DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS

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1 D UNITED NATIONS DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS 2011 ANNUAL REPORT Mediation Support Annual Report The purpose of this note is to provide a snapshot of mediation support activities and initiatives of the Department of Political Affairs Mediation Support Unit (MSU). It focuses on the work of MSU as a service provider and does not reflect the full spectrum of the mediation initiatives supported and led by the regional divisions in DPA. The sensitivity of some assignments means that not all activities can be reported. The work of MSU and its focal points is focused on (a) operational support to current and future peace processes, (b) strengthening institutional mediation capacity of the United Nations as well as regional and sub-regional organizations, and (c) knowledge management through a framework of technical expertise, policy and guidance, lessons learned and mediation best practices. DPA Policy and Mediation Division Mediation Support Unit

2 This issue includes: Central African Republic,Bougainville, Central Asia, Côte d Ivoire, Georgia,Guinea,Guyana-Venezuela, Iraq, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Somalia, Sudan (Darfur), Sudan (North-South), Yemen, Western Sahara. Partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS), Partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Partnership with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Support on Roster Issues, Mediation Support Network Meeting, United Nations Office in Central Africa. Mediation Start-up Kit Project, Mediator in Residence, After Action Review Kyrgyzstan, Debriefing of the Senior Reconciliation Advisor in Kyrgyzstan, Joint CICR-DPA-UNEP Project on Natural Resource Mediation, UN Peacemaker, Improving International Support to Peace Processes. Pilot DPA Gender, Women, Peace and Security Training, Training curriculum on ceasefire mediation, Training on National Dialogues. Addressing Gender Issues in Mediation Efforts, Enhancing the Number of Women in Peace Processes, Providing advice on gender issues to UNPOS, Contributing to the mediation training of West African women. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 2

3 INTRODUCTION Mediation Support Unit The Mediation Support Unit (MSU) in the United Nations Department of Political Affairs (DPA) was established in Its establishment was a response to the need for professional support to good offices of the Secretary-General, preventive diplomacy, mediation, facilitation and dialogue processes. Based in DPA, the MSU acts as a multiplier to the peacemaking efforts of the department and its field missions. As a system-wide asset, the MSU is available to all United Nations departments, agencies, funds and programmes; United Nations Special Representatives, Envoys, and Resident Coordinators; as well as to Member States; regional and sub-regional organizations, and non-governmental organizations. Mission Statement The MSU supports and empowers relevant actors to achieve a just and sustainable peace through the peaceful settlement of conflict. These actors also include parties to a conflict and local stakeholders, with a special emphasis on the participation of women in peace processes. Services The MSU provides three major services: (a) operational support to current and future peace processes; (b) strengthening of mediation capacity of the United Nations, its partners, and parties to a conflict; and (c) development and dissemination of mediation guidance, lessons learned and best practices. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 3

4 Capacities The capacities of the unit to provide the above services include: (a) Headquarters-based MSU staff that provide first-line analytical and operational support to peace processes; (b) a six-member standby team of mediation experts, jointly managed by the MSU and the Norwegian Refugee Council, that can be deployed within 72 hours of a request; and (c) the MSU roster of mediators and thematic experts. These internal capacities are complemented with an outreach effort to establish operational cooperation with mediation (and support) entities outside of the MSU. OPERATIONAL SUPPORT Central African Republic A MSU Team composed of a Standby team expert and a MSU staff member conducted a mission to Bangui from 5 to 15 October 2011 to reinforce the support provided by the UN Integrated Office in CAR (BINUCA) to national mediation efforts. These efforts focused on achieving a ceasefire between the two armed groups fighting in Haute-Kotto and Vakaga, the Convention des Patriotes pour la Justice et la Paix (CPJP) and the Union des Forces Democratiques pour le Rassemblement (UFDR). On 8 October 2011, the two parties signed a ceasefire agreement, which provided for full cessation of armed engagements, lifting of all checkpoints, respect for human rights, withdrawal of all forces from the town of Bria, cantonment of troops at established sites and the establishment of Ceasefire Joint Verification mechanism composed of Government officials, BINUCA, the AU and representatives of both parts. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 4

5 Bougainville From 8 to 27 August 2011, MSU deployed a standby team expert on constitutions and a staff member to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to prepare for, and conduct a workshop in Buka, Bougainville, on the occasion of the 10th Anniversary of the Bougainville Peace Agreement (BPA). The team consulted with the PNG Government, the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) and other local stakeholders to assess the interests, needs and sensitivities of all concerned. The workshop, which was attended by PNG and ABG officials as well as Bougainville civil society and members of diplomatic community, provided a forum for the participants to reflect on the achievement and challenges of the implementation of the BPA. Central Asia In continuation of its support to the United Nations Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) in 2010, MSU deployed its standby team expert on natural resources to Central Asia twice to address trans-boundary water issues in the region, as well as to involve the countries in developing an early warning system for trans-boundary water conflicts. In September, the expert prepared and facilitated a regional workshop on Early Warning of Potential Trans-boundary Water Problem Situations in Central Asia. Attended by representatives from all five Central Asian states and Afghanistan, the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea (IFAS) and several international agencies, the workshop brought a crucial contribution to the implementation of the proposed system. Côte d Ivoire On 11 April 2011, forces loyal to the internationally recognized winner of the presidential elections, AlassaneOuattara, stormed the residence of the incumbent, Laurent Gbagbo, and arrested him. This ended the violent conflict in the country that had followed the disputed elections of 28 November In support of the Technical Assessment Mission, led by the DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 5

6 Department for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), MSU drafted three analytical studies on key concepts, lessons learned and questions relating to truth and reconciliation commissions, national dialogue, and inclusive governance. Georgia MSU provided support to the Geneva-based talks on Georgia, Abkhazia, and South Ossetia, in response to a request from the United Nations Representative for Georgia, Mr. AnttiTurunen. With the Standby team expert on security arrangements, MSU prepared a presentation on different approaches to the monitoring and verification of security arrangements. Guyana-Venezuela border issue On 25 August, PRSG Norman Girvan held a round of talks with representatives of Guyana and Venezuela in New York. This was the first time the parties have been brought together since Mr. Girvan was appointed in April MSU provided assistance with regard to obtaining an off-site venue, the development of a proposal for a technical workshop forthe parties on border issues, and general process design advice. Guinea On 16 November 2010, Mr. Alpha Condé was officially declared the victor in Guinea's first free and fair presidential elections since independence in As part of his government s agenda, he declared Security Sector Reform (SSR) as a key priority. Following a request by the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), in its capacity as main coordinator of international support to the SSR process in Guinea, MSU facilitated the deployment of two SSR experts to Guinea from 15 March to 1 April The experts, members of the International Security Sector Advisory Team (ISSAT), helped prepare and conduct a National Seminar to launch the SSR process. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 6

7 Iraq At the request of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI), MSU deployed its standby team expert on natural resources to assist the United Nations Integrated Task Force with the development of a White Paper on the future of the marshlands to help inform discussions with the Government of Iraq. The expert also provided an analysis of different scenarios for managing the marshlands and the impact and feasibility of different responses. Kyrgyzstan In response to a request made by the Office of the President of Kyrgyzstan, MSU deployed a standby team expert and a staff member to Bishkek in July 2011 to assist the government in building the national mediation capacity. The team had a series of meetings with representatives of the Presidential Office, the UN country team, international/regional organizations and key NGOs. In addition, the team organized and facilitated three workshops in Bishkek. The mission helped establish a national framework for collaboration among key international donors and local NGOs involved in the design and implementation of mediation projects. The team also provided advice on establishing a national mediation team and helped the Presidential Office obtain lists of local mediators and peacemakers. The team also developed a set of recommendations to further support the UNRCCA and the Resident Coordinator (RC) in Kyrgyzstan. Lebanon The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been undertaking a project to visibly mark the Line of Withdrawal (Blue Line) with the Lebanese and Israeli armed forces. This is being done in order to improve security on the ground and to prevent inadvertent violations. However, progress had become mired in a number of contentious points, particularly following the exchange of fire between the Lebanese and Israeli armies in August At the request of UNIFIL, MSU deployed a staff member to Lebanon. She assisted with the DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 7

8 intensive bilateral negotiations aimed at finding common ground and identifying alternative strategies to inject new momentum into the process. MSU assisted in opening discussions with the parties on potential maritime security mechanisms to prevent incidents in the area of the line of buoys. Libya The armed conflict between the opposition forces organized under the National Transitional Council (NTC) and the Government of Libya (GoL) was one of the marking events in MSU provided extensive support to the work of both the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General(SESG), to engage in indirect negotiations between the parties, and of the Special Adviser coordinating UN post-conflict planning in Libya. At the onset of the crisis, MSU established a Mediation Planning Team for Libya, using both its staff capacities and its Standby Team of Mediation Experts, notably the experts on power-sharing, mediation process design and gender issues, to provide material support to the Under-Secretary-General (USG) Lynn Pascoe, conduct in-person briefing in New York for the SESG on ceasefire mediation, draft indepth research for the SESG to prepare for his missions to Tripoli and Bengazi in May 2011, and provide specific support to the post-conflict planning process. The standby team expert on mediation process design was deployed twice to Benghazi to support the mediation efforts. The gender focal point provided specific Women, Peace and Security advice to the seven pre-planning working groups to bring the planning process in line with the Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) commitments. Madagascar Following the presentation of a draft roadmap for a transition back to constitutional order by the Southern African Development Community (SADC)-mandated Mediation Team in February 2011, Malagasy parties met for a summit in Gaborone in early June 2011 to discuss the contents of the proposal with Namibian President HifikepunyePohamba, Chairperson of SADC, Zambian President Rupiah Bwezani Banda, Chairperson of the SADC DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 8

9 Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, and JoaquimChissano, Chief Mediator. MSU supported this process through the deployment of a mediation support officer. MSU also contributed to a mediation strategy review workshop, which was organised in Maputo from 10 to 11 May 2011 on behalf of the SADC-mandated Mediation Team by DPA s Africa I Division as part of the United Nations support activities for mediation processes led by regional organisations. Malawi Following violent protests that led to the killing of some 20 demonstrators in July 2011, the Government of Malawi and several Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) agreed to a dialogue process facilitated by the UN. The parties consented to resolve tensions and collectively chart a way forward through a number of political, governance-related, and socio-economic challenges confronting the country. At the request of the UN Facilitator, a standby team process design expert was deployed to assist her in designing a sound facilitation strategy, unpacking the demands and concerns from the CSOs, and managing direct talks between the delegations representing the CSOs and the Government. Somalia MSU contributed to the design and planning of the Mogadishu meeting (4-6 September), which offered the Somali leadership an opportunity to reassert their commitment to completing key transitional tasks through the adoption of an End of Transition Roadmap. MSU played a significant role in outlining a stake-holder consultative process, a mechanism to collect the input of the Somali civil society, to follow the meeting in order to ensure broad grassroots endorsement of the roadmap, through deployments of MSU standby team members. MSU also deployed a standby team expert to support the efforts of the transitional authorities to draft a new constitution. From 29 May to 3 June, a joint DPA-UN Women mission visited the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS). The mission developed a plan of action DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 9

10 to better include women in the mediation and reconciliation processes in Somalia, as well as to integrate gender perspectives into the work of UNPOS. A standby team member was also involved in establishing a permanent structure of elders and clan leaders (Guurti) in southern and central Somalia, which is set to include 25 percent of women members. Sudan (Darfur) The peace negotiations taking place in Doha, Qatar, since the first half of 2010 culminated in the signature of the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD) by the Government of Sudan and the Liberation and Justice Movement (LJM) on 14 July Involved in the process since its inception, MSU has organized training seminars for LJM negotiators and deployed experts to support both the mediation and the parties during the talks through the deployment of its Standby Team experts on power-sharing, security arrangements and gender. MSU also facilitated a joint AU-UN workshop on next steps in the Darfur peace process following the Doha negotiations. The outcome of this event was an updated strategy for the way forward, including a common vision among participants on the links between the Doha outcome document and the local dialogue known as the Darfur Political Process. Sudan (North-South) Following a request from the Civil Affairs Division of the United Nations Missions in Sudan (UNMIS), MSU organized an assessment mission to Sudan from 1 to 9 March MSU also provided a list of potential experts to the AU High Level Implementation Panel (AU-HIP) to support its ongoing mediation between North and South Sudan on post-independence arrangements. Yemen Since the stand-off between demonstrators criticising the 33-year rule of President Saleh and security forces loyal to the regime in early February, the DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 10

11 UN has been actively engaged to overcome the political impasse. Following the first mission by the UN Special Adviser to Yemen, Jamal Benomar, on 5 April 2011, the Chief of MSU supported him in subsequent deployments, from 6 to 11 May and from 13 to 17 June The team met with government representatives at the highest levels, leaders of opposition parties, military and security commanders, youth groups, tribal leaders and the diplomatic corps of Sana a. As the situation evolved over the following months, MSU supported several missions by the Special Adviser providing him technical expertise and advice on mediation strategies. MSU deployed a staff member and its standby team expert on constitutions for the mission of July, and two standby team experts (constitutions and power-sharing) on a subsequent mission from 19 September to 3 October. The purpose of these missions was to encourage an inclusive inter-yemeni dialogue to provide for a political transition, based on the efforts of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and aimed at meeting the legitimate aspirations of the Yemeni people. Further to discussions with all parties, direct negotiations were held November between the Ruling Party and the Parliamentary Opposition, with UN facilitation including the participation of the standby team expert on power-sharing. On 23 November, the President of Yemen signed the GCC initiative and the parties concurrently signed an implementation mechanism, based on the agreement, as called for in UN resolution Western Sahara The Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General for Western Sahara, in coordination with DPA and DPKO, organized the eighth round of informal talks from 19 to 21 July 2011 in Manhasset, New York. The parties continued the discussions on Security Council Resolution 1979 (2011) concerning the situation concerning Western Sahara, the issues of the electoral corps and mechanisms for self-determination, and the agreed topics for future discussions, namely natural resources and demining. A MSU staff member participated at the talks as a member of the Mediation Team. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 11

12 STRENGTHENING MEDIATION CAPACITY Partnership with the Organization of American States (OAS) In June 2011, DPA s Policy and Mediation Division (PMD) and the OAS Department of Democratic Sustainability and Special Missions (DDSSM) concluded a framework of the Joint Annual OAS-DPA Mediation Partnership Work Plan. Working under this framework, the OAS organised, in collaboration with MSU, two rounds of national dialogue training. The training course, Design and Implementation of Dialogue Processes, focused on utilizing dialogue as a conflict prevention tool, and on constructively engaging with emerging domestic social tensions. In a separate capacitybuilding exercise, the OAS sent representative to participate in an internal MSU workshop aimed at preparing staff to engage in the Middle East North Africa Region on the issue of national dialogue. The MSU has also assisted the OAS to develop an expert roster system, and the OAS decided to utilize the UN's WIDE system as a platform for managing its mediation expert and other specialized rosters. Partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Cooperation with ASEAN was deepened according to the areas of collaboration identified in consultations between the two organizations. MSU contributed to the organization of a joint workshop on lessons learned and best practices in peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace-building in Jakarta in December. The PMD Director also participated in a conference on "Regional Organizations as vectors of peace: building ASEAN's capacities in preventive diplomacy and international peace mediation", co-hosted by Indonesia as the ASEAN Chair, the EU Delegation to Indonesia and the Crisis Management Initiative (CMI). The objective of the conference was for invited regional and international organizations to exchange best practices in peacemaking. On 26 September 2011, the ASEAN Secretariat, led by the Deputy Secretary-General (DSG) for ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC), conducted a study visit DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 12

13 to MSU to explore possible cooperation in the area of mediation. The DSG expressed the need for UN assistance in capacity-building and the need for ASEAN and the UN to mobilize resources together. Partnership with the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) During a familiarization visit conducted on 22 September 2011 by a delegation of the OIC Secretariat to MSU, future cooperation in the area of mediation was discussed. The OIC representatives requested MSU assistance in strengthening the mediation capacity of the OIC Secretariat, particularly in establishing a preventive action and mediation support unit. In this context, in November the OIC deployed a staff member from the Cabinet of the Secretary-General to its mission in New York to work with MSU to develop a one-year joint work program on mediation. During his stay with MSU, the staff member also gave a well-received seminar on the OIC. Subsequently, two MSU staff members visited the OIC Headquarters in Jeddah to (1) meet with OIC officials to discuss possible areas of cooperation; and (2) conduct a joint workshop on institutionalizing mediation capacity on 12 December 2011 held at the OIC Headquarters. This workshop highlighted the OIC s comparative advantages in peacemaking, and its need in strengthening its mediation capacity. The OIC also agreed to host the next meeting of regional organizations on mediation in Support on Roster Issues In 2011, MSU provided further support to the creation of the AU civilian capacity roster. From 14 to 15 April, the Mediation Roster Manager attended the "Mediation and Post-Conflict Reconstruction Staffing, Rostering and Training Workshop", organized by the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) to support the endeavor of the AU to develop its own civilian capacity. The workshop was followed by the "African Union Civilian Standby Roster Implementation Workshop", organized by the AU in Kampala from 30 to 31 June This meeting was also attended by the Mediation Roster Manager to provide input on lessons learnt from her DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 13

14 experience of managing a civilian capacity roster. In addition, on 15 May 2011, MSU participated in the International Civilian Training and Rostering Community Meeting organized by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and ACCORD in New York. Mediation Support Network Meeting From 6 to 8 June 2011, an MSU staff member attended the fifth meeting of the Mediation Support Network, which brought together 14 organizations involved in mediation, hosted by CMI in Finland. Through case studies, the meeting examined the different roles, approaches and analytical tools of development and mediation actors and potential areas of collaboration, including support for peace dividends and ensuring a broad range of local stake-holders in peaceprocesses. United Nations Office in Central Africa In October 2011, an MSU staff member visited the United Nations Office in Central Africa (UNOCA), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and participated in the seminar organized by UNOCA on The Work of the United Nations in Central Africa: strengthening sub-regional efforts for Peace and Security in Libreville, Gabon. The objective of the visit was to conduct a preliminary assessment of the capacity needs for mediation of UNOCA and ECCAS and to discuss with UNOCA the development of a mediation strategy for the office and for the sub-region. The SRSG for UNOCA, SRSGs and Resident Coordinators participating in the seminar and the Secretary-General of ECCAS concurred on the need to develop an effective mediation strategy in the Central African sub-region and to build the capacity for conflict prevention and mediation of their respective institutions. The SRSG for UNOCA endorsed MSU s mediation strategy for the sub-region, which includes a mapping of the existing mediation and conflict prevention capacities and actors. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 14

15 LESSONS LEARNED AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT Mediation Start-up Kit Project Prepared by MSU, the DPA Mediation Start-up Guidelines were adopted in mid Articulating DPA s strategic and operational approach to the startup of mediation initiatives led, co-led or supported by the United Nations; the purpose of this kit is to engage in mediation initiatives more consistently and effectively. Along with a resource package and a training module, these guidelines constitute DPA s Mediation Start-up Kit. Meanwhile, a partnership was established with Folke Bernadotte Academy in Sandö, Sweden, for the conversion of the guidelines into a training program for junior and mid-level DPA staff members on the start-up of mediation initiatives. A pilot session of the new training course involved 25 DPA staff members from the field and Headquarters during the annual mediation course organized by the Academy in November In 2012, the project will focus on disseminating the Guidelines through further training and outreach activities. Mediator in Residence In February 2011 Mr. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, former SRSG for UNPOS and UNOWA, completed his participation in the Mediator-in-Residence programme. During his time at Headquarters, he worked on a report on his mediation experiences in Somalia and contributed to various DPA initiatives, including the Mediation Start-up Kit validation workshop, a seminar on the situation in the Sahel and Sahara, and providing feedback on various guidance notes. After Action Review Kyrgyzstan In March, MSU together with colleagues in DPA s Policy and Mediation Division conducted an after-action review (AAR) on the response of DPA and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to the crisis in Kyrgyzstan in The objective of the AAR was to capture good practices DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 15

16 and identify lessons from the cooperation between DPA and UNDP, covering the period from the outbreak of the ethnic violence in Kyrgyzstan in June 2010 to the parliamentary elections in October The aim of the review was to identify specific actionable recommendations useful for future strategic cooperation between DPA and UNDP. Debriefing of the Senior Reconciliation Advisor in Kyrgyzstan In April 2011, MSU organized a debriefing in New York with the Kyrgyzstan Senior Reconciliation Advisor (SRA) upon the end of his mission in the country. At the request of the UNRCCA, the SRA was deployed to Kyrgyzstan from July 2010 to April 2011 in support of reconciliation efforts in the country. While in New York, the SRA shared lessons learned with DPA staff and other UN entities. He also gave a brownbag seminar on 21 April 2011 on Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan: Current Political Developments and Future Challenges together with Dr. RafisAbazov, Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia University specialising in Central Asia affairs. Joint CICR-DPA-UNEP Project on Natural Resource Mediation In partnership with UNEP and the Centre for International Conflict Resolution (CICR) of Columbia University, PMD implemented in 2011 a joint research project on the mediation of natural resource conflicts in order to generate mediation guidance specific to conflicts where natural resources are a major conflict driver or a significant obstacle to peace. In November 2011, the project reached a milestone with the convening of a workshop in Manhasset, New York. The meeting brought together some 40 participants from diverse backgrounds and natural resource sectors to discuss guidelines on natural resource mediation derived from nine case studies. UN Peacemaker In 2011, the end-user assessment and analysis of the MSU web mediation support tool UN Peacemaker was completed. A large majority of respondents (76%) found the website useful for their work. The review also underscored DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 16

17 the importance of the peace agreement database and identified a high-level of interest in access to more information on the operational activities and services provided by MSU as well as the broader role of the UN in peace mediation. The findings of the survey will inform the re-design and re-launch of the site scheduled for the autumn Improving International Support to Peace Processes MSU participated in a meeting hosted by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the OECD-DAC International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF) on improving international support to peace processes. The meeting included some 60 practitioners, policy makers and researchers involved in peace processes from the different perspectives of development, security and mediation and drew on insights from six case studies: Burundi, Kosovo, Nepal, Lebanon, Libya and Somalia. TRAINING COURSES AND OTHER WORKSHOPS Pilot DPA Gender, Women, Peace and Security Training In order to build capacity of DPA staff in addressing gender in mediation and peace processes, two women, peace and security trainings took place during the last quarter of 2011 for over 40 DPA staff. Mediation-specific content of the training addressed women s roles and contribution to conflict mediation; peace process design and entry points for women; how mediators address conflict-related sexual violence in cease-fires and peace agreements; and the importance of women s participation in peace processes and gender-specific provisions in peace agreements. An additional three trainings are envisioned for 2012 for both headquarters and field staff. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 17

18 Training curriculum on ceasefire mediation In July 2011, the MSU organized together with NODEFIC (the Norwegian Defense Staff College) an experts meeting on developing a training curriculum on managing and mediating ceasefire agreements in Oslo, Norway. The meeting brought together political, military and humanitarian experts to discuss the technical aspects of mediating ceasefire agreements. It was decided that a 10-day course be designed to train 25 to 30 mid- or senior advisers, with a condensed version for Special Envoys, conflicting parties and other peace process actors. The pilot training course will be organized by NODEFIC in April Training on National Dialogues From 16 to 17 June, MSU, in cooperation with the Folke Bernadotte Academy, held a seminar on designing and implementing national dialogues. The seminar, which included the standby team of experts, aimed to prepare DPA and its standby team to better support UN senior officials involved in planning or assisting national dialogue initiatives. The session included valuable reflections from both DPA and external practitioners on dialogue efforts in Afghanistan, Iraq and Somalia. Representatives from the OAS and the NRC also shared insights from their respective experiences. The seminar provided an important venue for an exchange of views on different approaches to national dialogue and consideration of the specific challenges faced by the United Nations when engaging with such efforts. GENDER AND MEDIATION Addressing Gender Issues in Mediation Efforts The Nobel Committee awarded the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize to three women, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and Peace activist LeymahGbowee of Liberia and Tawwakul Karman of Yemen in recognition of their contributions to peace and non-violence. In announcing the prize, the Committee referenced DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 18

19 UN Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) that for the first time made violence against women in armed conflict an international security issue. It underlined the need for women to become participants on an equal footing with men in peace processes and in peace work in general. As a leading civil society contributor to resolution 1325 a decade ago, the member of DPA's standby team expert on Gender and Social Inclusion attended the ceremony and participated in a panel discussion with Tawwakul Karman as well as other civil society events related to the award ceremony. Enhancing the Number of Women in Peace Processes The participation of women in UN-led peace negotiations was low in 2010 only one negotiating party had a woman representative. To address the gender balance gaps, DPA rolled-out its Joint Gender and Mediation Strategy. Also, MSU initiated recording the participation of women in peace processes in 2011, as this had not previously been done. Moreover, MSU conducted a research on benchmarks for the three indicators in Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) on participation of women in peace processes, which reveals that only two out of a total of nine peace agreements signed in 2010, involving six African countries, have provisions for women, peace and security (and only one of four UN mediated ceasefire/peace agreements for Darfur has gender-relevant provisions). Providing advice on gender issues to UNPOS In June, a joint DPA-UN Women mission visited UNPOS. The mission developed a plan of action to better include women in the mediation and reconciliation processes in Somalia, as well as to integrate gender perspectives into the work of the mission. In August, the standby team experts on power-sharing and gender and inclusion were deployed to Nairobi, Kenya, at the request of UNPOS to provide the mission s political unit providing options/solutions for tackling issues related to representation and inclusiveness ahead of the Mogadishu meeting held in September. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 19

20 Contributing to the mediation training of West African women The standby team expert on Gender and Inclusion was deployed in July to Abuja, Nigeria to provide input into a joint DPA/UNOWA/UN Women mediation training initiative for senior West African women. The standby team expert integrated gender perspectives into the training modules and provide sessions for in-depth discussion about the experiences of the women and their contributions to mediation, conflict prevention at local, national and sub-regional levels. DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL AFFAIRS Page 20