the additional $1.7 million funded under the IRF, the total cumulative amount funded by the PBF in Liberia is $19.7 million. In total at the end of 2010, 28 projects have been approved for Liberia: 26 PRF projects approved by the PBF Liberia Steering Committee and two IRF projects approved by the ASG/PBSO. At the end of 2010, 20 of the PRF projects and the two IRF projects had been operationally closed, so a total of six projects were ongoing at the end of The overall delivery rate for Liberia is 80.7 percent, up from 56.7 percent in However, this rate is influenced by the 0 percent delivery rate of a project that was approved in November Discounting this figure, the delivery rate is at 95.2 percent. Total programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $15.9 million. A country envelope for Sierra Leone of $35 million was approved in support of the PBF Sierra Leone Priority Plan in March A second Priority Plan for Sierra Leone was developed in November 2010, covering the period November 2010 November 2012, and has been allocated a financial envelope from the PBF of $7 million. Seven projects were approved for funding under the second envelope, but as of the end of the reporting period these were only submitted for funding in 2011 and are therefore not reflected in this report. In total, 24 PRF projects have been approved by the PBF Sierra Leone Steering Committee and four IRF projects have been approved by the ASG/PBSO. Total transfers for the PRF of $34.8 million amount to 99.4 percent of the overall country envelope of $35 million. Sixteen projects were operationally closed in 2010, and eight projects completed in previous years. A total of four projects were therefore still running in Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $36.7 million. This is among the highest expenditures recorded within the PBF portfolio. The overall delivery rate is at 96.6 percent. A country envelope for Comoros of $9 million was approved in support of the PBF Comoros Priority Plan in March In total, 12 PRF projects have been approved by the PBF Comoros Steering Committee. Total transfers for the PRF amount to $9 million, 100 percent of the overall country envelope. In 2010, seven new projects were approved for the Comoros under the PRF. All PBF projects in Comoros are operationally active. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $3 million with an overall delivery rate of 33.5 percent. A country envelope for Côte d Ivoire of $5 million was approved in support of the PBF Côte d Ivoire Priority Plan in August In total, two PRF projects have been approved by the PBF Côte d Ivoire Steering Committee and one IRF project has been approved by the ASG/PBSO. Total transfers are 100 percent of the overall country envelope of $5 million. One project was operationally closed in 2009, whereas one PRF project is a continuation of the IRF-funded project Support to Direct Dialogue in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The project was granted a no-cost extension under the IRF to April Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $8 million, giving an overall delivery rate of 94.3 percent. A country envelope for DRC of $20 million was approved in support of the PBF DRC Priority Plan on 23 October The overall objective of DRC s PBF Priority Plan is to specifically focus on urgent priorities and critical gaps within the STAREC. In total at the end of 2010, seven PRF projects have been approved under the PBF Priority Plan in DRC. The projects started between February and August At the end of 2010, programme expenditures of $5.6 million were recorded, with an overall delivery rate of 44.5 percent. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 10

23 A country envelope for Nepal of $10 million was approved in support of the PBF Nepal Priority Plan in September The PBF in Nepal sits within the framework of the United Nations Peace Fund for Nepal, (UNPFN), a multi-donor trust fund established in March 2007 that aims to mobilize resources for peacebuilding activities of the UN system in Nepal in support of activities of clear, short-term relevance to the peace process. In total, seven PRF projects have been approved by the UNPFN Executive Committee, amounting to a total of nearly $10 million, or slightly below 100 percent of the overall PBF country envelope. Three new PBF projects were approved in 2010, all joint UN projects. Two projects have been operationally closed: one in 2009 and one in Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $5.4 million, giving an overall delivery rate of 54.4 percent, up from 13.4 percent in 2009 and notable, given that two of the new projects received funding and started implementation in mid A country envelope for Uganda of $14 million was approved on 10 November 2010 for the Uganda PBF Priority Plan. The UN mechanisms to support Uganda s recovery and peace processes are the Consolidated Appeals Process (CAP, 2010) and the UN Peace Building and Recovery Assistance Programme (UNPRAP, ), a subset of the UN Development Assistance Framework ( ). The PBF projects are intended to be shortterm interventions with immediate impact, based on peacebuilding priorities for the UN that have been collated in the UNPRAP, jointly signed by the UN and the Government. Three projects have been approved by the Uganda PBF Steering Committee and started in December However, there were no major programmatic activities in 2010 with the exception of WFP, which had made advance financial charges against the programme and reported expenditures of $607,000 as of the end of the reporting period. Chad was approved for funding under the IRF on 9 November To date, one project has been approved in support of the Government of Chad s peacebuilding and stabilization efforts in eastern Chad executed jointly by UNDP and UNCHR with a value of $2,728,500. The project officially started on 10 December 2010, and there are therefore neither programmatic activities nor any expenditures to report in Haiti was approved for funding under the IRF on 12 April One project was approved in 2008 and was operationally closed in December In 2010 a second IRF project was approved, executed by UNDP with a value of $3 million. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $3 million, giving an overall delivery rate of 79.9 percent. The project that closed in 2009 was at a delivery rate of 91.7 percent, while the UNDP project had a delivery rate of 76.8 percent. Kenya was approved for funding under the IRF on 20 May To date, one project has been approved, Emergency Volunteer Scheme, executed by UNDP with a value of $1 million. The project was approved and started activities in June Although the project was operationally closed in December 2009, its integration into the national structures was the main objective of Programme expenditures to the end of 2009 amounted to $779,000, giving an overall delivery rate of 77.9 percent. Kyrgyzstan was approved for IRF funding on 29 October One project, the FAO, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF, UNHCR and UN WOMEN joint project Empowering Youth, Women and Vulnerable Communities to Contribute to Peacebuilding and Reconciliation, has been approved and started activities in November 2010, with an expected duration of one year. A total allocation of $2,999,948 was transferred in support of the project. The overall delivery rate at the end of 2010 was 10.2 percent. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 11

24 Somalia was approved for funding under the IRF on 4 November One project has been approved: Quick Impact Police and Security Reform in the Puntland State of Somalia, executed by UNDP with a value of $999,915. The overall delivery rate at the end of 2010 was 50.6 percent. Sri Lanka was approved for funding under the IRF on 18 January One project has been approved by the ASG/PBSO: UNICEF and UNDP-executed Support to Mine Action ($3,000,000). The project started in January 2010, with an expected duration of 18 months. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $1.8 million, giving an overall delivery rate of 59.2 percent. Sudan was approved for IRF funding on 23 February Three projects were approved, two executed by UNDP and one by IOM. Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $1.6 million, giving an overall delivery rate of 16.2 percent. The relatively low delivery rate is in large part due to the fact that the UNDP-executed project in Abyei, at a 1.5 percent delivery rate, faced severe challenges that forced a redesign of project activities. Timor-Leste was approved for funding under the IRF on 29 May One project was approved in May 2009 and operationally closed on 30 September Programme expenditures to the end of 2010 amounted to $982,000, representing an overall delivery rate of 98.8 percent, with IOM having delivered 100 percent and UNDP 97.9 percent. PBF Transparency and Accountability In 2010, the MDTF Office officially launched the MDTF Office GATEWAY ( It is a knowledge platform providing real-time data from the MDTF Office accounting system, with a maximum twohour delay, including financial information on donor contributions, programme budgets and transfers to Recipient Organizations. It is designed to provide transparent, accountable fund-management services to the United Nations system to enhance its coherence, effectiveness and efficiency. The GATEWAY provides easy access to more than 5,000 reports and documents on MDTFs/JPs and individual programmes, with tools and tables displaying related financial data. By enabling users in the field with easy access to upload progress reports and related documents, the GATEWAY also facilitates knowledge sharing and management among UN agencies. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 12

25 Introduction The Fourth Consolidated Annual Progress Report on Activities Implemented under the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is consolidated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Multi-Donor Trust Fund Office (MDTF Office) in its capacity as the Administrative Agent/Fund Administrator of the PBF. The report is submitted to the Secretary-General, through the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) for Peacebuilding Support, heading the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) that, as Fund Manager of the PBF, provides overall direction and guidance to the programme management of the PBF. It serves as an important input into the Secretary-General s reports to the Security Council and the General Assembly. The report is also provided to Donors contributing to the PBF. It is submitted in fulfilment of the reporting provisions of the PBF Terms of Reference (TOR), the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the UN/PBSO and the UNDP/MDTF Office, the MOU between the UNDP/MDTF Office and Recipient Organizations, and the Standard Administrative Arrangement (SAA) (previously Letter of Agreement) between the UNDP/MDTF Office and Donors. The PBSO, as the Fund Manager of the PBF, is responsible for the overall PBF operations and provides overall direction and guidance to the programme management of the PBF. The MDTF Office, as the Administrative Agent of the PBF, is responsible for fund administration of the PBF, including the submission of consolidated annual progress reports that provide information on progress made in the implementation of projects funded by the PBF, as well as the common challenges and lessons learned. This consolidated report covers the period 1 January to 31 December 2010 and provides narrative, results-based and financial information on progress made in the implementation of projects funded by the PBF, as well as the common achievements and challenges. The Annual Progress Report is consolidated based on information and data contained in the individual progress reports and financial statements submitted by Recipient Organizations to the MDTF Office. It is neither an evaluation of the PBF nor the MDTF Office s assessment of the performance of the Recipient Organizations tasks that belong to an independent evaluation. However, the report does provide PBSO and the country-level Joint Steering Committees with a comprehensive overview of achievements and challenges associated with projects funded through the PBF, enabling it to make strategic decisions and take corrective measures, as appropriate. As of the end of the reporting period, 31 December 2010, the PBF had funded projects in 19 post-conflict countries: Burundi, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nepal, Côte d Ivoire, Comoros, Guinea, Kenya, Haiti, Somalia, Timor-Leste, DRC, Uganda, Sudan, Chad, Sri Lanka and Kyrgyzstan. A significant increase in funding was noted in 2010, highlighting donors continued support to the Fund that has filled critical gaps to address immediate peacebuilding challenges in the countries that need it most. Efforts have been made in the course of 2010 to make the design and implementation of PBF projects more results-based and more responsive to root causes of conflict. In its fourth year, the PBF has built on lessons learned in previous years, and results are increasingly being demonstrated and highlighted across the countries where the PBF is active. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 13

26 Report Structure This annual progress report is a synthesis and a consolidation of individual project-level progress reports submitted by Recipient Organizations. 5 It reflects narrative and financial reports submitted by all Recipient Organizations in all PBF countries. 6 The report is presented in six chapters. Chapter One provides an overview of the strategic approach of the PBF as well as a description of the two PBF facilities, the Peacebuilding and Reconstruction Facility (PRF) and the Immediate Response Facility (IRF). Chapter Two provides an update on project approvals and implementation status during the reporting period. Chapter Three highlights key project implementation achievements and challenges, first at the global fund level and then at individual country levels. Chapter Four provides an overview of the financial performance of the PBF. Chapter Five elaborates on efforts made to ensure PBF transparency and accountability. Chapter Six concludes. 5 The report uses the term Recipient Organizations throughout to refer to all Recipient UN Organizations as well as to IOM, a non-un Recipient Organization that execute PBF projects at the country level. 6 Individual projects progress reports are posted on the MDTF Office GATEWAY ( Projects that received funding in the last quarter of 2010 have been exempted as they have had no activities to report for 2010.They have therefore not submitted narrative progress reports for This is the case for all projects in Uganda and Chad. See country-specific sections for further details. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 14

27 1 PBF Strategic Approach 1.1 The Peacebuilding Fund The PBF was launched on 11 October 2006, following General Assembly and Security Council resolutions A/60/984 and S/2005/1645 (2005), respectively, requesting the Secretary-General to establish a multi-year standing Peacebuilding Fund. Aimed at extending critical support during the early stages of a peace process, the PBF is an innovative mechanism, and its design embodies a number of key principles: (i) it is premised on the national ownership of a peace process; (ii) it is designed as a catalyst to kick-start critical interventions; (iii) it utilizes UN capacities as recipients to support project implementation by national entities; and (iv) it operates as a global fund but at the same time allows for a decentralized and flexible disbursement process at country level. The role of the PBF is to establish a crucial bridge between conflict and recovery at a time when other funding mechanisms may not yet be available. In helping to address the most immediate of the multiple challenges facing countries emerging from conflict or at risk of lapsing into conflict, the PBF seeks to minimize the risk of a (re)lapse into conflict. The PBF aims at stabilizing and strengthening government institutions, thereby enhancing their capacity to sustain the peace process. Furthermore, it aims to address countries immediate needs as they emerge from conflicts and thus focuses on providing support during the very early stages of a peacebuilding process, as well as addressing any gaps in the process. The PBF is an innovative mechanism that is guided by the following principles: transparency, flexibility, operational speed, accountability, catalytic effect, effectiveness, needs-based allocations and national ownership. The PBF attaches a high priority to countries that come before the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC), but is also available to countries designated by the Secretary-General, and has an Immediate Response Facility available for urgent peacebuilding activities. The PBF is a multi-year standing fund that aims at stabilizing and strengthening national institutions, thereby enhancing their capacity to sustain the peace process. The PBF TOR was revised in April 2009 with the objective of enhancing the PBF s capacity to serve as a flexible, responsive and focused resource for peacebuilding support, including through rationalizing and simplifying the PBF s structure and architecture, and by enhancing and maximizing the synergy between the PBC and the PBF through improved consultation, information sharing and dialogue. The two funding facilities of the PBF are currently the Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility (PRF) a country programme based on a priority plan jointly developed by national authorities and UN presence in the country and the Immediate Response Facility (IRF), which acts rapidly and flexibly on a case-by-case basis to provide emergency funding for immediate peacebuilding and recovery needs. Further, the revised TOR removed the funding cap of $1 million for the IRF, with guarantee of a thorough review of each funding request with accompanying risk assessment. Under the revised TOR, the PBF focuses on providing support during the very early stages of a peacebuilding process, as well as addressing any gaps in the process, in four main areas: Activities designed to respond to imminent threats to the peace process, and to provide support for the implementation of peace agreements and political dialogue, in particular in relation to strengthening of national institutions and processes set up under those agreements; Activities undertaken to build and/or strengthen national capacities to promote coexistence and peaceful resolution of conflict and to carry out peacebuilding activities; Activities undertaken in support of efforts to revitalize the economy and generate immediate peace dividends for the population at large; Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 15

28 Establishment or re-establishment of essential administrative services and related human and technical capacities, which may include, in exceptional circumstances and over a limited period of time, the payment of civil service salaries and other recurrent costs. 1.2 Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility The PBF Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility supports a structured peacebuilding process, driven by national actors based on a joint analysis of needs with the international community. The PBSO establishes a country allocation based on an approved PBF Priority Plan and delegates project approval authority to a Joint Steering Committee co-chaired by the national government and the UN. The PBF Priority Plan draws from available needs assessments and existing frameworks that explicitly address peacebuilding needs. It is focused on objectives that have a direct and immediate relevance to peacebuilding within one or more of the four thematic areas 7 of the PBF as detailed in the PBF Results Framework: Thematic Area 1: Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue Thematic Area 2: Promote Coexistence and Peaceful Conflict Resolution Thematic Area 3: Revitalize the Economy and Immediate Peace Dividends Thematic Area 4: (Re-)build Essential Administrative Services and Infrastructure Eligible countries include countries emerging from conflict or at risk of (re)lapsing into conflict; i.e. countries on the agenda of the PBC or countries declared eligible by the Secretary-General, based on a recommendation from the ASG/PBSO. The PRF encompasses all projects previously included under Window I (countries before the PBC) and Window II (countries made eligible by the Secretary-General) of the PBF. In 2010, 36 new PRF projects were approved in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nepal, Central African Republic, Guinea- Bissau, Guinea, Comoros, DRC and Uganda. These are in addition to 97 projects approved for funding in 2007, 2008 and In total, 133 PRF projects have been approved by national steering committees from 2007 through In addition, Lebanon and Guatemala were made eligible for funding under the PBF PRF in However, as of the end of December 2010, no PBF Priority Plan had been approved, nor any projects funded in both countries. 7 The term used for the PBF at the global level is thematic areas, while countries have specific priority areas that are outlined in the Priority Plan. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 16

29 Table 1.2 Countries Receiving Funds from the Peacebuilding and Recovery Facility (PRF) Year Country Country Envelope(s) Priority Plan Approval/Revision 2006 Burundi* $35 million January Sierra Leone* $35 million $7 million 2007 Liberia* $15 million $3 million March 2007 November 2010 (Second Priority Plan) December 2007 November 2010 (Revised Priority Plan) 2007 Nepal $10 million September 2008 Within the framework of the existing United Nations Peace Fund for Nepal (UNPFN) Guinea-Bissau* $6 million April Central African Republic* $10 million $20 million June 2008 February 2010 (Revised Priority Plan) 2008 Côte d Ivoire $5 million August Comoros $9 million March 2009 Guinea* $6 million April Democratic Republic of Congo $20 million October 2009 Within the framework of the Stabilization and Recovery Funding Facility (SRFF) in Eastern DRC 2010 Uganda $14 million November 2010 * Denotes countries that are on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission. 1.3 Immediate Response Facility The PBF Immediate Response Facility is designed to jump-start immediate peacebuilding and recovery needs. It is a flexible and fast funding tool for single or multiple projects. Projects submitted by the Senior UN Representative in countries that meet the criteria receive funding within three weeks. The IRF funds projects with a maximum duration of 12 months. Individual projects must be targeted at preventing (re)lapse into conflict and/or promoting sustained engagement in peacebuilding, and are limited to a maximum of $3 million. Project portfolios (multiple projects) can also be funded under the IRF. These must be needs-based i.e. drawn from a UN Integrated Strategic Framework (ISF) or immediate action plan that explicitly addresses peacebuilding needs and are limited to $15 million or 10 percent of the total funding requested in the action plan. Eligible countries include countries emerging from conflict or at risk of (re)lapsing into conflict, countries already declared eligible for the PBF, and countries on the agenda of the PBC. Country eligibility is determined by the Secretary-General, based on a recommendation from the ASG/PBSO. The IRF encompasses all projects previously included under Window III, the Emergency Window of the PBF. In 2010, 13 new IRF projects were approved. New countries to receive IRF funding in 2010 were Chad, Kyrgyzstan, Sri Lanka and Sudan. Additional 2010 IRF funds went to Burundi, Guinea, Haiti and Sierra Leone. The majority of projects were approved under PBF Thematic Area 1, Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue. More specifically, interventions focused on security institutions, political mediation efforts, support in electoral processes and reintegration of vulnerable groups. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 17

30 Prior to 2010, a total of 13 IRF projects were approved. In 2009, six were approved in Burundi, Sierra Leone (two projects), Liberia, Somalia and Timor-Leste. Seven were approved in 2007 and 2008 for the following countries: Burundi, the Central African Republic, Liberia, Côte d Ivoire, Guinea, Kenya and Haiti. In total, 26 IRF projects in 14 countries have been approved by the ASG/PBSO by the end of The total amount funded under the IRF is $45.2 million, with $23 million falling under PBF Thematic Area 1. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 18

31 2 Project Approval and Implementation Updates 2.1 Project Approval Status In total, $250.2 million has been approved across both facilities for 159 projects in 19 countries. PRF country envelopes of $195 million have been funded in 11 countries. During the reporting period 1 January to 31 December 2010, 36 new projects were approved for PRF funding: by the UNPFN Executive Committee in Nepal (3 projects); and by the PBF country-level Steering Committee in Liberia (1 project), Central African Republic (13 projects), Sierra Leone (1 project), Guinea-Bissau (1 project), Comoros (4 projects), Guinea (3 projects), DRC (7 projects) and Uganda (3 projects). New countries to receive funding from the IRF in 2010 were Chad (one project), Kyrgyzstan (one project), Sri Lanka (one project) and Sudan (three projects). Additional IRF funds approved by the Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support went to Burundi (1 project), Guinea (3 projects), Haiti (1 project), and Sierra Leone (2 projects), giving a total of 13 IRF projects approved in Total approved funding for the projects above in 2010 was $89.9 million for 49 projects. This compares with $35.9 million approved in 2009 for 46 projects and $48.1 million approved for 38 projects in 2008, marking a significant increase in funding for a similar number of projects. Between 2008 and 2010 the number of countries in which the PBF is operational went from 9 to 19. At the end of 2010, the total PBF portfolio encompassed $250.2 million for a total of 159 projects. This is an increase from 110 approved projects with total approved funding of $133 million in 2009, and 64 projects with total approved funding of $97.5 million at the end of Of the total approved funding of $250.2 million, $219.5 million had been transferred to Recipient Organizations by the end of December Of the 159 approved projects, 93 were executed by UNDP. Other Recipient Organizations executed the following number of projects: FAO (5), ILO (2), IOM (13), OHCHR (4), UNCDF (1), UN-Habitat (2), UNESCO (7), UNFPA (12), UNHCR (14), UNICEF (16), UNIDO (1), UN WOMEN (3), UNODC (1), UNOPS (11) and WFP (4). In terms of project value, UNDP was responsible for executing 59 percent of total transferred funding, a slightly lower percentage than in 2009 (69 percent). The other three agencies responsible for the highest shares of transferred funding are UNOPS (8 percent), UNICEF (7 percent) and UNFPA (6 percent). 2.2 Project Implementation Status As of 31 December 2010, 85 projects had operationally closed 2 in 2007, 5 in 2008, 18 in 2009 and 60 in Information on the expected dates for operational closure of projects is available in each country section. A large number of projects, about 48 percent, in several countries are jointly implemented by two or more Recipient Organization. In Burundi, Nepal, DRC, Uganda and Côte d Ivoire the majority of projects are joint, and so are a significant number of projects in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Central African Republic, Guinea and Comoros. Common funding arrangements such as the PBF seem to encourage joint project conceptualization. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 19

32 Joint implementation of projects between UN agencies and UN missions is also common. In Burundi 14 out of 21 projects are implemented jointly by BINUB and UNDP but also UNFPA, UN WOMEN, UNHCR and OHCHR, while in Sierra Leone 13 projects are implemented jointly by UNIPSIL and UNDP as well as with IOM and UNOPS. In Liberia, 6 out of 28 projects are jointly implemented by United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and UNDP, but also UNOPS and UN-Habitat. Collaboration between UN agencies and UN missions also occurs in DRC, Central African Republic, Côte d Ivoire, Haiti and Guinea-Bissau. The overall delivery rate 8 for the PBF at the end of 2010 was 66.7 percent. This compares with 71 percent in 2009 and 55 percent at the end of Considering that a significant additional amount of funds was approved in the course of 2010, coupled with the start-up of several projects in the latter half of the year, the delivery rate is noteworthy. 2.3 Monitoring and Evaluation, and Reporting As stated in the PBF MOU between the UN and the UNDP MDTF Office, the ASG for Peacebuilding Support provides overall direction and guidance on the programme management of the PBF and monitors its operations. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of projects is undertaken by the respective Recipient Organizations, in accordance with the provisions contained in the approved projects, which are to be consistent with the respective regulations, rules and procedures of the Recipient Organizations. In addition, the Advisory Group or ASG for Peacebuilding Support may request an independent lessons learned and review exercise relating to the operations of the PBF Fund and Country-Level M&E In 2010, several steps were undertaken to strengthen the PBF M&E system, taking fully into account the findings of external evaluations (Burundi, Liberia, Sierra Leone; 2009 and 2010) and external donor reviews (2010). The evaluations all confirmed the overall added value, comparative advantage and relevance of PBF-funded projects in their contributions to the peacebuilding process and the effectiveness of the PBF in delivering high-quality results. However, addressing root causes of conflicts was a major concern due mainly to weak project designs, M&E systems and current operational and institutional procedures of fund recipients. The Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) therefore took action in 2010 to (i) put preconditions in place to improve results monitoring and reporting systems, and (ii) work on a pragmatic approach for more streamlined monitoring and reporting of results from the field to HQ. The formulation of a new Business Plan defines the scope and scale of the PBF portfolio for 2011 to 2013 and will be an opportunity to address weaknesses of the current M&E-related business processes at HQ and country levels. Projects/Programme approval processes at HQ level will be significantly more results-oriented and have defined criteria against which the quality of programme will be assessed at the design stage. Clear guidance will also be provided to the field on how to monitor and assess whether expected results address root causes of conflict. The overall relevance of results has been articulated in a performance management plan (PMP) that will be used by PBSO senior management as the main reference point for measuring the effectiveness of country programmes and organizational performance. The PMP aims for streamlined monitoring and reporting of results that respond to information needs at senior management level. It will also enable PBSO to examine whether the strategic objectives of the business plan were achieved, and if not, why the results were less than expected. The PMP, to be 8 Expenditure as a proportion of amount transferred. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 20

33 rolled out to the field in 2011, provides strategic guidance to the field on (i) a common understanding of peacerelevant results and the underlying theories of change, and (ii) how to measure them in quantitative and qualitative terms. The guidance will drive the overall programme effectiveness of PBF-funded projects and therefore address the findings of the various evaluations. The results achievements at global level reflect aggregated country-specific sector outcomes of the total portfolio. Achievements beyond sectors will also be demonstrated in terms of reduced state fragility and violence, both of which are preconditions for sustainable peace. Performance measurements against the indicators of the PMP will draw on different data sources to ensure the most comprehensive assessment of the quality of change Project-Level M&E Monitoring is integral to the project cycle and an essential part of all UN-executed projects to keep activities on target and to adapt to evolving contexts. Evaluation of project activities is normally undertaken mid-cycle or at the end of a project, often by an independent evaluator, to assess impact and lessons for the future. At the project level, M&E is the responsibility of the Recipient Organizations and is carried out according to their respective regulations, rules and procedures. The large majority of PBF projects have at the outset adopted similar M&E frameworks that outline outcomes, outputs and activities along with indicators, risks and mitigation strategies. Provision for impact assessment, midterm or final evaluation is made on a project-by-project basis. PBF projects under review have put in place similar monitoring and implementation arrangements throughout the project cycle. This is strengthened by the utilization of standardized United Nations Development Group (UNDG) templates for PBF programmatic documents. Projects are typically overseen by a project-level management unit, board or committee, generally consisting of relevant UN actors, implementing partners and government counterparts, which is responsible for regular monitoring of activities. Monitoring takes place through review of data, routine reports and in many instances field visits in the course of project implementation. UN agencies regularly train implementing partners and local counterparts on information collection, monitoring tools and practices. In Uganda, Recipient Organizations are responsible for output level monitoring, but the responsibility for outcome level monitoring and evaluation activities has been assigned to the Resident Coordinator s Office (RCO). To support timely and coherent monitoring and reporting, the RCO is developing an electronic Management Information System. This system will also allow the Steering Committee to review implementation and expenditure rates, and make evidence-based decisions regarding fund re-allocation. These activities are funded from the PBF resource envelope. Information gathered through monitoring activities is reviewed by the country-level PBF Steering Committee, which has the role of providing oversight for project implementation. In some instances, technical monitoring committees also review projects. In practice, the establishment of an M&E framework and the extent to which monitoring takes place at project level varies considerably across countries and projects. A number of projects have undertaken more comprehensive M&E practices with good results, and some examples of these are highlighted below. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 21

34 The monitoring system used in the UNDP project Socio-Economic Recovery of Conflict-Affected Populations in Central African Republic relied on constant presence of local development agents among the recipient groups to report on progress against targets. In the Comoros, the UNDP/UNIDO project Promoting economic and social conditions of youth and women in the island of Moheli through support for agriculture has subcontracted implementing partners to supervise and monitor activities technically. Field trips to track and monitor the implementation of subprojects ensure that the commitments signed by all stakeholders are respected. Also, frequent visits to the field will be made to verify the quality of work and information provided by recipients. In the Central African Republic, the joint UNICEF/BONUCA/WFP/UNDP/FAO project Prevention of Recruitment, Demobilization and Socio-Economic Reintegration of Children Associated with Armed Forces and Groups, and Other Vulnerable Children and Women employed several monitoring mechanisms on the ground, including the establishment of thematic child protection groups and child protection experts in each sub-office responsible for regular monitoring of activities. In addition to visits to project sites, they also supported the partners in their advocacy efforts with local authorities and armed groups. All field trips were followed up with feedback meetings with partners, and resulted in concrete actions to address gaps, challenges and constraints identified. Children and beneficiary communities were also involved through a series of interviews to get their impressions about the impact the project has had in changing the lives of children. In Nepal, the project Monitoring, reporting and response to conflict related child rights violations also relies on national stakeholders and implementing partners to complement UNICEF monitoring activities. In some of the districts, monitoring or project advisory committees have been formed with members from governmental and non-governmental stakeholders, which has enabled joint monitoring and follow-up. A number of factors have affected the outcome of the monitoring. In certain remote areas, establishing the location of, or contact with, verified minors has proven difficult due to communication difficulties. In order to ensure effective monitoring of programme implementation, the UNDP/UNIPSIL project Capacity Development to the Justice System to Prevent Delays in Trials and to Clear Backlog of Cases in Sierra Leone has arranged for the Justice Sector Steering Committee to monitor progress in implementation and provide technical guidance on the various components and activities. The Project Management Team provides monthly and quarterly narrative and financial reports on progress made, and copies of quarterly reports are shared with the Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development. At the project supervisory level, regular reviews through partnership meetings, debriefings and progress reports helped to document lessons learned and best practices related to the project. This information has been valuable to the refinement of strategy and development of new plans. Under the UNDP/UNIPSIL project Development of an Independent National Broadcasting Service for Sierra Leone, the programme board provides the overall direction and oversight for project implementation. In addition, there is a larger Youth Employment Scheme (YES) Steering Committee that includes representatives from UN agencies, the international donor community, the government and civil society organizations (CSOs) whose role is to ensure synergy among youth employment related interventions within the national programme and to steer the activities of the PBF project. In accordance with international and national mine action standards, monitoring of Mine Risk Education (MRE) activities in the UNICEF/UNDP Mine Action in Sri Lanka project takes place on both internal and external levels. Internal monitoring is carried out by the MRE implementing agencies and UNICEF, while external monitoring is carried out by Regional Mine Action Office (RMAO formerly District Mine Action Offices) quality assurance teams, who have been trained in MRE. Both activity and impact-level indicators are used to monitor MRE activities and interventions. Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) with volunteer networks assist with Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 22

35 monitoring and meet regularly with the various entities involved in implementation and monitoring. This is part of the strategy to increase ownership of the mine action problem and response by the mine- and Explosive Remnants of War (ERW)-affected communities. In 2010, in-depth village assessments were started and provided an additional form of external feedback on MRE provision through UNICEF NGO partners. As part of monitoring efforts in the full set of trainings conducted through the UNDP project Quick Impact Police and Security Reform in the Puntland State of Somalia in Somalia, participants were individually assessed. The assessments were shared with the Puntland authorities and have led to tailor-made decisions regarding deployment and the conduct of police operations. Local partners further reported on a quarterly basis to the project on progress and quality, while overall monitoring by UNDP was implemented together with associated UNDP projects, thus being in a better position to determine impact of interventions. As a result of monitoring, the project found that overall participation by women in activities was less than 10 percent. Puntland counterparts were therefore encouraged to actively promote gender equity and equality. The authorities responded by seconding women police officers to participate in all activities. This, coupled with efforts to identify and select women for high-profile activities (for example Divisional Command Training), signals a shift in attitude among stakeholders. In Liberia, through the UNDP Tumutu Agricultural Training Programme (TATP), the quality of both the teaching and counseling services provided is continually monitored by the project manager, head teacher and NEPI team leader throughout the duration of the course. Quality of teaching is also indirectly assessed via mid and end course exams. An internal monitoring and evaluation questionnaire designed to assess the degree to which graduates are living peacefully in their chosen communities has been used. Further, technical visits are undertaken by field staff throughout the period to assess the degree to which graduates have absorbed the training received at TATP and are able to implement techniques they have learned. The primary objectively verifiable indicator for the success of the reintegration phase of the programme is that ex-combatants live economically and socially viable lives free from the desire to return to combat or crime. For the project Ensuring Recognition of Sexual Violence as a Tool of Conflict in the Nepal Peacebuilding Process through Documentation and Provision of Comprehensive Services to Women, the Project Review Board meets to review the progress of the project to date and discuss next steps. Observations and recommendations from field trips conducted by UNFPA, UNICEF and its implementing partners are acted upon promptly. The Board acts as a mechanism to support and provide oversight to the project and to update the UNPFN Executive Committee. The project has also organized a lessons learned workshop to discuss the strengths, areas for improvement and ways to move ahead with the project activities. Implementing partners have contributed various tools for the monitoring. The implementing partner for UNDP project Support for Restarting Agro-Pastoral Activities in Paoua, Bozoum and Ndele in the Central African Republic used a dashboard, a toolbox consisting of a series of cards collected in the field for each sector of intervention, and a database. On the basis of this data, achieved results are measured in terms of their profitability. The tools are continuously updated based on feedback from users. For agricultural projects, indicators used include size of cultivated areas and crop weight. In the case of monitoring for the IOM project Southern Sudan Out-of-Country Registration and Voting (OCRV), a qualitative monitoring approach was employed focusing on establishing communication channels between the liaison offices in various locations and the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission (SSRC), so that policies and guidance were combined with other systems and mechanisms in place for instructions and guidance to the eight country offices. A daily reporting system was put in place from each country with headings so that both particular and systemic problems could be Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 23

36 very quickly addressed, and lessons learned in one place could be passed on to others. Based on a need identified, a system of guidance notes and questions and answers was instituted both for the registration and polling phases. These systems ensured that lessons and solutions were fed swiftly to the relevant entity and responded to needs. Under the UNICEF project Youth Empowerment Services and Peace Promotion in Liberia, a monitoring and evaluation framework was established in order to inform implementing partners and all political levels on the challenges and opportunities that youth are facing. This framework connects the community level with the higher political levels and has an impact on the development of national policies for youth. During the project design phase, due consideration on the importance of results-based management was given priority. Qualitative data collection was used to measure impact using the Most Significant Change methodology, which conducted comprehensive and systematic participatory interviews with community leaders, elders, community members and beneficiaries to identify the impact of the intervention. Several projects have planned evaluation activities. For example, a final evaluation was launched in April 2011 for UNDP/IOM project Return, Relocation and Reintegration Support to IDPs and IDP-Affected Communities in Timor-Leste, in order to assess the overall contribution to peacebuilding in Timor-Leste of the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS)/UNDP Dialogue and SERC projects, which encompass the contributions of this project. These evaluations will review progress toward the projects objectives and results, assess the efficiency and costeffectiveness of implementation, identify strengths and weaknesses in project design and implementation, and provide recommendations on design modifications and specific actions that would increase the effectiveness and impact of future similar initiatives. The UNICEF project Strengthening the Effectiveness of Justice Mechanisms and respect for human rights in the Comoros will be subject to an annual assessment, an audit of annual accounts and a final review. A mid-term review will also be organized in consultation with all stakeholders to make an inventory of the project and draw the necessary lessons. In addition, building on previous years efforts, the MDTF Office, with support from PBF Secretariats at country level, has strengthened the system for collection and posting of quarterly updates on progress of PBF projects. The updates include information on delivery rates, outputs, achievements and challenges, and indicate any delays foreseen in implementation. Through close monitoring and following up on pending submissions, the rate of response was between 70 and 80 percent throughout the reporting period. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 24

37 3 Project Implementation: Achievements and Challenges 3.1 PBF Global Priorities The PBF is intended to support interventions of direct and immediate relevance to the peacebuilding process and to contribute toward addressing critical gaps in that process, in particular in areas for which no other funding mechanism is available. Use of PBF resources is meant to have a catalytic effect in helping to bring about other, more sustained support mechanisms, such as longer-term engagements by development agencies and bilateral donors. The TOR for the PBF identifies four thematic areas for PBF engagement: Thematic Area 1: Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue Thematic Area 2: Promote Coexistence and Peaceful Conflict Resolution Thematic Area 3: Revitalize the Economy and Immediate Peace Dividends Thematic Area 4: (Re-)build Essential Administrative Services and Infrastructure In reviewing the overall set of projects under the PBF in 2010 categorized in the four thematic areas, a number of aspects stand out. While Thematic Areas 1 and 2 are the focus of the bulk of projects, in all thematic areas there is a mix of projects that support central state structures and those that support localized community initiatives targeted at civil society actors. In addition, there is a good balance of projects supporting interventions in rural versus urban areas and populations. Gender is mainstreamed across a large selection of projects. Youth is a very commonly occurring target group across projects, particularly under Thematic Area 3 due to the perceived role of youth in economic recovery. Support for institution-building is frequently occurring, with a particular focus on security, and to a lesser degree justice, institutions which are viewed to play a key role in the restoration of public order and trust between authorities and populations and thus have a positive impact on peacebuilding. Projects in all thematic areas and across countries are of very similar nature. Examples of common interventions include support to DDR, army, police and courts, as well as socio-economic reintegration. Training is the most commonly occurring project activity, followed by sensitization and advocacy efforts. Thematic Area 1 accounts for the largest share of funding by value, while Thematic Area 2 accounts for the largest number of projects (see Figure 3 1). This is consistent with the findings in Figure 3 1 Distribution of Funds Transferred by Thematic Area, Cumulative as of 31 December 2010 Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 25

38 3.1.1 Thematic Area 1: Support to Implementation of Peace Agreements and Political Dialogue Table 3-1 Thematic Area 1: Summary of Funds Transferred Net Funded Amount 9 ($000) Expenditure ($000) % of Total Net Funded Amount Delivery Rate (%) 81,382 48, Figure 3 2 Thematic Area 1 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December 2010 Thematic Area 1 accounts for the largest share of PBF funding and includes the majority (58 percent) of IRF projects. Projects focus on support for mediation and facilitation of peace agreements but also go beyond that to support critical tasks and results to which parties have committed in political negotiations. This typically includes working to strengthen security sector institutions, progress in DDR processes and more effective execution of judiciary functions. Projects under this thematic area can be found across countries, but are more common in the countries on the agenda of the PBC or those with a UN political or peacekeeping mission. The majority of projects are implemented jointly by UNDP and the UN mission in country, but also by OHCHR, UNICEF and UNFPA relating to justice institutions and reintegration of children and women respectively. Key Achievements The PBF has provided continued funding for UN support to peace agreements, mediation and political dialogue efforts in Burundi, Central African Republic, Côte d Ivoire and Guinea. In 2010, Guinea experienced a restoration of a climate conducive to peaceful coexistence of communities in Guinea Forestière region and the restoration of trust between different actors in the transition following the violent events of September 28, Net funded amount refers to funding transferred to a Recipient Organization minus refunds of unspent balances received from the Recipient Organization. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 26

39 The project Support to the Promotion of Inclusive and Sustained Dialogue has contributed to these positive outcomes through supporting televised platforms with representation from various societal groups and institutions delivering a message of peace, addressing the conduct of the media during the transition, and improving the capacity of Guinean civil society to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts. In addition, UNDP supported UN mediation assistance to Guinea to ensure adherence to the Ouagadougou agreements in terms of equipment, operations and advocacy activities. The mediation was a factor in the presidential elections being held according to the established timetable, ending the political transition and returning confidence between the main actors involved in the transition such as political parties and civil society. In the Central African Republic UNDP has implemented recommendations of the dialogue process. Sensitization and subsequent communications from the population to the authorities has drawn attention to the urgency of victim compensation and resulted in efforts to start a national reconciliation process. A majority of projects under this thematic area address potential conflict factors related to the security sector. This includes support to security sector institutions, the police and army, as well as to disarmament, demobilization and reintegration efforts. Reinforcing the role of the police has been at the core of activities in Burundi, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Comoros, Somalia and DRC. Assistance to the army, prisons and the development of security sector strategies also commonly occur, e.g. in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Haiti, Comoros and Chad. Strengthening the role of the national police has been a priority in the Comoros, Somalia and DRC. The absence in almost all the Comorian territory of the police undermines the efficiency of the judiciary, feeding seeds of conflict by generating a feeling of unfairness and insecurity among the population. UNDP has therefore supported the Law on the Establishment, Organization, Functioning, Duties and Responsibilities of the National Police, which was adopted in July As a result of project activities there was a harmonization of legal frameworks for the national police and the development of a national police strategy. In Somalia, UNDP has assisted the Government of Puntland to initiate reform of the police, with a focus on right-sizing the police to be more manageable and effective, developing standards for the police and improving the capacity of officers to respect those standards. The project has also initiated processes for enhancement of police effectiveness, accountability and oversight through strengthening linkages with the broader criminal justice chain and developing the capacity within parliament and civil society to hold the police to account. In DRC in 2010, UNOPS, MONUSCO and the United Nations Police (UNPOL) have supported the selection, training and deployment of the Congolese National Police (PNC). Under the first phase of the project 780 PNC police officers will be deployed on six strategic areas in North Kivu, South Kivu and Ituri. Completed activities in 2010 include training of 1,500 officers from armed groups, their integration within the PNC and redeployment of 300 police officers. In Sudan, Burundi, Comoros, Central African Republic and the DRC, the PBF has supported disarmament, demobilization and reintegration processes. In Burundi, BINUB and UNDP have supported efforts for the separation of the armed branch of the National Liberation Forces (FNL) from its political wing. Activities have allowed for the timely return of approximately 11,000 adults associated with FNL combatants to their communities of origin. It is reported that the peaceful return of the associated adults has resulted in improved security in the areas surrounding the pre-assembly sites, as indicated by armed violence statistics monitored during the period of return. In the Comoros, a joint UNDP/ILO/UNFPA/UN WOMEN project, based on a strong analysis of conflict factors, has identified the dangers of small arms in circulation and the need for reintegration and national reconciliation. In its first year, the project has officially launched the National Programme for Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (PNDDR), started to evaluate security and social cohesion in identified localities through surveys conducted, and increased the knowledge of security institutions and the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 27

40 population on small arms collection and voluntary disarmament. In Central African Republic UNDP support has rendered national DDR mechanisms fully operational. In Sudan, two UNDP-executed projects focused on building government capacity for management of the DDR process and ensuring reintegration in Eastern Sudan and Abyei respectively. While the latter experienced significant challenges in implementation, over 3,000 targeted ex-combatants in the Eastern States have received reintegration support, with some indication of improved community security in the area. In Nepal, UNICEF and UNICEF provided reintegration support to 5,776 informally and self-released Children Associated with Armed Forces and Armed Groups (CAAFAG) and other children affected by armed conflict in 34 districts. In the strengthening of justice institutions, UNDP and OHCHR have trained more than 100 officials of the departments of defense, security and justice in Guinea on the reform strategy for the security sector, and criminal justice system officials have received training on their roles in the criminal justice system. An initiative of legal and judicial assistance to victims of gender-based violence (GBV) has also been established in collaboration with local organizations, resulting in legal support to victims of GBV. Efforts by UNICEF in the Comoros have improved access to justice for the most vulnerable, reinforced the population s confidence in the justice and prison systems, and strengthened the effectiveness of the justice system through an increase in resolved cases. In Liberia, the UNOPS/UNDP project Enhancing Security and Access to Justice at the Decentralized Level started in November 2010 to enhance administrative and operational capabilities of the Ministry of Justice, Liberia National Police (LNP) and the Bureau of Immigration and Naturalization (BIN), and to improve access to justice (including support for the Bureau for Corrections and Rehabilitation) through the development of a regional hub in Gbarnga, Bong County. Justice institutions have been strengthened in Nepal by OHCHR through providing substantive and consultative support to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR) on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances (CoI-D) bills, which has contributed to increased fluency in transitional justice concepts and strategies among state actors in Nepal. OHCHR support has also contributed to the growing political accountability of the two commissions. Similarly, awareness-raising activities carried out by CSOs, among them victims groups and networks, have contributed to ensuring demands on the commissions are consistent with internationally established victim-prioritizing norms. The formation of networks of conflict victims in various districts has already begun to promote solidarity across political divides on human rights, both within communities and increasingly across the nation. Also under this thematic area, projects in Central African Republic, Nepal, Comoros and DRC have addressed socio-economic reintegration of vulnerable groups, such as women and children. In Central African Republic in 2010 UNICEF ensured a greater understanding on the part of armed groups of the legal instruments of protection of children, resulting in their involvement and cooperation throughout the project. The high number of children demobilized despite the lack of a formal agreement is a demonstration of this improvement. In the Comoros, a project focusing on gender and executed by UNFPA in 2010 has strengthened the capacity of the General Commission for Solidarity and the Promotion of Gender (CGSPG) through identification and sensitization of women beneficiaries, a communication campaign including TV programmes, and financing of a national march for peace on Grande Comore for the population and religious leaders. Key Challenges Many challenges in this area relate to unstable political contexts and delays in national political processes over which UN actors have little or no control. In Burundi, the withdrawal and boycott of main opposition parties (including the FNL) from the 2010 electoral process after the local elections resulted in an increase of tensions in the country. Several projects had to adjust and respond to this new context. The tight schedule of the five-part Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 28

41 election period also caused delays such as the passing of a human rights law by Parliament. Also, given the tight timetable for the elections, several activities of the project supporting the Burundi Electoral Process would have benefited from a more in-depth engagement, particularly in the areas of training on gender mainstreaming to have a real impact on gender issues. In the DRC, there were bottlenecks in discussions on the objectives and modalities of police deployment, particularly since the needs tend to fluctuate depending on political considerations and the security situation on the ground. These fluctuations and uncertainties have had a negative impact on the project. In Central African Republic, projects equally experienced delays because of the political context and outbreaks of violence. Establishing a consensus government and getting the CPA back on track have continued to absorb political energy and distract from strategic policy formulation and peacebuilding efforts. The two programmes supporting DDR processes in the Sudan experienced problems related to the ex-combatant caseloads. In the Eastern programme, the Government of National Unity requested the demobilization and reintegration of additional caseloads of 2,000 ex-combatants. Together with its national counterpart in Eastern Sudan, the North DDR Commission, UNDP also continued exploring mechanisms for assisting ex-combatants who were demobilized in Eastern Sudan but plan to settle in other states of the country. In Abyei the caseload to be disarmed and demobilized has been identified but not clearly defined, and the locations and identities of excombatants are still to be confirmed. The intertwining of different return and reintegration population movements (returnees, potential ex-combatants and movements related to the referendum in Southern Sudan and expected referendum in Abyei) also has an impact on sustainability of reintegration in the area. Challenges related to interaction with local stakeholders, and specifically weak capacity of local implementing partners, have caused delays in project implementation. The UNICEF and MONUSCO project in the DRC experienced constraints in project implementation due to lack of sufficient resources and a shortage of ownership and accountability from authorities involved in the demobilization process. Challenges in working with the intended target groups were also faced due to the high mobility and geographical dispersion of ex-combatants, who frequently move around in the search of income-generating opportunities. In the Comoros, UNFPA experienced delays due to the implementing partner s shortage of skills in administrative and financial management, despite the fact that training was given in project planning, management and monitoring. Procurement-related difficulties were experienced in several countries, e.g. Burundi and Comoros. In the Comoros, delays in the procurement of materials and equipment following the withdrawal of various providers affected implementation for a number of projects. The development of specifications for rehabilitation of infrastructure was also challenging given the limited capacity of the construction sector in country. The precarious security situation has also been a major factor that project implementation has had to deal with. In the DRC, inaccessibility in certain regions of the country due to the security situation following operation Kimia II and Amani Leo affected many operational activities. Due to deterioration of the security situation in the area south of Bossaso, Somalia where government forces engaged in military operations against insurgents, the implementation of training activities at the Armo Police Training Academy was constrained. Coupled with operational demands of the police, this led to postponement of the key training activities planned for Armo Academy, and the project subsequently had to redesign activities. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 29

42 3.1.2 Thematic Area 2: Promote Coexistence and Peaceful Resolution of Conflict Table 3-2 Thematic Area 2: Summary of Funds Transferred Net Funded Amount 10 ($000) Expenditure ($000) % of Total Net Funded Amount Delivery Rate (%) 68,398 51, Figure 3 3 Thematic Area 2 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December 2010 A wide diversity of projects is included under Thematic Area 2. The promotion of coexistence and resolution of conflicts is inherently of very context-specific nature, and UN projects have therefore adapted to specific needs in the various countries to be able to contribute to sustainable peacebuilding tailored to local realities. Projects within this thematic area largely focus on strengthening institutions that promote social cohesion, respect for human rights and oversight. The positive role of women in reconciliation efforts has also been seized upon. Liberia (15) and Sierra Leone (14) have the highest number of projects under this thematic area, followed by Burundi (9) and the Central African Republic (8). Projects are executed by a wide variety of UN agencies along with UN missions. Key Achievements A number of distinctive projects are included under this thematic area, adapted to the context-specific peacebuilding challenges faced in country. IOM and UNIPSIL in Sierra Leone have supported the effectiveness of the Parliament, which has positively affected service delivery in the operations of Parliament. Through the 10 Net funded amount refers to funding transferred to a Recipient Organization minus refunds of unspent balances received from the Recipient Organization. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 30

43 combined knowledge and techniques gained from trainings in budgeting, the government budgetary cycle, audit reports and contract appraisals, the MPs and clerical staff are now showing increased capacity to efficiently carry out oversight functions relating to government budget, project reviews, and auditing and scrutiny of government reports both at the national and local levels. MPs and staff, through capacity-building trainings provided by this project, have acquired adequate knowledge and techniques on procedures to produce private motion bills, techniques in preparing and presenting speeches, and to participate in parliamentary debates, strengthening and expanding representative democracy. Also in Sierra Leone, IOM has executed a project addressing regional issues, in this case along the Sierra Leone/Guinea border, which has contributed to increased trust and unity among the border communities and in the rejuvenation of socio-economic activities in the area. Groups within targeted communities have come together to undertake joint agricultural activities and production, reconciliation football tournaments and joint community trade fairs, building the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation among individuals and communities along the border between Sierra Leone and Guinea. This is the only cross-border project observed in the PBF portfolio. In Liberia, UN-Habitat has supported the establishment and initial functioning of the Liberian Land Commission by implementing a series of conflict-mitigation and institution-building activities that make a direct contribution to the peacebuilding process yet are part of a long-term land reform programme. As a result of the project, public awareness of the Land Commission and land issues has increased, land sector information and coordination is improved and state capacity for identification, documentation and provision of referral services for land disputes has been put in place. The project is distinctive as it is the only project in the PBF portfolio to tackle state capacity to deal with land issues, a commonly occurring source of communal tensions in some countries. Oversight functions have been reinforced in Sierra Leone both through the project targeting the Parliament described above and by supporting the NACS Secretariat. As a result of monitoring by the NACS Secretariat, reforms in four Departments/Agencies have been recommended as well as increased monitoring and improvement of the service for public sector workers in order to achieve zero tolerance for corruption. The project has also increased understanding among the public of how corruption is being fought at all levels. Building capacity of human rights mechanisms and addressing rights violations has been the focus of projects in Nepal, Burundi and CAR. OHCHR, BINUB and UNDP jointly supported the launch of the National Independent Commission for Human Rights (CNIDH) in Burundi along with nationwide sensitization activities with broad participation among various social entities, as well as intensive advocacy activities with Parliament aimed at speeding up the legislative process and amending the draft law. In Nepal, UNICEF and OHCHR have supported regional monitoring teams to gather findings and submit three reports to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict (OSRSG-CAAC) on child rights violations in accordance with the UNSCR This reporting directly feeds into the Secretary-General s Annual Report on Children and Armed Conflict, as well as supporting CPA implementation by acting as the monitoring mechanism for the Government of Nepal, UN and United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M) signed action plan to discharge verified minors from the Maoist army. Monitoring and reporting has created awareness of grave violations against children at the community level and improved linkages between government referral mechanisms. By negotiating with parties to the conflict, the project s Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism has created the space for immediate direct response to victims of violations, including legal and medical aid. In Nepal, OHCHR has assisted the government in drafting bills for the transitional justice commission, formed a 9,000- person-strong network of conflict victims in 22 districts across the country and established a comprehensive data set of all alleged human rights and humanitarian law violations during the armed conflict. Also in Nepal, activities undertaken by UNFPA and UN WOMEN have led to 4,031 clients having immediate access to health, legal and Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 31

44 psychosocial services, as well as increased documentation of cases of sexual violence. Mobile health camp training was provided for officials to better understand the psychological, legal and reproductive health needs of those who have experienced violence. In Liberia, the UNFPA-executed Strengthening Prosecution of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Offences supported SGBV Crimes Unit investigators, victims support advocates and prosecutors to build up SGBV cases for prosecution. The unit successfully prosecuted nine cases. The SGBV Crimes Unit has worked with partners on public education in relation to SGBV, which shows signs of having enhanced public trust and promoting engagement with the formal justice system in cases of SGBV, thereby reducing resort to violence or the use of informal justice mechanisms such as trial by ordeal or Sassywood. Projects that promote coexistence and reconciliation importantly tend to focus on the role of women in such processes. In Guinea women have been empowered to better understand the role they can play before, during and after conflict and have also been supported by UNFPA to establish Regional Councils of Women. UNFPA and UN WOMEN in 2010 completed an evaluation of capacities of women s associations and community groups in the mediation and management of social conflicts across the three Comorian islands. In Central African Republic, women in 2010 have established networks and undertaken advocacy work to promote the protection of women s rights and peace based on assistance provided by UNDP. While projects under Thematic Area 1 focus primarily on support to mediation between parties of conflict, several projects under Thematic Area 2 take a more long-term perspective to focus on social cohesion and sustained dialogue both for political actors and at the community level. With a view to prevent political instability related to the elections, UNDP and ILO activities in Guinea have contributed to an easing of the sociopolitical environment by supporting televised platforms with representation from various societal groups and institutions delivering a message of peace produced in French and six local languages. Other activities have trained journalists and at least 2,200 key players in the Guinean civil society (including youth, women, and religious and community leaders) in the prevention, management and resolution of conflict. By involving artists, intellectuals and a large range of societal actors, UNESCO in Central African Republic successfully raised awareness and launched the country on a path to reconciliation and peace with all involved actors having committed to play a substantive role in the process of reconciliation. The involvement of ex-combatants and rebel leaders in the organized events strengthened the credibility and appeal of the message. In Kenya, peace monitors were engaged to facilitate a peaceful referendum process in August 2010 that saw the promulgation of a new constitution for Kenya by supervising and guiding the district activities. They also played a role in the establishment of a national conflict early warning and early response system and provided technical support to the reconstitution, integration and restructuring of local peace structures. Key Challenges Challenges in this area relate mainly to the political context, weak capacity of implementing partners, bottlenecks linked to the technical nature of projects and operational constraints. In Guinea, PBF projects had to adapt activities given the delay of the second round of presidential elections and the associated outbreaks of political and ethnic tensions. UNESCO and UNDP projects were among those affected. The UNDP/ILO project faced delays in the formulation of a national programme for reconciliation and the establishment of a permanent framework for tripartite consultation with unions. The electoral delay made it necessary to reinforce sensibilization activities, which required increased funding. Similarly, given that 2010 was an election year in the Comoros, the sensitive political context including the election campaign, the different Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 32

45 priorities or unavailability of national counterparts and eventual changes in government staffing meant that many projects encountered difficulty proceeding without clear partnerships within government institutions. For UNDP and UNFPA projects this meant difficulties in engaging implementing partners. Weak capacity of implementing partners was also a reason for delay of projects in Nepal and Guinea. UNFPA in Guinea experienced delays due to their implementing partner s shortage of skills in administrative and financial management, despite the fact that training was given in project planning, management and monitoring. The interdisciplinary and inter-agency nature of some of the programmes in Nepal, e.g. a joint UNICEF and OHCHR project and one executed by UNFPA and UNICEF, noted that the high number of stakeholders involved in its implementation meant that consensus on strategies and approaches must be reached, which prolongs implementation. There have also been administrative difficulties connected with joint activities by different implementing partners who all have varying policies for implementation, such as travel cost, daily subsistence allowances (DSAs) and annual leave. Projects also experienced challenges related to the technical nature of projects. In Sierra Leone, due to demands of the parliamentary calendar of activity and the calendar of activities of other development partners providing support to Parliament, the IOM and UNIPSIL project supporting the Parliament experienced delays and prompted a request for a no-cost extension of the project. In Nepal, one project faced challenges linking all vocational trainees with the job market due to the high unemployment rate. Especially in suburban and rural areas, it was difficult to identify employment options. A variety of operational challenges that made implementation difficult in several areas have been experienced in Nepal. These have included challenges to the operational space of development actors, such as restricted access to project areas, demands from political groups for donations, interference in hiring and tendering processes, and strikes Thematic Area 3: Revitalize the Economy and Immediate Peace Dividends Table 3-3 Thematic Area 3: Summary of Funds Transferred Net Funded Amount 11 ($000) Expenditure ($000) % of Total Net Funded Amount Delivery Rate (%) 44,292 24, Net funded amount refers to funding transferred to a Recipient Organization minus refunds of unspent balances received from the Recipient Organization. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 33

46 Figure 3 4 Thematic Area 3 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December 2010 Projects under this thematic area are spread across countries, with the majority of projects related to economic recovery and peace dividends in 2010 being implemented in the Central African Republic (33 percent). Burundi and the Comoros also had four projects each under this thematic area. Projects in this thematic area focus on delivering services, training and employment opportunities for the population, in contrast to efforts that are directed at institution-building. There is a strong focus on youth, with 50 percent of projects specifically identifying youth as the target group. Most countries have done the analysis that youth is a significant potential force in economic recovery and therefore chose to focus on income-generating opportunities for youth at urban as well as rural levels. Youth have also been identified as a potentially destabilizing force in the relapse of conflict, and therefore the provision of peace dividends and creating incentives for productive engagement of youth in society is a target. Support to professional development and to the establishment and functioning of youth associations are also included. A few projects focus on supporting the (re)integration of women in recovery efforts. Providing financial services, specifically micro-credit, is also increasingly prioritized. Key Achievements Professional development, mostly focused on youth, has had positive results in the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, the Comoros, Nepal and Haiti. In the Comoros the UNDP/UNIDO project has introduced new production, conservation, processing and marketing techniques to enable beneficiaries to increase production and improve their living conditions. With the objective of reducing intercommunal conflict, jobs are being created and women and youth encouraged to participate actively in socio-economic development. In Nepal, the ILO and FAO have engaged young women and men in productive employment opportunities and empowerment, achieving broad-based employment creation through quick-impact job creation approaches in conflict-affected and vulnerable districts, achieving (among other results) the generation of 30,423 paid workdays over the course of In Sierra Leone, nine eligible TECVOC (technical and vocational training) institutions in five districts sponsor 1,530 students and provide upgraded tools and equipment. Trainees began generating income through services and products that they produced, particularly in areas of catering, hairdressing, tailoring Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 34

47 and carpentry. In the Central African Republic, UNESCO has promoted the training and subsequent professional integration of 180 young graduates in the workforce in three locations, targeted because youth in these areas risk being involved in activities not conducive to maintaining peace. Beneficiaries have in some cases, following graduation, organized cooperatives to facilitate income-generating activities. A set of projects encouraging the socio-economic reintegration of vulnerable groups, often through employment, are under implementation in Burundi, CAR, Liberia, the Comoros, Guinea and Timor-Leste. With the aim to strengthen local governance and development of national capacities for reintegration in Burundi, UNDP has encouraged the voluntary return of people affected by war, strengthened social cohesion through the promotion of good governance, supported socio-economic reintegration of targeted populations through the revival of productive activities and the promotion of local entrepreneurship, and strengthened national capacities in policy, planning, coordination and monitoring of the reintegration process. An ILO/UNDP/UNIDO/FAO joint project in the Comoros focuses on access to decent work for youth, women and other vulnerable groups through developing capacities and professional qualifications, ultimately addressing structural causes of conflict in the Comoros. In 2010, communication campaigns have been organized on the three islands, and apprenticeship schemes and entrepreneurship are under development. With the overall goal to enable girls and boys to learn a professional trade and to move away from harmful practices such as exploitation, crime, alcoholism and forced recruitment by armed groups, UNHCR in the Central African Republic has supported 200 youth to graduate successfully from training programmes on, among other things, reading, writing, carpentry and sewing. Financial services and micro-credit schemes often feature as components of projects in training and professional development. In Guinea-Bissau, the UNDP saw 61credits awarded to young men and women to start their own business. Functional young companies have created jobs for about 183 youth. Youth enterprise promotion is the objective of a UNDP project in Sierra Leone. Given that a pervasive lack of youth participation in political, social and economic life was one of the root causes of the conflict in Sierra Leone, this project focuses on youth in 13 districts, targeting over 15,000 youth who underwent graduation ceremonies. Youth beneficiaries who received support from the programme for 12 months now operate their own business and have opened their own formal bank accounts for sustaining and expanding their businesses further. Two FAO projects were started in 2010 in the Central African Republic to support income-generating activities and the insertion of youth in society. In order to create space for livelihood activities and revitalize economic activity for populations affected by conflict in Sri Lanka, UNDP and UNICEF have addressed the problem faced by many returnees who are as yet unable to re-establish their livelihoods due to the mine or UXO contamination of surrounding agricultural and grazing land. Of the 300 km 2 of confirmed hazardous areas identified as of 1 January 2010, a cumulative total of 18.9 km 2 was cleared through minefield clearance during the reporting period. Together with the main implementing partner, the Ministry of Economic Development (formerly the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development), the project focused on building capacity and transmitting appropriate knowledge to protect the population from the dangers of landmines and ERW risk areas. Positive results were reported, such as low incidence rates and regular reporting of ERW and mines from communities. In the Central African Republic, UNDP has through project activities strengthened technical capacities of populations to boost agro-pastoral production. Through the project, identified beneficiaries have improved management of group dynamics and adopted new more efficient agricultural tools and seeds as well as cultivation techniques. The populations benefiting from the project have seen their agricultural production increase and their living conditions improve, a necessary condition for the return of peace and stability in the area of operation. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 35

48 Key Challenges Again the political context in countries was a cause of delay or adaptation in project implementation. The Presidential and General Elections in Sri Lanka in the course of 2010 resulted in significant changes within the Government, and additional time was required to re-establish working relations and operating modalities with new officials. Due to the introduction in July 2010 of new authorization procedures for NGOs operating in the Northern Province, disruptions and delays were experienced in project implementation. Final approval was received at the end of October 2010 through advocacy with high-level government officers. Technical issues related to specific projects were also a challenge. In Guinea-Bissau, the withdrawal of one of the selected banks following the first evaluation of micro-credit has meant a lowering of credit rates extended to youth in 2010, which has consequently decreased the proportion of enterprises created. The weak capacity of local actors to implement project activities is also a challenge. UNFPA in the Central African Republic had to deal with the lack of qualified micro-credit institutions capable of managing credits in the area of implementation. The same project also experienced difficulties with providing micro-credit in an environment where beneficiaries have lost all means of production and are therefore challenged to meet commitments made Thematic Area 4: (Re-)build Essential Administrative Services and Infrastructure Table 3-4 Thematic Area 4: Summary of Funds Transferred Net Funded Amount 12 ($000) Expenditure ($000) % of Total Net Funded Amount Delivery Rate (%) 25,440 21, Figure 3 5 Thematic Area 4 Funds Transferred by Country, Cumulative as of 31 December Net funded amount refers to funding transferred to a Recipient Organization minus refunds of unspent balances received from the Recipient Organization. Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) 2010 Consolidated Annual Progress Report 36