2012 ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS MULTI-YEAR APPEAL UNITED NATIONS

Transcription

1 2012 ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS MULTI-YEAR APPEAL UNITED NATIONS

2 Department of Political Affairs Website: United Nations May 2013 All rights reserved Cover Photo: Jeffrey D. Feltman disembarking from a UN plane in Somalia in 2012 (UN Photo) inside Photo: Central African Republic, 2012 (UN photo)

3 Table of Contents 1 Executive Summary Some examples of DPA political and diplomatic interventions funded under the Multi-Year Appeal in Achievements under the 2012 Multi-Year Appeal Direct Output 1: Rapid response, support to Special Envoys and political missions in the field Direct Output 2: Productive DPA collaboration with regional organizations on mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding responses Direct Output 3: Timely and effective DPA response and stakeholder support for electoral assistance Indirect Output 4: Enhanced DPA capacities and accountability mechanisms in UN mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding responses Achievements in the area of women, peace and security Achievements in the area of partnership Financial data Graphs and tables Summary of the Results Framework For further information on the Annual report, please contact Ms. Delphine Bost (bostd@un.org) or Ms. Elizabeth Leff (leffe@un.org).

4 List of Acronyms ASEAN AU BINUCA BNUB CEIRPP CIC CONI CNMC CSO DAC DFID DPA DFS DPKO EAC EAD EEAS ECPS ECOWAS ECPS EO EU FARC GA HQ IATF ICGLR ICJ ICMEA ISF JSE JSR LAS LRA MENA MEWAD MRU MSU NAM NRC OAS OCHA Association of Southeast Asian Nations African Union UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in the Central African Republic UN Office in Burundi Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People Center on International Cooperation Commission of National Inquiry Cameroon Nigerial Mixed Commission Civil Society Organization Development Assistance Committee Department for International Development Department of Political Affairs Department of Field Support Department of Peacekeeping Operations East African Community Electoral Assistance Division European External Action Service Executive Committee on Peace and Security Economic Community of West African States UN Executive Committee on Peace and Security Executive Office European Union Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia General Assembly Headquarter(s) Inter-Agency Task Force International Conference on the Great Lakes Region International Court of Justice Inter-Agency Coordination Mechanism for Electoral Assistance Integrated Strategic Frameworks Joint Special Envoy Joint Special Representative League of Arab States Lord s Resistance Army Middle East and North-Africa Middle East West Asia Division Mano River Union Mediation Support Unit Needs Assessment Mission Norwegian Refugee Council Organization of American States UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ODA OECD OHCHR OIC OSASG OSCE PBF PBSO PCNA PDA PMD PRSG RC SADC SASG SC SESG SICA SPA SPM SRSG SVC UNAMI UNCT UNDP UNIOGBIS UNIPSIL UNPOS UNON UNOCA UNODC UNOWA UNPOS UNRCCA USG UNSCO UNSCOL UNSMIL WB Official Development Assistance Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Organization of Islamic Cooperation Office of the Special Adviser of the Secretary-General Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe Peacebuilding Fund Peacebuilding Support Office Post-Conflict Needs Assessment Peace and Development Adviser Policy and Mediation Division Personal Representative of the Secretary- General Resident Coordinator Southern African Development Community Special Adviser to the Secretary General Security Council Special Envoy of the Secretary-General Central American Integration System Senior Policy Adviser Special Political Mission Special Representative of the Secretary- General Sexual Violence in Conflict UN Assistance Mission for Iraq UN Country Team UN Development Programme UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Guinea- Bissau UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone UN Political Office for Somalia UN Office at Nairobi UN Office for Central African UN Office on Drugs and Crime UN Office for West Africa UN Political Office for Somalia UN Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia Under Secretary-General UN Special Coordinator for the Middle-East Peace Process UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon United Nations Support Mission for Libya World Bank iv DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

5 1 Executive Summary In its work toward peace and security, the United Nations must bring to bear the full range of instruments at its disposal. Over the last few years, it has bolstered its conflict prevention and mediation capacities through a reinforced Department of Political Affairs (DPA). The present report reviews the activities carried out by DPA under its Multi-Year Appeal during 2012, a year of continued political turbulence in many regions of the world. Last year, DPA called for $19.1 million to cover the activities included under the Multi-Year Appeal and the separate funding Appeal for Syria. A total of $17.8 million (or 93 per cent of its request) was received for activities thanks to the generous support of Member States a significant increase from 2011 when DPA received only half of its original request (or $9.1 million). DPA was also encouraged by the increased level of contributions to the Multi-Year Appeal from a growing and more diverse group of donors and by the signing of six multiyear agreements so far. These longer-term agreements, which provide more predictable support for the Department s activities, and the broadening of DPA s donor base demonstrate the growing trust of an increasing number of Members States in DPA s ability to deliver on its mandate. Also, contributing to DPA is easier now that its main trust fund has been added to the list of entities eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA) 1. DPA intensified its work around four strategic priorities where it is active and operational, but where regular budget resources are insufficient to meet the full demands made on the Department by Member States. Achievements in 2012 under the four priorities below are described in the text of the report: 1. Responding faster, providing rapid response to prevent armed conflict, strengthening mediation support and ensuring proximity through field presences (regional offices, envoys and political missions), which serve as platforms for dealing with crises; 2. Working with others, especially regional partnerships and UN system partners, to increase access, develop leverage and maximize resources; 1 For information on the addition of DPA s trust fund to the OECD- DAC list of ODA-eligible organizations, visit aidstatistics/listofoda-eligibleorganisations.htm. Donors can now meet their voluntary ODA targets when pledging funds to the Department. The listing acknowledges that the bulk of DPA s preventive diplomacy work takes place in, or for the benefit of, developing countries, and that DPA services are related to political processes essential to their economic welfare. Overall impact of extrabudgetary funding received in 2012 Voluntary funding received in 2012 enabled DPA to deliver on its overall mandate of preventing, managing and resolving armed conflict. Targeted extrabudgetary resources multiplied the range of activities performed by DPA and contributed to better results. The Department currently uses one broad indicator to assess the general impact of its activities carried out with extrabudgetary funding: the percentage of cases where conflict was prevented, de-escalated or contained through DPA involvement, including through special envoys and field missions. In 2012, DPA reviewed 28 cases where it had deployed resources in support of mediation, conflict prevention and/or peacebuilding efforts. In 25 of these cases (89 per cent), there was evidence that DPA positively contributed to the outcome of the conflict situation, for example in Yemen, Somalia, Libya, the Maldives, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Sudan a. Defining success varies from one context to another and DPA s actual contribution may, at times, be difficult to illustrate. The underlying assumption is that if DPA is effective at preventive diplomacy and rapid response, tensions will be defused early or through a positive change in behaviour among key actors and increased confidence between conflicting parties. a The 28 cases indicate assistance that was provided by the Standby Team or the DPA Mediation Support Unit to the regional divisions in mediation, conflict prevention, dialogue, constitutional processes, etc. This is not an exhaustive list of all of DPA's engagements, only those that are easily identifiable; they include a significant portion of the Department's work and broadly reflect DPA's efforts related to conflict prevention and mitigation. Positive contribution includes the signing of a ceasefire agreement or a peace agreement, launching of a dialogue process, re-ignition of a stalled process, the capacity-building of national and local actors and civil society through specific trainings or workshops, as well as the provision of "think pieces" and other advisory services that are considered useful and relevant by UN or political actors and feed into relevant consultation, processes, etc. 3. Reinforcing democratic processes around the world, particularly through electoral advice and support, in close cooperation with partners; and 4. Honing innovative tools and mechanisms and assessing impact to ensure that lessons from one engagement are applied in the future. Relying in part on extrabudgetary funding, DPA spearheaded UN efforts to respond to crises or support transitions in Africa (Mali and the Sahel, Malawi, Central African Republic and Guinea-Bissau), in the Middle East and North Africa (Syria, MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 1

6 Yemen, Egypt and Libya), and in Asia (Maldives). Voluntary contributions received under the Multi-Year Appeal helped DPA identify warning signs of emerging crisis and offer timely diplomatic and political interventions, including through preventive diplomacy, mediation and good offices, to stop conflicts early on or to bring them to resolution. The Department is making more effective use of preventive diplomacy and mediation and is receiving sustained political support for these efforts. The Group of Friends of Mediation, which includes some 40 Member States and regional entities, has helped draw attention to the importance of mediation. DPA also continued to invest time and resources to enhance its approach to mediation and assist mediators in maximizing the chances for success. With that objective, DPA took the lead in the recent development of the UN Guidance for Effective Mediation. Last year also saw greater focus on systematically integrating a gender perspective in peacemaking initiatives. DPA increased its support to fragile political transitions in 2012, especially through assistance to elections, constitution-making and national dialogues, and by addressing non-traditional threats such as drug trafficking and organized crime, which increasingly undermine stability. The Department continued to focus on its internal reform priorities. Last year, DPA made progress in institutionalizing and strengthening its monitoring and evaluation capacity by implementing a new Evaluation Policy and Plan. DPA also enhanced its extrabudgetary results framework (see summary on page 25), developed a new comprehensive learning and evaluation framework and rolled out a new financial management database. These steps demonstrate a commitment to results-based management and accountability. To build upon these developments, DPA is embarking on a strategic planning exercise to provide the Department and its Special Political Missions (SPMs) with direction and a set of strategic objectives to be achieved over the mid and long term. In spite of the progress made in 2012, DPA continued to face political challenges such as the reluctance of some Governments to seek support from the UN until problems boiled over into open conflict, as well as financial constraints, such as limited travel funds and constraining funding mechanisms for field-based special political missions. 2 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

7 2 Some examples of DPA political and diplomatic interventions funded under the Multi-Year Appeal in 2012 In the face of political tensions or escalating crises, preventive diplomacy and mediation are often among the few options, short of coercive measures, to promote peace. They also yield a high return on investment: the average cost of DPA support to a political engagement is around $300,000. The relatively inexpensive political-diplomatic interventions described below all made a positive difference on the ground. In Somalia, DPA contributed to political progress not seen for decades. With the support of experts from the Mediation Standby Team, combined with the efforts of DPA's Electoral Assistance Division, DPA helped the authorities finalize the provisional constitution and contributed to the formation of a new parliament, ending the country s eight-year-long political transition. The new parliament includes over 30 women, around 15 per cent of the total, although still short of the original target of 30 per cent, this represents a major step forward for women's representation in Somalia. DPA also provided support to the UN mission on the ground (UNPOS) through the funding of one backstopping post at Headquarters. ($180,000) In Libya, DPA electoral experts provided technical assistance and coordinated international electoral efforts, which contributed to the democratic elections in July 2012, the first after 40 years of dictatorship. In addition, DPA continued to support the political mission (UNSMIL) assisting the transition on the ground. Support from Headquarters included, inter alia, the funding of two backstopping posts. ($300,000) The Department sought to address the multifaceted crisis gripping the Sahel by coordinating the development of the UN Integrated Strategy for the Sahel. DPA also supported the Special Envoy, who oversees the strategy s finalization and implementation, by providing him with staff and expertise. This resulted in the development and implementation of the Strategy s Action Plan and the convening of an Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) and Core-Group. Both aimed at ensuring a coordinated international approach. ($350,000) In the Democratic Republic of Congo, DPA supported and continues to support the talks between the Government and the M23 rebel group, which started in December 2012, by deploying mediation experts and DPA staff to Libreville. This support contributed to decreasing the level of tension in the region and enabled humanitarian assistance to reach affected populations. ($80,000) In the Central African Republic, DPA contributed to the Libreville talks by providing logistical and technical support. SRSG Vogt led United Nations efforts and was supported by DPA staff and mediation experts from the Standby Team. The UN team worked behind the scenes to facilitate the mediation process and the drafting of agreements, signed in January ($60,000) In Yemen, skillful UN diplomacy has helped to transform a dangerous political conflict into a promising, albeit fragile, transition. Special Adviser Benomar has engaged with all stakeholders, including women and youth groups, to facilitate progress on Yemen s two-year transition Agreement (signed in November 2011). Throughout the year, DPA provided support for an inclusive National Dialogue and in the formation of a new election commission. ($1.5 million) In response to the military coup in Mali, DPA provided support to mediation efforts led by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), which resulted in the establishment of a framework agreement in April In 2013, the Department continued to support the good offices mission by facilitating the start-up of a small presence in Bamako and by deploying staff and expertise. This light footprint presence was a cost-effective and innovative approach. ($150,000 was spent in 2012) In Syria, DPA provided staff and experts for both the UN League of Arab States (LAS) Joint Special Envoy and the Joint Special Representative to assist in the search to end violence and human rights violations, and to promote a peaceful political solution to the conflict. DPA s mobilization of rapid response funds allowed the Joint Special Envoy to quickly assume his duties after being appointed. ($560,000) Between February and August 2012, the Department supported the UN Resident Coordinator in the Maldives after the February 2012 transfer of power. Several Mediation Standby Team experts were deployed on short notice, including within 6 hours in one case. They supported tasks such as assisting the Commission of National Inquiry, which was set up to look into the facts, circumstances and causes of the power transfer. ($100,000) In Algeria, a High-Level Panel that included elements of a good offices role was deployed to assess the developments in the May 2012 elections and provide recommendations. Among the successes of the panel was contributing to a stronger representation of women in Parliament, up from 7 per cent in 2007 to 31 per cent in ($150,000) MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 3

8 3 Achievements under the 2012 Multi-Year Appeal The annual report follows the restructuring of the results framework (see summary on page 25) developed to better highlight where extrabudgetary resources received in 2012 contributed to DPA and UN results. The projects are presented around direct and indirect outputs. Enabled by indirect outputs (staff and systems), direct outputs focus on sustaining the quality, predictability and coherence of the work of DPA as essential elements of effective conflict management, collaboration with regional organizations and electoral outcomes. Recognizing their growing importance, separate sections on gender and partnerships have been compiled this year (see pages 19 and 21). Direct Output 1 Rapid response, support to Special Envoys and political missions in the field Amount programmed Total expenditures $ 7.5 million $ 6.1 million Overall implementation rate 81% DPA is frequently called upon to address violent conflicts or to employ preventive diplomacy to de-escalate emerging tensions. This requires a rapid response mechanism featuring different tools, from early warning and rapid response funding to the deployment of experts in mediation and peacemaking. United Nations envoys and mediators are now well-equipped to succeed since they have greater access to technical expertise offered by DPA on a wide range of subjects. DPA s crisis response system: key activities and achievements Enhanced early warning mechanism leading to early action Anticipating crises before they erupt remains a difficult task, even when clear early warning signs exist. By complementing the regular budget, extrabudgetary resources help DPA staff to travel to regions facing political challenges 2 and enable early action when an emergency situation is identified. Throughout the year, DPA staff strived to establish partner- 2 It is estimated that only 25% of DPA s travel needs are covered under the Regular Budget Standby Team of Mediation Experts (UN photo) 4 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

9 ships with regional and subregional organizations and United Nations Country Teams (UNCTs), as well as other partners on the ground. These partnerships help identify entry points for political engagement, provide a vehicle to share analysis, or enable outreach to key constituencies, such as civil society organizations. DPA staff also participated in strategic assessment missions, Technical Assessment Missions (TAMs), or Post-Conflict Needs Assessment Missions (PC- NAs) in various parts of the world, including in Egypt, Kenya, Belarus, Mali/Sahel, Somalia, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Standby Team of Mediation Experts A joint endeavor of DPA and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), the Standby Team provides expertise and assistance 3 to mediation efforts by regional organizations, envoys, fieldbased political and peacekeeping missions, and to the rest of the UN system. Demand for the Standby Team of Mediation Experts continued to increase in 2012 with over 65 deployments to 22 countries from Afghanistan to Iraq, and from Nepal to Somalia. UN Resident Coordinators (RC) also increasingly requested the service of such mediation experts. This trend indicates the rising demand for United Nations assistance in building national capacities for mediation in the field. When deployed to a field mission, team members often provide mediation-related training to United Nations partners as well. When not deployed, team members provide remote assistance to mediators in the form of analytical papers. Mediation Roster and Peacemaker Compared with 2011, the mediation roster saw a 45 per cent increase in requests for mediation experts (a total of 48 requests) from both UN and non-un partners. Employing a dedicated Roster Manager funded by extrabudgetary resources, has enabled DPA to respond and identify experts within 72 hours after receiving a request. Today, in total, the roster includes approximately 240 members, 38 per cent of whom are women, representing more than 70 nationalities, and speaking 59 languages (in addition to the six official UN languages). DPA undertook a comprehensive overhaul and redesign of the UN Peacemaker website (re-launched in 2012), its online mediation support tool, to meet the evolving demands of mediation actors. The upgraded version includes the largest online database of peace agreements with more than 750 peace agreements, guidance products for mediators, and information on UN mediation support activities and resources 4. 3 Team members have expertise in the following areas: gender and social inclusion, natural resources, constitutions, process design, security arrangements and power-sharing. The governments of Norway, Belgium, Finland and Turkey as well as the European Commission support the Standby Team. 4 For more information on the UN Peacemaker, see: Rapid response funding In 2012, rapid response funding was used for mediation startup, preventive diplomacy and good offices efforts related to Libya, Yemen, Syria, Egypt, the Maldives, Malawi, the Former Yugoslavian Republic Of Macedonia, Mali/Sahel, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana/Venezuela, Georgia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Belarus. Below are a few examples of the use of rapid response funding for DPA political and diplomatic interventions: Support for the response to the Sahel crisis, including the implementation of the integrated regional strategy During 2012, the UN intensified its efforts to shape and mobilize an effective response to the complex crisis plaguing the countries and people of the Sahel region. On 9 October 2012, the Secretary-General announced the appointment of Mr. Romano Prodi as his Special Envoy for the Sahel. Since his appointment, Special Envoy Prodi has been working closely with the members of the United Nations family, both at Headquarters and in the field, to coordinate system-wide efforts to finalize and implement the United Nations Integrated Regional Strategy for the Sahel. Mr. Prodi has also initiated consultations with Member States of the region, as well as regional and subregional organizations and other international partners. Acknowledging the complexity of the challenges facing the Sahel, affected countries and the international community welcomed the finalization of a framework for a UN Integrated Regional Strategy. Mr. Prodi s appointment helped to focus and coordinate international engagement in support of Sahelian countries effort to address the multifaceted crisis, with an initial focus on Mali. DPA closely monitored developments in the sub-region, in line with its conflict prevention mandate, and coordinated its efforts through the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF). SESG Prodi has been creating awareness around key challenges facing the region, consulting broadly with civil society institutions, including the advisory group of women of the Sahel. From the time of his appointment until the adoption of the SPM budget, rapid response funding was used to recruit staff and experts and to finance the consultations held by the Special Envoy. Total extrabudgetary funds used to support these efforts in 2012: $350,000 Support to the UN s political role in Mali In response to the military coup, the UN Regional Office for West Africa (UNOWA), backstopped by DPA, supported ECOWAS-led mediation efforts that resulted in the signing MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 5

10 Support to resolving the political crisis in the Maldives of a framework agreement in April DPA continued to play a role in activities aimed at restoring the constitutional order and territorial integrity of the country, together with ECOWAS, the AU, the EU and other partners. In order to give impetus to the Malian political process, SRSG Djinnit and senior DPA staff significantly increased political engagement with the Malian authorities and key regional stakeholders. The expertise of the Standby Team of Meditation Experts was crucial in helping to formulate options for promoting dialogue and negotiation in Mali. DPA has been actively engaged with the authorities in Bamako and the UNCT regarding the next steps in the political process and the establishment of a UN multidisciplinary presence in Bamako. Rapid response funding is being used in 2013 to fund one senior staff at Headquarters and frequent travel to Mali. Total extrabudgetary funds used to support these efforts in 2012: $150,000 Rapid response funding enabled the Department to play a significant role in helping the Maldives weather a political crisis and resume its democratic transition in Assistant- Secretary-General Fernandez-Taranco led a mission to the Maldives in February 2012, at the height of the crisis that culminated in the resignation of former President Nasheed. The mission encouraged leaders of the Government and political parties to resolve their differences through dialogue and underlined the importance of a credible national process to investigate the events. By swiftly deploying a legal expert from the Standby Team, as requested by the UN RC, the Commission of National Inquiry (CoNI), whose credibility was originally questioned, was reshaped and reconstituted in June. DPA also supported the good offices efforts of the Commonwealth Special Envoy and deployed a Peace and Development Adviser (PDA) in September, in collaboration with UNDP, to help facilitate the national dialogue and strengthen demo- Support aimed at resolving the conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic In January 2012, the United Nations assumed an active role in international efforts to help resolve the conflict in Syria following appeals for action to the Security Council by the United Nations Secretary-General, the League of Arab States (LAS) and the Chairman of the League s Follow-up Committee on Syria. In response to General Assembly resolution 66/253, the Secretaries-General of the UN and the LAS announced the appointment of Mr. Kofi Annan as their Joint Special Envoy (JSE) for Syria on 23 February. Following Mr. Annan s resignation on 2 August, the two Secretaries-General appointed Mr. Lakhdar Brahimi as their Joint Special Representative (JSR). JSE Annan and JSR Brahimi have provided good offices aimed at bringing an end to violence and human rights violations, and promoting a peaceful political solution to the Syrian conflict. Deadlocks over the crisis in Syria at the regional and international level have impeded the search for a political solution, despite strong efforts by the United Nations to forge agreements. Although the six-point plan was not successful in bringing about a lasting cessation of violence and a political process, the Geneva Communiqué of 30 June 2012, which enshrined an international consensus on ending the conflict through a political transition, remains an important reference point for the UN s continuing peacemaking efforts. The support of the Department to the mediation efforts of the JSE and the JSR grew exponentially in DPA also enhanced its monitoring of the situation in Syria and the region as well as its advice to the Secretary-General on options for a UN course of action. Rapid-response funding was first used to jumpstart the activities of the JSE and to deploy staff and expertise quickly. Subsequently, $3.1 million was mobilized through a separate funding Appeal for Syria only. Extrabudgetary resources allowed the Department to quickly respond to the surge of activities, ensuring adequate daily analytical and information support, inter-agency coordination and contingency planning, and, most importantly, support to the mediation efforts of the JSE and JSR. This was achieved by deploying staff in record time to Geneva to assist the good offices efforts, and by increasing the number of staff at Headquarters who supported the mediation and inter-agency coordination efforts. Three staff members were based in New York to provide substantive support to the JSE and JSR and their offices, and to the United Nations senior leadership. The Department also made available the expertise of its Standby Team of Mediation Experts. DPA has also regularly briefed the Security Council and prepared briefings and reports of the Secretary-General on Syria to the Council and the General Assembly. While all these efforts did not resolve the conflict in 2012, they succeeded in increasing Member States awareness about the conflict and mobilizing UN efforts. Voluntary contributions were also used to recruit a Senior Political Adviser who, in support of the efforts of the JSE, facilitated negotiations in the spring with the Syrian Government and opposition on the cessation of violence. During this period, DPA regularly convened and prepared meetings of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Syrian Crisis, co-chaired by DPA and UNDP, to ensure inter-agency coordination. The Task Force remained the UN system s central coordinating body, ensuring that the system focuses its efforts and resources on the Organization s priorities. It has succeeded in helping the UN system reorient its work toward a massive humanitarian operation, while ensuring that the necessary staff safety and security concerns are addressed. The Task Force has also served as the mechanism for the UN system to prepare for various contingencies as the conflict in Syria continued to escalate. Estimated extrabudgetary funds used to support these efforts in 2012: $560,000 6 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

11 DPA field based political missions cratic institutions. In December 2012, efforts continued with an integrated UN mission to the country, including an electoral needs assessment, to encourage the Maldives to create an environment conducive to free, fair, inclusive and peaceful elections in Throughout 2012, DPA played a leadership role in coordinating among the UN, the Commonwealth and relevant Member States including the United States and India. Total extrabudgetary funds used to support these efforts in 2012: $100,000 Support to Special Political Missions (SPMs): key activities and achievements The deployment of SPMs 5, including Envoys of the Secretary- General, is another vital element for an effective United Nations response, especially when more sustained engagements are required. To this end, the Department developed a strong system of support to provide Special Envoys with robust strategies, technical expertise on key issues in negotiations, and real leverage to back up their efforts. To enhance the support to SPMs, DPA developed a Special Political Missions Start-up Guide, officially launched in December 2012 at a joint event with the Center on International Cooperation (CIC). As DPA assists the start-up of new missions, most recently in Libya, Yemen and the Sahel, this Guide serves as a useful tool for both staff at Headquarters and in the field to clarify procedures and responsibilities during the critical months of mission start-up or during a transition. Assistance to Special Envoys/Advisers In Yemen, DPA continued to support the Secretary-General s good offices undertaken by Special Adviser Jamal Benomar. The efforts of the Special Adviser were aimed at facilitating 5 DPA currently supports the following field-based political missions: BINUCA, BNUB, CNMC, OSASG on Cyprus, OSASG on Yemen, UNAMI, UNIOGBIS, UNIPSIL, UNOCA, UNOWA, UNPOS, UNRCCA, UNSCO, UNSCOL and UNSMIL. CNMC and UNOWA are both located in Dakar. the effective implementation of Yemen s two-year transition agreement, signed in Riyadh in November The Agreement, facilitated by the Special Adviser at the request of both sides, lays out a detailed roadmap for the transition, which the Special Adviser and his team are strongly supporting. The first phase was completed smoothly with the transfer of power from President Saleh to President Hadi, as a result of elections held on 21 February 2012 that saw a surprisingly high voter turnout despite the difficult security situation. Thereafter, the Special Adviser and his team supported the preparatory process for an all-inclusive National Dialogue Conference as set forth in the transition agreement. These preparations, which included the participation of youth, women, Houthis, and the Southern Hiraak in addition to political parties, represented the most inclusive and participatory process in Yemen s history. These efforts resulted in the submission of a report on the structure and organization of the National Dialogue Conference. The Dialogue started on 18 March During the same period, the Special Adviser provided advice and assistance to the Yemeni parties on other transition tasks, including transitional justice, electoral reform, human rights and women s issues. DPA provided ongoing mission support through the Middle-East and West Asia Division (MEWAD) and the deployment of mediation experts from the Standby Team as well as electoral experts. On 1 January 2013, the Office of the Special Adviser on Yemen was established as an SPM with a small staff based in New York and Sana a. Total extrabudgetary funds used in 2012 by DPA to support the efforts of the Special Adviser: $1.5 million In 2012, the UN continued to lead a mediation process aimed at facilitating an agreement between Equatorial Guinea and Gabon to submit their longstanding border dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) for a peaceful, judicial set- MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2011 ANNUAL REPORT 7

12 Lessons Learned on UN Regional Offices: UNOCA, UNOWA and UNRCCA In December 2012, DPA convened for the first time a meeting to distil lessons learned from the three DPA regional offices. The meeting allowed cross-fertilization of the experience and knowledge of the SRSGs in charge of UNOCA, UNOWA and UNRCCA, and addressed common challenges. The findings include: Similarity of mandates: The three regional offices have similar Security Council mandates: to provide good offices, to cooperate with regional and subregional organizations, to address transnational and cross-border issues, and to facilitate linkages between UN actors in the region. Nonetheless, the implementation of the mandates has differed greatly due to different regional political contexts and varying operating space afforded to the regional offices. Operating space: UNOWA has focused on good offices and preventive diplomacy in a region where different political crises continue to dominate the agenda. The balancing of these activities with longer-term capacity development has been a challenge. In comparison, UNOCA and UNRCCA have adopted a more regional approach, engaging in political advocacy and supporting the development of regional strategies. This includes the strategies aimed at battling the Lord s Resistance Army and fighting piracy in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as providing a platform to address transnational and cross-border issues such as water management and drug trafficking. The possibility of drawing on a range of expertise and capacities within the UN, ranging from the Peacebuilding Fund to the Standby Team of Mediation Experts, has been critical to supplement the limited resources of regional offices and to reinforce their convening power and capacity-building efforts. Crisis management: The regional offices have enabled timely analysis and identification of appropriate entry points for the Secretary-General and the SRSGs to address crises. They have played a critical role in ensuring sustained attention once immediate political crises have subsided, from Guinea and Kyrgyzstan to the Sahel region, and for electoral disputes from Senegal to Togo. The proximity of regional offices to the events on the ground has undoubtedly increased trust and facilitated contacts with actors such as Governments, regional and subregional organizations, civil society and think tanks, who are crucial partners in promoting regional peace and stability. Expectations vs. resources: Regional offices cover vast regions: UNOCA has a mandate to cover 10 countries; UNOWA, 16; and UNRCCA, 5; and yet they are among the smallest field-based SPMs. This is why the SRSGs emphasized the importance of periodically re-assessing the priorities of their various engagements. Improving coordination: To maximize the tools and resources at their disposal, regional offices have focused on improving coordination with missions and UNCTS. They regularly convene meetings of the RCs and the Heads of Missions to share their analysis and strengthen a regional approach on cross-cutting issues. Such collaboration has yielded encouraging results, which can help systematize the sharing of timely analysis among regional offices, UNCTs and PDAs deployed to the region. tlement. The Special Adviser of the Secretary-General and mediator on the border dispute, Mr. Nicolas Michel, and the Secretary-General met several times with President Bongo and President Obiang. The Heads of State reaffirmed their determination to settle the border dispute peacefully though both parties still need to demonstrate further political will to move toward a compromise on the scope of the jurisdiction of the Court. As encouraged by ECOWAS, the parties have agreed to start preliminary discussions on possible joint economic management of the contested zone without prejudice to the UN-led mediation process. Total extrabudgetary funds used to support these efforts in 2012: $60,000 In May 2012, the Personal Representative of the Secretary- General on the Border Controversy between Guyana and Venezuela, Mr. Norman Girvan, led a technical workshop at UNHQ for Guyanese and Venezuelan officials as a confidence-building measure. Among the workshop participants were facilitators and both countries Permanent Representatives to the UN. In a statement after the workshop, Mr. Girvan highlighted the extremely friendly and cordial relations now existing between Guyana and Venezuela. Total extrabudgetary funds used to support these efforts in 2012: $30,000 UN regional offices In 2012, regional offices made effective use of their SRSGs, who could be deployed to crisis situations in their respective region, thereby reducing the need for dedicated Envoys or more expensive country-specific presences. The activities below were funded under the Appeal: In 2012, the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA), the only UN entity with a regional political mandate in Central Asia, continued to assist Governments to address threats to stability in their region and manage common resources as well as environmental degradation. UNRCCA for instance convened a meeting of Deputy Foreign Ministers in Kyrgyzstan, in October 2012, to build political 8 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

13 consensus on how to address such issues, as well as to outline how the Regional Centre can facilitate the development and implementation of necessary measures. At the meeting, funded through extrabudgetary contributions, participants successfully identified the challenges facing the region, including extremism, terrorism, drug trafficking, issues related to water and energy, and the potential regional impact of the withdrawal of international forces from Afghanistan in Participants praised the role UNRCCA is playing in the region and strongly encouraged deeper engagement on a broader set of issues. The United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) also continued to respond to new and emerging threats in 2012, supporting increased coordination and collaboration among international peace and security actors in the West African sub-region. A Regional Consultative Meeting, held in Dakar in December 2012 and funded with extrabudgetary resources, provided a unique forum for the United Nations, regional organizations 6 and external partners to enhance synergies and make recommendations on how to improve collaboration at working and leadership levels. The workshop brought together over 50 representatives to devise concrete strategies to address the inter-connected threats the region is facing in the security and political domains. In addition, the meeting provided the basis for the development of a training curriculum for PDAs, which DPA and the Folke Bernadotte Academy have planned for Deployment of DPA Liaison Teams SPMs are deployed relatively rarely, and the goal in most cases is to transition back to a normal UNCT presence as quickly as possible. But experience shows that there is no easy mechanism for their phaseout. At a certain point, it may no longer be appropriate or fiscally wise to maintain a political mission; yet residual and political issues that could reverse the country s progress often persist. Thus, DPA has deployed small liaison teams to locations where there are no SPMs, but where a staff presence is needed to address political challenges. Such liaison teams are currently stationed in Kenya and Nepal, for instance, with the latter focused on outstanding tasks related to the country s peace process. The liaison teams rely on extrabudgetary funding. The DPA liaison team in Nairobi 7, composed of three extrabudgetary staff, continued to monitor political developments in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, and to provide regular updates and analyses regarding the situations in these countries. The team significantly contributed to enhanced co- operation with the RCs in the region and strengthened partnerships with regional and subregional organizations such as the East African Community (EAC) and the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR). In addition, the team provided political advice and support to the Director- General of UNON, particularly in her role as the Facilitator of the Malawi National Dialogue process that culminated in the adoption of a roadmap in March The liaison team preparations for the 2013 presidential elections provided significant contributions to the UN and other partners efforts to avoid election-related violence. In spite of these successes, the short-term nature of extrabudgetary contracts and the resulting staff turnover posed a challenge to the functioning of the team and the continuity of its work. The DPA liaison office in Nepal, funded with extrabudgetary resources, continued to provide targeted support to the ongoing peace process, helping national and international actors converge on specific policies and a broader strategy for supporting the peace process. The analysis and recommendations provided by the liaison office have enhanced and strengthened a coherent engagement by the international community in Nepal. It has contributed significantly to a nearly completed process of integration of former Maoist combatants into the Nepal Army. Following the appointment of the Interim Electoral Council of Ministers overseeing the next Constituent Assembly Elections in March 2013, the visiting Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs emphasized continued UN support to Nepal s democratic transition and the need to ensure an inclusive electoral process that takes into account the role of women. DPA s presence will be reviewed in 2013, in close consultation with the RC, with the aim of a gradual phaseout following the next elections Mission backstopping DPA-led field missions in Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen continued to rely heavily on Headquarters backstopping staff to carry out their mandates effectively. The work of eight backstopping staff, funded by extrabudgetary resources, has been essential for providing substantive support and managerial oversight. It also contributed to DPA s ability to deliver timely policy guidance and advice to the Secretary-General and other senior officials, and to inform the UN system in general about developments on the ground. Without this assistance, there would have been no dedicated staff supporting those missions at Headquarters on a full-time basis. 6 AU, ECOWAS and the Mano River Union (MRU). 7 Located in the UN Office at Nairobi (UNON). MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 9

14 Somali Woman, Mogadishu, 26 March 2012 (UN photo) Assisting Somalia toward a more peaceful and stable future 2012 was an historic year for Somalia. The eight-year political transition ended with the adoption of a new provisional Constitution, the formation of a new and more inclusive federal Parliament, and the selection of new leadership. Meanwhile, the recovery of more territories from Al-Shabaab expanded the area accessible for peacebuilding. These political and military gains presented a long-hoped-for opportunity for a more peaceful and stable future for Somalia. The United Nations Political Office in Somalia (UNPOS) played an important role throughout this momentous year. Working in support of the Transitional Federal Government, UNPOS collaborated closely with a wide range of Somali interlocutors to ensure a coherent approach among key actors and to promote strong international support for the transition. DPA s contribution to this process was made possible by extrabudgetary funding. Standby Team members and electoral assistance experts provided timely technical expertise on mediation and elections to UNPOS and Somali actors, assisting them in fleshing out the steps to conclude the transition and providing advice on civil society inclusion and women s participation. As a result, national authorities, and in particular members of the Federal Parliament and advisers in the executive branch, acquired an understanding of the many legislative and operational tasks required before the current parliament can hand over authority to popularly elected representatives at the end of its fouryear tenure. In addition, in a special session dedicated to them, women parliamentarians analysed the challenges and opportunities for women s participation in future elections. Due to logistical and security challenges across Somalia, direct popular elections to establish a new Government were deemed impractical. Instead, a system of indirect elections was established to move the process forward through a series of consultative meetings involving various segments of Somali society. The Mediation Support Unit (MSU) gender and civil society experts supported UNPOS in engaging Somali stakeholders to ensure the voices of civil society and women were heard by policymakers and reflected in shaping the country s future. EAD provided technical advice on establishing the electoral framework, which would require political reconciliation and the buy-in of national stakeholders in the post-transition period. At Headquarters, extrabudgetary funding in 2012 also reinforced the capacity of DPA s Somalia team for providing coherent and timely backstopping to UNPOS, which was essential in a fast-moving year that placed increased demands on the Mission. The team supported UNPOS gradual relocation inside Somalia starting in January 2012, which greatly improved the in-country access of senior staff to policymakers. DPA continued to assist as the Mission worked toward ending the transition and engaging with the new Government in the post-transition phase. In August 2012, the election of Somalia s new Parliament paved the way to establishing a new Somali leadership. One of Somalia s success stories in 2012 was a stronger participation of women in the country s politics following the end of the transition period. A roadmap adopted in February 2012 established a minimum threshold of 30 per cent women for the Interim Independent Electoral Commission, the National Constituency Assembly and the new Federal Parliament. The new Federal Parliament and the new cabinet are composed of 15 per cent and 20 per cent women, respectively, and for the first time a woman has been appointed as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. While many challenges remain, the progress made in 2012 underlines the achievements that Somalis and the international community can attain when working together to advance peace and security in the country. DPA will continue to assist Somalis in close cooperation and collaboration with partners. Total extrabudgetary funds used for backstopping, provision of expertise through the Standby Team and electoral deployment in 2012: $180, DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

15 Direct Output 2 Productive DPA collaboration with regional organizations on mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding responses Amount programmed Total expenditures $ 1.5 million $ 1.3 million Overall implementation rate 89% DPA s cooperation with regional and subregional organizations has become increasingly important for its overall mandate of conflict prevention and mediation. As well as having unique leverage, regional and subregional organizations have strong networks with important national and regional actors and can often contribute to a more refined analysis. Working together with regional organizations offers DPA the opportunity to pool resources in order to ensure prompter and more effective crisis response. In 2012, DPA worked with regional organizations in more than 60 per cent of its mediation engagements. Key activities and achievements In 2012, DPA used extrabudgetary resources to implement a number of projects to strengthen its cooperation with regional partners including the African Union (AU), the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union (EU), the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), the Organization of American States (OAS), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC). These projects have focused on a variety of activity areas, from consolidating mediation partnerships and providing capacity-building assistance to sharing lessons and deploying joint assessment missions. Over the past few years, the United Nations has cooperated with regional organizations in a variety of ways: in a leading role, in a burden-sharing role, in sequential deployments and in joint operations. DPA cooperation with regional organizations also included country-specific engagements, such as joint participation in peace processes and political transitions, as is currently the case in the Central African Republic, Guinea-Bissau, Madagascar, the Maldives, Mali, the Sahel, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Yemen and the Great Lakes region. The Department also provides support to regional partners in areas such as mediation (ASEAN, AU, EU, OAS, OIC and OSCE) and electoral assistance (AU and SADC). SG s second retreat with the heads of regional and subregional organizations funded by extrabudgetary resources In June 2012, the Secretary-General hosted a retreat with the heads of regional and subregional organizations that have long-standing cooperation with the UN in the area of peace and security. The meeting focused on cooperation in conflict prevention and mediation; emerging and transnational threats to international peace and security such as drug trafficking, organized crime and terrorism; and gender in the area of peace and security. Participants spoke about developments in their regions, highlighted challenges they faced, and identified areas that required more joint work going forward. The retreat offered an opportunity to strengthen collaboration in the area of peace and security and to work more united as an international community. Support to regional and subregional organizations in Africa In Africa, the working-level consultative meetings between the AU and the UN on preventing, managing and resolving conflict continue to provide an excellent forum for enhancing mutual understanding between the two organizations. With the increasing participation of subregional organizations, the desk-to-desk meetings have helped to coordinate joint initiatives of the two organizations and their subregional partners. Among other matters of common interest, the seventh consultative AU-UN desk-to-desk meeting, held in Djibouti in December 2012 and funded by extrabudgetary resources, discussed the 2013 elections in Kenya and the harmonization of actions between the UN, AU and SADC in support of the implementation of the transitional road map on Madagascar. Joint initiatives have included an AU-UN assessment mission to the Sahel and the adoption of a common strategy to address the threat posed by the Lord s Resistance Army (LRA) in Eastern and Central Africa. The consultative meetings have facilitated actions focused on specific country situations including Mali, Somalia, Sudan and South Sudan, agreed to at the fourth and fifth UN-AU high-level Joint Task Force on Peace and Security. Support to regional and subregional organizations in West Asia and the Middle East Of significance is the approval between the OIC and DPA of a one-year work programme to enhance mediation part- MULTI-YEAR MULTI-YEAR APPEAL APPEAL ANNUAL ANNUAL REPORT REPORT 11 11

16 Support to regional and subregional organizations in Europe nership between the two organizations. The programme included support to the OIC in establishing a mediation unit, joint events, training and field visits. Two consultation events were held in Jeddah and New York on the development of the UN Guidance for Effective Mediation. These events were followed by the first joint field visit to Kyrgyzstan to conduct mediation training for religious leaders, which helped strengthen cooperation between DPA and the OIC. This deployment was important given the OIC s goal to become a more operational organization and also improved the capacity of national actors in Kyrgyzstan to prevent and address conflicts. The successful partnership has led to the establishment of the OIC s Peace, Security and Mediation Unit in early DPA focused on the implementation of the Joint Declaration on Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and the UN, adopted in November As the first step in the implementation, the UN and ASEAN organized a Lessons Learned Workshop on Conflict Prevention, Peacemaking, Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding in Jakarta in early 2012, which considered the 10-point outcome document describing concrete follow-up activities in peace and security. Extrabudgetary resources also enabled the deployment of an expert to Bangkok to support the ASEAN-UN partnership and strengthen cooperation with ASEAN counterparts. Such a presence in the region has proven to be invaluable for UN efforts to put its partnership with ASEAN on a stronger footing. Support to regional and subregional organizations in the Americas DPA s partnership with the OAS deepened last year as a result of the ongoing process of desk-to-desk dialogues. DPA was included in OAS expert meetings and day-to-day information exchanges with the regional body have been enhanced. DPA also sought to strengthen relations with the Central American Integration System (SICA) on security in Central America. DPA engaged with regional and subregional counterparts to enhance institutional relations and engage in a discussion on natural resource conflicts. These contacts aim to enhance DPA s conflict prevention efforts by improving the Department s ability to identify conflicts and respond to future demands for mediation/facilitation related to resource extraction. DPA s partnership with the EU was also strengthened at several levels last year. DPA and the European External Action Service (EEAS) agreed on the establishment of a high-level political dialogue to discuss emerging issues and other matters of mutual concern. A first meeting was held in In addition, the UN-EU Steering Committee on Crisis Management was revived under a strengthened framework, together with DPKO, with high-level meetings held in New York and Brussels. Moreover, as part of a new format of the desk-to-desk political dialogue, a total of 21 video-teleconferences were held with the EU, including regular discussions on conflict prevention and mediation. This raised greater awareness of the work of the two organizations and led to closer coordination and joint messaging. DPA conducted two desk-to-desk visits to Brussels that helped the participants gain a deeper understanding of the policymaking process at the EU. The visits enabled discussions with officials from multiple EU institutions and mechanisms on the situation in the Middle East and the impact of drug trafficking and organized crime in West Africa and Europe. Likewise, the visits allowed an exploration of how the two organizations could take joint action on specific issues of mutual interest. In 2012, DPA, together with DPKO and DFS, maintained a new liaison presence in Brussels which helped build a closer and more strategic relationship with the European Union. The joint liaison office has contributed to strengthening and widening institutional dialogue mechanisms and deepening policy engagements with the EU. The liaison presence has supported the engagement of the senior leadership of a number of UN special political missions including UNAMI, BINUCA, BNUB, UNOWA, and UNSMIL in their engagement with the EU. The annual staff meeting between the UN and the OSCE not only provided a forum for fruitful discussions on issues of mutual interest and concern, but also resulted in the creation of a UN-OSCE staff exchange to further intensify cooperation in In addition, a number of follow-up actions have since been developed, including with regard to constitutional reform, national dialogue and reconciliation efforts in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 12 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

17 Direct Output 3 Timely and effective DPA response and stakeholder support for electoral assistance Amount programmed Total expenditures $ 0.8 million $ 0.6 million Overall implementation rate 74% Electoral assistance continued to be one of the key areas of UN support to Member States in Extrabudgetary funds remained essential for the support provided by the Electoral Affairs Division (EAD) to the Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, who is the UN focal point for electoral assistance. UN electoral assistance is provided at the request of the receiving Member State or mandated by the Security Council or the General Assembly. It is guided by key principles such as national ownership, sustainability and cost-effectiveness, as enshrined in General Assembly resolutions on electoral assistance. The comparative advantage of the United Nations in providing electoral assistance remains its impartiality, its track record of having provided electoral assistance to more than 110 countries and its ability to handle electoral assistance, not just as a technical issue, but as a fundamentally political exercise. DPA is increasingly focused on finding ways to help mitigate the potential for election-related violence. In this regard, mediation support and good offices are made available upon request and where needed to supplement technical advice, by working with regional or subregional organizations in many cases. New guidance was approved in 2012 regarding the need to address election-related violence in needs assessment missions (NAMs). Already in 2012 close to 90 per cent of the NAM reports (20 out of 23) assessed the potential for election-related violence, and in several cases suggested measures to mitigate potential violence. Continued efforts are also made to prioritize assistance that makes election processes inclusive, ensuring that women and underrepresented groups are able to take part in the political life of their country. Key activities and achievements In 2012, the UN continued to provide electoral assistance to over 50 countries, either through ongoing projects or by establishing new electoral support programmes. Over 40 election-related missions, including NAMs, advisory missions and review missions, were conducted last year, and EAD took part in nearly 20 election-related events such as conferences, lessons-learned exercises and other similar activities. At least half of these missions and activities were funded through extrabudgetary resources. A number of critical steps were taken to develop and disseminate UN system-wide electoral assistance policies, and to ensure better coordination among UN entities providing electoral assistance. EAD sought to strengthen its existing capacity-building support to regional organizations such as SADC and the AU. At the same time, DPA developed initiatives to forge electoral partnerships with new entities, for instance by supporting the LAS through training, and facilitating their establishment of an electoral roster. Supporting transitional processes in the MENA region remained a top priority of UN electoral assistance in In Libya, voluntary funding provided surge backstopping capacity to the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), which assisted Libyan electoral authorities in conducting the National General Congress elections of July The ability of Libyans to hold these elections in a successful and transparent fashion, and with strong popular participation, represented a crucial milestone in the democratic process in the country. UNSMIL provided technical assistance and advisory services on a range of electoral issues and took the lead role in coordinating international electoral assistance. DPA provided experts to UN- SMIL and developed the overall concepts and planning frameworks for UN electoral support and electoral scenarios. DPA also assisted the mission in designing and staffing its electoral unit, leading to the recruitment of approximately 50 international electoral staff through its roster of electoral experts. A post-elections lessons-learned exercise was conducted focusing on the coordination of international electoral assistance in the country. This exercise helped identify the shortcomings and successes of the engagement and established a set of Timely support to the transition process in Egypt The deployment of electoral experts was critical to support the sensitive electoral and transition processes in Egypt. The UN team on the ground was able to provide timely and high-quality electoral support and advice during the elections, as requested by national authorities. DPA worked in close cooperation with UN Women, encouraging the participation of women, including through supporting national efforts in issuing IDs for women voters. It is believed that this contributed to more female voters being able to register and vote in the first post-revolutionary elections, as compared to past elections. MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 13

18 in collaboration with international partners present in the Central African Republic. The group designated a neutral moderator acceptable to all parties and helped to engender a constructive dialogue. In addition, BINUCA provided logistical and technical assistance and deployed electoral experts who played a critical role in the review of the electoral code. Meanwhile, BINUCA dispatched observers to each of the committees created during the workshops. BI- NUCA hosted a working session with national stakeholders and the rapporteurs of the workshops to finalize the draft electoral code. The process helped reach consensus on a revised electoral code, submitted to Parliament for adoption in October 2012, which included the establishment of a permanent electoral body. In Afghanistan, DPA staff participated in an electoral NAM in November 2012 funded by extrabudgetary resources. The mission helped to build political consensus in the international community on possible guiding principles for voter registration and the electoral process as a whole. Activities continued into 2013 focusing on electoral activities needed as the country moves into the electoral cycle. In Mali, EAD provided timely electoral advice to the request of the transitional Government, deploying a new NAM in the wake of a significant change in the political context. The NAM redefined the parameters for UN technical assistance to the electoral process. The Department assessed the situation and developed recommendations to address electoral needs, including potential risks for election-related violence and human rights abuse. Some electoral experts and consultants stayed on the ground to finalize the overall electoral operational plan and jump-start the UN coordination of international electoral assistance. A Liberian holds up his ink-stained finger, proof of having voted in his country s constitutional referendum, in Monrovia, August 2011 (UN photo) recommendations, including a suggested strategic framework for future UN coordination efforts in Libya and beyond. In 2012, the Government of the Central African Republic requested the assistance of BINUCA to organize two workshops on the revision of the electoral code. In preparing for the workshops, BINUCA established a working group In Georgia, a NAM was undertaken by EAD in July 2012, at very short notice, amid an increasingly polarized political atmosphere in the run-up to the parliamentary elections. The mission ensured that UN assistance was tailored to the needs on the ground, and it examined the various risks associated with the electoral process. DPA continued to work in partnership with non-un actors and regional organizations, including by providing electoral capacity-building support to the AU and SADC during 2012 and establishing initial contacts with the LAS in order to forge a partnership on electoral assistance. For more information on gender and electoral assistance see page DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

19 Indirect Output 4 Enhanced DPA capacities and accountability mechanisms in UN mediation, conflict prevention and peacebuilding responses Amount programmed Total expenditures $ 2.6 million $ 2.3 million Overall implementation rate 91% When successful, preventive diplomacy can keep conflicts from erupting and the skill and commitment of DPA s Envoys, mediators and staff, can help design well-conceived diplomatic interventions to bring the situation under control more quickly, opening a path to resolution. In 2012, the Secretary- General submitted to the General Assembly his report on mediation 8, including the United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation 9 based on global consultation with Governments, regional organizations, and civil society. This new framework aims to establish a new global standard, while fostering a better understanding of mediation and providing insights on how to better design and manage mediation processes. The Guidance for Mediators on Addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence 10 also sharpened the provision of support services to mediators. Progress was made in the Department's ability to evaluate the impact of the UN s conflict prevention work. DPA s assessment, monitoring and evaluation practices improved considerably in 2012 in tandem with the Department s transformation and the need to address evolving operations and commitments. Taking into account its leadership role in conflict prevention, peacemaking and peacebuilding, DPA is now developing an overall vision and strategy for the Department and its Political Missions in the field. Articulating a clear common vision and undertaking strategic and work planning will assist the continuing transformation of DPA into a more operational entity. Key activities and achievements Strong and sustained mediation support capacity is critical to ensure that peace processes are conducted successfully. This work relies primarily on the skills and commitment of the Envoys, mediators and their teams, but also largely on the backup they receive from Headquarters. 8 (A/66/811). 9 The United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation was issued as an annex to A/66/811, 25 June UN Department of Political Affairs, Policy and Mediation Division, Mediation Support Unit, Operational support and guidance for conflict prevention and mediation efforts In 2012, seven extrabudgetary posts at Headquarters provided the Department with capacity to support rapid political and diplomatic interventions, including surge capacity to address multiple crises and to continue developing expertise and tools in the preventive diplomacy field. The staff also directly assisted visiting envoys and their teams to review processes and strategize on next steps. Many of the tools and guidance developed by the Department were used to support formal mediation processes, to respond to situations of unconstitutional changes of government or to support prevention initiatives at large. Increasing DPA capacity for preventive engagement DPA played a leading role in the UN s efforts to address the increasing peace and security implications of drug trafficking and organized crime. This work included co-chairing an interagency task force mandated to develop comprehensive approaches to this growing threat and channeling analysis and policy recommendations into Member State discussions. Increased staff capacity was funded by voluntary contributions. DPA played a key role in driving the prevention agenda from a policy perspective, for example, by guiding thematic debates in the Security Council and in the General Assembly and by raising awareness on emerging challenges. It increasingly exerted leadership by developing, in close consultation with other Departments, coherent UN responses to crises and transnational peace and security challenges and to rally the UN system behind them. In 2012, DPA led or co-led one third of the items addressed by the Secretary-General s Policy Committee, the highest decision-making body in the Organization that provides strategic guidance to the United Nations system. As chair of the Executive Committee on Peace and Security (ECPS) and various country-specific inter-agency task forces, DPA also led strategic dialogue with the UN system on a number of crisis and post-conflict situations, such as in Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Libya, Burundi, Guinea Bissau and Mali. Reaching out to civil society organizations The international meetings convened by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People (CEIRPP) help promote the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. These meetings bring together representatives of MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 15

20 Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (right) meets with Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and League of Arab States (UN photo) Governments, intergovernmental and Civil Society Organizations (CSO), parliamentarians, academics and the media. For the first time, the use of extrabudgetary funds allowed the participation of five civil society representatives of Israeli and Palestinian organizations (including two women). CSOs had the opportunity to interact with a wide range of stakeholders. Support to Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams DPA and UNDP collaboration enhanced support for RCs to carry out prevention and transition work. It also expanded the deployment of PDAs and promoted coherence at the Headquarters level. An example of increased cooperation with UN- RCs and UNCTs was the DPA Regional Retreat on Challenges to Peace and Security in the Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Countries, held in Pretoria in July The Retreat, funded by voluntary contributions, led to greater collaboration between DPA and RCs/UNCTs, most notably during the August elections in Angola and the ongoing constitution-making process in Zambia. The Retreat also provided DPA with new South Africa-based contacts. In Colombia, the PDA, funded by extrabudgetary resources, has advised DPA, the RC and the UNCT on all aspects of the peace process currently underway between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The PDA has engaged with national and regional authorities as well as with civil society groups to gauge the impact of peacebuilding activities, with particular emphasis on women s participation in peacebuilding. The PDA took part in a series of UN-facilitated conversations between the Government of Colombia and the indigenous communities of the northern Cauca region, following conflict-related tensions in that area. More recently, the PDA has been central in promoting UN-organized civil society consultations. These fora, organized at the request of the Government and the FARC, provide inputs to the negotiating table in Havana. In December, the parties welcomed the valuable inputs to enrich the current conversations. The Senior Policy Adviser (SPA) in Tunisia, jointly funded for a period of one year by UNDP and DPA, has been instrumental 16 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

21 in enhancing understanding of the situation on the ground and providing strategic political advice to the RC and UN Headquarters. Perhaps most importantly, the SPA acted as a bridge between the UNCT and the National Constituent Assembly to facilitate requests for UN support. The SPA provided regular reports, engaged in biweekly teleconferences with staff based in New York and acted as a sounding board for policy and guidance for the Secretary-General and Senior UN officials on Tunisia. On the ground, the SPA demonstrated an ability to bring together representatives of different facets of the Tunisian political spectrum to foster discussion and build strong relationships with representatives of civil society. This communication allowed a better understanding of political and social dynamics in an environment where a democratic transition remains ongoing. Development of DPA s capacity to assist inclusive constitution-making processes The United Nations is frequently called on by Member States to provide assistance during constitution-making processes in a broad range of contexts. In recent years, and particularly in connection with the Arab Spring, the demand for UN assistance in constitution-making processes has seen a marked increase, with concrete implications for DPA and its work on political transitions. Given the critical importance of constitution-making as a vehicle for political transformation, DPA has undertaken several steps to improve the way it provides constitutional assistance. Through an external constitution-making consultant, DPA began identifying constitutional support priorities to be conducted over a three-year span. A Constitutional Focal Point was then recruited to lead DPA efforts and to improve constitutional assistance. Based on a thorough analysis and mapping, DPA has begun developing constitution-maker, a website that will serve as a repository of documents and lessons learned from UN constitutional support missions, and will provide field officers with papers and other guidance on best practices and approaches to providing constitutional support. DPA has also created a reference group on constitution-making, which serves as a forum for desk officers, the Standby Team, and other staff to hold informal discussions, to share information about ongoing constitutional processes, and to learn about different aspects of constitution-making support. The group held seven meetings in 2012 with the objective of promoting institutionalization of knowledge in the Department. DPA has also launched a new Constitutions Seminar Series of brown bag lunches. DPA is working with partners in UNDP, UN Women, UN- OHCHR and other entities to improve system-wide coordination in this area. DPA and UNDP conducted a joint mission to Somalia that provided recommendations on how the UN might provide future constitutional support in Somalia. DPA and UNDP will participate in 2013 in a joint assessment mission to Sierra Leone in order to provide UNIPSIL with a single set of recommendations on developing a constitutional support strategy. Through these and other efforts, DPA is strengthening its relationships with other UN agencies, regularly providing constitutional support, jointly developing tools and approaches, and exploring options and modalities for more coordinated, effective, and efficient inter-agency constitutional assistance. Developing DPA capacity through critical training The use of extrabudgetary funding complements DPA s regular budget resources for training and will help in implementing the training strategy. DPA continued efforts to increase the number of potential RCs with political experience by supporting the participation of a DPA candidate in the RC assessment programme. One candidate successfully passed the RC assessment in 2012 and will be presented for inclusion in the RC pool in Strengthening DPA s focus on learning, impact and results In 2012, the Department took significant steps to demonstrate a commitment to results-based management and a strategic approach for the management of extrabudgetary resources. Areas of significant progress are described below: First, DPA enhanced its extrabudgetary results framework by simplifying the results chain to more concisely explain how activities funded through voluntary contributions lead to outcomes. The Department has begun to embed the results framework in its operations and institutionalize its use across DPA through the extrabudgetary planning process. Second, the Department implemented its first Evaluation Plan, developed evaluation guidelines and conducted three evaluations/assessments, one after-action review and four lessons-learned exercises. These included, for example, an evaluation of DPA s rapid response funding mechanisms to assess if the current approach is effective for DPA to act quickly and flexibly in situations of potential violent conflict or where urgent electoral assistance is needed and an impact assessment of DPA engagement in Niger in 2010 and 2011 (see page 18 for more details). In collaboration with DPKO and DFS, DPA participated in an evaluation 11 of the start-up of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and undertook an After-Action Review of the Libya pre-assessment process. 11 This evaluation was finalized in MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 17

22 Assessment of DPA s engagement during the political crisis in Niger EAD conducted a lessons-learned exercise focusing on the coordination of international electoral efforts in Libya and engaged in a joint lessons-learned session with DPKO and UNDP on: Integrated Electoral Assistance in UN Mission Settings. The Department also conducted an exercise to capture lessons and experiences from the three UN regional offices in Central Asia, Central Africa and West Africa overseen by DPA (see summary on page 8). Third, to improve the way the Department learns from current and past engagements and evaluate its performance, DPA developed a comprehensive learning and evaluation framework in The overall objective of the framework is to improve DPA s efficiency and effectiveness by helping to improve the evaluation of the performance or impact of specific engagements and, thereby, make necessary improvements. The framework helps to outline how DPA can learn and record lessons from past engagements, create a body of institutional knowledge and revise policies and trainings when appropriate. Fourth, DPA developed a new interim financial management database to more efficiently manage contributions and track and report on data. The database is expected to improve transparency and accountability regarding the use of resources and help address some financial management challenges (e.g., tracking and reporting of financial data). As of 2013, it will start producing more user-friendly reports on financial data that can readily be made available to Programme Managers to facilitate the monitoring of projects. Progressively, the Multi-Year Appeal has been aligned with DPA s Regular Budget Strategic Framework. The Department s next challenge is now the elaboration of a strategic plan in This should provide the Department and SPMs with direction and a set of strategic objectives to be achieved over a given period of time. The development of a strategic plan will equip DPA with a single planning process and the framework for the development of subsequent Departmental and mission planning documents. Ultimately, this exercise will also lead to a better alignment of human and financial resources and will help with the preparation of the next round of the Appeal. In 2012, DPA started to implement the Framework for Assessing DPA s Preventive Diplomacy and Mediation Interventions, which was commissioned in 2011 and prepared by New York University s Center on International Cooperation (CIC) in close consultation with the Department. This Framework is designed to help evaluate the progress and performance of DPA s preventive diplomacy and good offices engagements, and better communicate the substance and achievements of the Department s work. The first application of this Framework conducted by DPA looked at the Department s engagement during the political crisis in Niger ( ), which was marked by a coup d état in February 2010 and a negotiated transition leading to elections and a return to constitutional order in March DPA s engagement in this crisis was led by UNOWA and SRSG Said Djinnit, working in close cooperation with ECOWAS and the AU. The main findings of this assessment highlight significant DPA contributions in three main areas: high-level political engagement by SRSG Djinnit helped accompany the transition, provide legitimacy to the authorities who were committed to transfer power to civilians, and maintain a united front with ECOWAS and the AU; electoral assistance was important to ensure appropriate funding and helped meet the technical and chronological benchmarks of the transition; and development assistance, through close cooperation between SRSG Djinnit and the RC, allowed for action on the deepening food crisis that affected Niger during the period. The assessment also found that the conditions in Niger were particularly enabling for a successful transition after the February 2010 military coup. All key decisions regarding the transition such as the definition of the electoral calendar were made by Nigeriens themselves, without direct intervention from the international community and reflected the commitment of several key Nigerien stakeholders to return the country to constitutional order. 18 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

23 4 Achievements in the area of women, peace and security Over the past year, DPA has continued to integrate gender, women, peace and security issues in all of the Department s work to ensure more inclusive and comprehensive peacemaking efforts and agreements. Since January 2011, DPA and UN Women have pursued a joint strategy on gender and mediation to more effectively advance women s participation and the provision of gender expertise in peace processes. To achieve this, DPA has worked to ensure consultations with civil society organizations (CSO), including women s groups in UN-led or co-led mediation efforts. In 2012, 75 per cent of relevant processes undertook consultations with CSOs and DPA made gender expertise available to all UN mediation teams. Promoting women s participation in the parties delegations has turned out to be one of the more difficult aspects to influence, but importantly, all UN mediation support teams in 2012 included women. DPA-specific training on gender, women, peace and security. The Department is also developing Gender and Mediation training modules for senior envoys, mediators and their teams to be piloted and rolled out during In addition, DPA is creating an internal database of women involved in mediation efforts, as well as organizations/institutions working on gender aspects of peacemaking. The demand from regional organizations has increased. As part of the work plan with the OAS, DPA organized a Gender and Mediation training for the OAS in November The Women at work, 2012 (UN Photo) Throughout the year, the Standby Team s Gender and Mediation Expert was deployed and provided gender- and mediation-related technical support to country-specific situations including: Colombia, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia and Syria. In parallel, the mediation roster of specialists included high-level female mediators to serve in mediation processes as well as technical experts on mediation. Currently, more than 37 per cent of the experts on the roster are women. Out of a total of 240 experts, 10 per cent are gender experts, including on conflict-related sexual violence. Guidance for mediators is progressively being made more gender relevant, e.g., the UN Guidance on Effective Mediation launched in 2012 fully incorporates gender considerations. DPA, in collaboration with partners, also published Guidance for mediators on how to address conflict-related sexual violence (SVC) in ceasefire and peace agreements. DPA is currently working with UN Action on enhancing SVC early warning monitoring and reporting by DPA-field missions. Within this context, DPA deployed a staff member to reinforce support provided by the UN Integrated Office to the Central African Republic (BINUCA) to national mediation activities in late These efforts included outreach to national actors, including women leaders and women s groups, on ways to address conflict-related sexual violence. Training on gender, women, peace and security issues is also being provided to DPA staff to incorporate a stronger gender dimension in the Department s conflict analysis, mediation and preventive diplomacy work. As of November 2012, 100 political officers from HQ and field missions participated in MULTI-YEAR APPEAL 2012 ANNUAL REPORT 19

24 training strengthened the OAS s understanding of the current UN gender architecture as well as of normative developments within the field of mediation, resulting in a five-point OAS gender strategy on mediation that incorporates basic gender considerations into their mediation and political analysis work. Participants noted that the training had completely shifted the way they look at gender and political dialogue and mediation issues and expressed their wish to have further support from the United Nations in these areas. DPA-led political missions are increasingly incorporating gender aspects in their work. Their periodic reports to the Security Council are more systematically analyzing women, peace and security issues and providing gender-relevant recommendations. During this past year, 11 DPA-led field missions hosted Open Day events providing a platform for women from civil society to share their priorities and concerns with senior UN leadership. In Yemen, the Secretary-General s Special Adviser worked closely with the parties and the technical committee tasked with the preparations for the National Dialogue Conference, pressing for at least 30 per cent of women delegates from all constituencies. Promoting women s participation is one of the key guiding principles for UN electoral assistance, and gender mainstreaming is increasingly becoming even more systematic. Women s political participation was fully integrated in the UN NAM Guidelines and requires NAM final reports to contain information including a gender checklist and analysis concerning participation in the political/electoral processes. It also establishes that NAM final reports should include specific recommendations for gender mainstreaming and promotion of the participation and representation of women, traditionally underrepresented groups, minorities and persons with disabilities. Additionally, DPA coordinated the collective efforts within the UN system (through the Inter-Agency Coordination Mechanism for UN Electoral Assistance (ICMEA)) to develop a Common Narrative on Women s Participation in Political and Electoral Processes. This should ultimately guide UN advocacy efforts on women s political participation. Apart from developing this narrative, EAD is also working with its partners in the UN system on developing a more comprehensive UN policy paper on promoting women s participation in elections and their representation in elected bodies. Women at work, 2012 (UN photo) Girls wave and flash victory signs at a passing helicopter during a June 2012 military parade in the western city of Zawiya, held to mark the anniversary of the 2011 uprising (UNSMIL photo) 20 DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS