University for Peace announces short courses related to Gender and Peacebuilding

The United Nations affiliated University for Peace in Costa Rica announced that it is offering new short courses related to Gender and Peacebuilding.

Darfur - Peacekeepers Without a Peace to Keep

The New York Times has a short piece entitled, 'Peacekeepers Without a Peace to Keep'.

The article continues the debate on how damaging the attack on AU peacekeepers in Haskanita will be in the short- and mid-term. While this take on the incident isn't new, the author does start to pose some more critical questions about whether military intervention in Darfur is already too late?- Or, is it too early?

A recent statement by the AU force commander captured the challenge facing peackeepers- 'AU outnumbered, outgunned in Darfur'. It is easy to make calls for peacekeepers to enforce the 'Responsibility to Protect', as Roméo Dallaire does: '...the troops must “go inside the camps, do night patrols and snap inspections, essentially go wherever they need to, without the Sudanese Army or police blocking them.” He said they also need to go after “every one of those splinter groups” and they’ll need the proper gear to do so.' How realistic are these calls?

A number of uncomfortable comparisons in the article are made between Darfur and Somalia. Yet perhaps a better comparison would be the early days of UNPROFOR in the former Yugoslavia? The lack of political will in FRY crippled even relatively well-equipped peackeepers. Can UNAMID hope for better?

Resource- Where does Human Security fit in?

Human Security Review has a great post called 'Human Security 101'.

Great introduction to the competing views of precisely what human security means. While human security is an excellent concept destined to change the way we think about security, at the field level it hasn't really been 'operationalized' by states in their foreign policies, or by IOs in their programs. There should be clear links to the questions of how civilian agencies working in hostile environments view their own security, though this is rarely the case- there is a worrying disconnect between 'their' security, and that of the beneficiaries and their environment. Some of these disconnects were touched upon by the Feinstein Institute's report, 'Mapping the Security Environment: Understanding the perceptions of local communities, peace support operations and assistance agencies'.


'Human security is a relatively new concept and there is much disagreement as to its precise meaning. Below is the definition used by Human Security Review.

Human security looks at security from the level of the individual, as opposed to the state or international system. That is, human security concerns the protection of individuals and societies.

This is not the only definition. Some definitions focus on violent threats to individuals (genocide, conflict, civil war, insurgency…). Human Security Review takes a broader perspective, arguing violence (also called personal security) is only one of many threats to the individual (environmental, health, food, etc…). This broad view of human security is presented in the graphic below.



The horizontal axis represents different types of security while the vertical axis represents levels of analysis. What all definitions of human security agree on, is the level of analysis. The level of analysis is fundamental to human security and separates it from more other perspectives of security. Traditionally security has been viewed from the state level. Many confuse national security and human security, and for good reason. There is much overlap between the concepts and often national security policies are indistinguishable from human security policies. Often, but not always.

Imagine two presidential security advisers in the United States before an imminent nuclear war. One advisor, Mr. Naton, looks at security from the state level (national security). The other advisor, Mr. Hume, looks at security from the individual level (human security). Their different level of analysis matter.

Looking from the national security perspective, Mr. Naton want to secure the entity of the United States. He recommends the core / most important members of the government be placed bunkers. His goal is to protect the government (represented by Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court) and thus the entity of the state survives. That is, he is concerned with threats to the state.

Alternatively looking from the human security perspective, Mr. Hume wants to secure the individuals (who happen to live in the United States). He recommends as many people as possible be placed in bunkers. His goal is to protect the individuals living in the United States. That is, he is concerned with threats to individuals.'

UN And African Union Agree to Strengthen Security Cooperation

The UN Security Council and the African Union (AU) issued a joint communiqué where they underlined the importance of developing the African Standby Force, and bolstering their overall collaboration in addressing conflict and building peace. The press statement was the result of a week-long mission by UN Security Council members to Africa. Following their visit to Addis, the members will visit Sudan, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Are more Afghan civilians killed more by US and NATO forces than by insurgents?

An earlier posting showed the press campaign that NATO was waging to show that it was taking collateral damage as a serious problem- and that they were making alledged improvements in reducing civilian casualties.

Not surprisingly, there is now a full-blown war of statistics being waged in the press- AP calculates that Coalition and NATO forces have killed more civilians than the Taliban insurgents in 2007 (203 vs. 178 deaths). Others say that the numbers are roughly equal.

Will be curious to see the next round of press statements, particularly following a scathing speech by President Karzai on Saturday.

UN decides to split Department of Peacekeeping Operations

The United Nations General Assembly decided by consensus to split the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), creating a new Department of Field Support to look after management and logistic under the supervision of an Under-Secretary-General. The Peacekeeping Department will now concentrate on operations and will also be headed by an Under-Secretary-General.

'...Ban sees it [the splitting of DPKO] as an important part of the reforms process and asserts that it would increase the overall efficiency at a time when the world body is being asked to take on more and more responsibility of peacekeeping.'

Resource- International Policing Guidelines

A new pubication of interest to readers: 'Peace Support Operations: Information and guidance for UK police personnel'. These guidelines are a resource on specific aspects of policing in PSOs, and include case studies and best practices for users.

'In addition to explaining why the UK makes a contribution to PSOs, the Guidelines outline, among other things, international policing principles, the legal context in which such missions operate, the kinds of tasks UK officers might perform, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. There is nothing similar available either nationally or internationally. The handbook will reinforce officers' pre-deployment training and act as an aide-memoire whilst on mission.'

The UK International Policing website which hosts the document is also an excellent resource.

The International Geneva Peacebuilding Guide- An Inventory of Geneva-based capacity and expertise

A new resource was launched this week by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy:

'This conference presents the preliminary findings of an analytical mapping that was undertaken as an integral part of ‘The UN Peacebuilding Commission and International Geneva’ project. Since late 2005, the GCSP and its partners have organised a series of events and public discussions looking at the implications for International Geneva of the work of the UN Peacebuilding Commission. The project has been developed by the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) in collaboration with its partners, the Quaker United Nations Office in Geneva (QUNO), the Graduate Institute for International Studies (HEI/PSIS) and the Geneva Centre for Democratic Control of Armed Forces (DCAF). Financial support has been provided by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) and the Geneva International Academic Network (GIAN).

Since 2006, the project and its partners have engaged a broad range of International Geneva stakeholders in discussions, workshops and public events, aimed at examining the importance of peacebuilding, and the formation of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). These events and discussions led to a number of findings and recommendations that looked at how International Geneva could influence peacebuilding issues including questions of financing, local ownership, civil society, expertise, analysis, networks and coordination. Please refer to Annex 3 for more details activities of the project to date.

To complement the ongoing discussions and events of 2006, it was decided to undertake an analytical mapping of the peacebuilding capacities and expertise of Geneva-based stakeholders. The results of this mapping have been made public in an online database, the ‘International Geneva Peacebuilding Guide’. This Guide allows users to conduct complex searches and filtering of the data collected from the mapping. The International Geneva Peacebuidlding Guide can be consulted at the following link: http://www.gcsp.ch/e/publications/IGPeaceProject/Guide/index.htm.

The preliminary findings of the project to date are included in this document, and offer a first glimpse of the data collected as of 09 September 2007. We are able to have a comprehensive look at the topography of the International Geneva peacebuilding landscape, the types of organisations present, the countries in which these organisations are engaged, the peacebuilding sectors in which they are active, and the types of activities they undertake. A total of 69 organisations have provided detailed information on on up to 3 peacebuilding sectors where they feel they have the greatest added value, and have also elaborated on how they engage in these priority sectors in the actual and potential PBC focus countries.'



The Guide can be accessed here.

Save the Date- Geneva Centre for Security Policy Event- 12 September 2007

The Geneva Centre for Security Policy will be hosting a launch event for their project, 'The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission and International Geneva on September 12th, 2007. Further details can be found below.

Haiti- UN Peacekeeping Force Evolving to a Policing Role

In the lead-up to the UN Secretary General's visit, Haiti is getting some long-merited attention. This AP article takes a balanced look at the challenges facing peacekeeping and peacebuilding in the Haitian state.

Haiti is in a transitional phase, where it is out of immediate crisis, but where, 'The senior U.N. envoy to Haiti says it is too soon for the U.N. to consider withdrawing its 8,800-strong, Brazil-led peacekeeping force, noting past failed attempts to help the country... "An early withdrawal right now would be a big mistake, 'Big' with a capital letter," Edmond Mulet said in a recent interview with The Associated Press. "This is a time to hold on, to make this work this time."'

The challenge is that UN military peacekeepers are obliged to undertake what is essentially a policing function. '... the U.N. mission eventually hopes to use more civilian police than soldiers but is hampered by a world shortage of trained, French-speaking officers... The peacekeepers provide more than 80 percent of Haiti's security needs, but the government is working to eventually take over that responsibility. The national police academy is pumping out hundreds of recruits, trying bolster the nation's small police force of 6,000.'

Chronic poverty and gangs, drug-traffickers still pose a threat to real peace and stability in Haiti, with official suggesting that a UN force will be need until President Preval's term ends in 2011.

Resource- International Policing Guidelines

A new pubication of interest to readers: 'Peace Support Operations: Information and guidance for UK police personnel'. These guidelines are a resource on specific aspects of policing in PSOs, and include case studies and best practices for users.

'In addition to explaining why the UK makes a contribution to PSOs, the Guidelines outline, among other things, international policing principles, the legal context in which such missions operate, the kinds of tasks UK officers might perform, and the standards of behaviour expected of them. There is nothing similar available either nationally or internationally. The handbook will reinforce officers' pre-deployment training and act as an aide-memoire whilst on mission.'

The UK Internatinal Policing website which hosts the document is also an excellent resource.

CMR- Guidelines for Relations Between US Armed Forces and Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organizations

Cross-posted from Civil-Military Relations:

'The United States Institute of Peace launched their Guidelines for Relations Between US Armed Forces and Non-Governmental Humanitarian Organizations on 24 July 2007.

Have pasted in the broad recommendations for armed forces and humanitarian agencies. Taken out of context, it might look a bit simplistic. There's much more in the guidelines, and the processes aspect is particularly well done. One can only guess at how difficult it was in finding 'lowest common denominators' for such a diverse audience. One can quickly find some issues of contention, such as: 'In situations in which there is no actor to servea as a bridge, a US military Civil Affairs cell could serve as a temporary point-of-contact between NGHOs and other elements of the US Armed Forces.' What about OCHA's CMCS?

To be seen how US stakeholders will implement this- and who will enforce it?

'On July 24, 2007, leaders of the U.S. military and NGO community celebrated a promising moment for civil-military relations in peace operations: the rollout of Guidelines that will serve as “rules of the road” for how the two entities operate in hostile environments.

Facilitated by the U.S. Institute of Peace, the Guidelines seek to mitigate frictions between military and NGO personnel over the preservation of humanitarian space in places like Afghanistan and Iraq. Principles in the Guidelines include ensuring that military personnel wear uniforms when conducting relief activities to avoid being mistaken for nongovernmental humanitarian organization representatives. Conversely, it recommends that humanitarian relief personnel avoid traveling in U.S. Armed Forces vehicles with the exception of liaison personnel to the extent practical.
The heads of both the U.S. military and InterAction (an umbrella organization for U.S. NGOs) have endorsed the Guidelines and will be disseminating them throughout their organizations. Two years in the making, the effort represents “a desire from both sides to move beyond polemics to proactive problem solving,” said Jeb Nadaner, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Stability Operations at the Pentagon. NGO leaders likewise expressed optimism at the potential for change. “We do not want to understate the importance of this document for us,” said Sam Worthington, InterAction President and CEO. “We believe that these guidelines will serve a purpose beyond U.S. NGOs to our global partners.”

The initiative was launched in March 2005 when Amb. Carlos Pascual, Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization at the U.S. State Department, asked the Institute to establish a Working Group on Civil-Military Relations in Non-permissive Environments. What began as a dialogue between military and NGO leaders has resulted in a pioneering effort upon which both sides hope to expand. Military and NGO leaders intend to promulgate the Guidelines throughout their communities via media and education channels: NGOs will publish the Guidelines in their newsletters and literature; the military will incorporate the Guidelines into joint military doctrine publications. The next challenge lies in implementing the Guidelines in the field and creating a monitoring mechanism by which the Guidelines can be continuously tested and revised.


For the U.S. Armed Forces, the following guidelines should be observed consistent with military force protection, mission accomplishment, and operational requirements:

1. When conducting relief activities, military personnel should wear uniforms or other distinctive clothing to avoid being mis taken for NGHO representatives. U.S. Armed Forces personnel and units should not display NGHO logos on any military cloth ing, vehicles, or equipment. This does not preclude the appro priate use of symbols recognized under the law of war, such as a red cross, when appropriate. U.S. Armed Forces may use such symbols on military clothing, vehicles, and equipment in appropriate situations.
2. Visits by U.S. Armed Forces personnel to NGHO sites should be by prior arrangement.
3. U.S. Armed Forces should respect NGHO views on the bearing of arms within NGHO sites.
4. U.S. Armed Forces should give NGHOs the option of meeting with U.S. Armed Forces personnel outside military installations for information exchanges.
5. U.S. Armed Forces should not describe NGHOs as “force mul tipliers” or “partners” of the military, or in any other fashion.
6. U.S. Armed Forces personnel and units should avoid interfer ing with NGHO relief efforts directed toward segments of the civilian population that the military may regard as unfriendly.
7. U.S. Armed Forces personnel and units should respect the de sire of NGHOs not to serve as implementing partners for the military in conducting relief activities. However, individual NGOs may seek to cooperate with the military, in which case such cooperation will be carried out with due regard to avoid ing compromise of the security, safety, and independence of the NGHO community at large, NGHO representatives, or public perceptions of their independence.


For NGHOs, the following guidelines should be observed:

1. NGHO personnel should not wear military-style clothing. This is not meant to preclude NGHO personnel from wearing protec tive gear, such as helmets and protective vests, provided that such items are distinguishable in color/appearance from U.S. Armed Forces issue items.
2. NGHO travel in U.S. Armed Forces vehicles should be limited to liaison personnel to the extent practical.
3. NGHOs should not have facilities co-located with facilities in habited by U.S. Armed Forces personnel.
4. NGHOs should use their own logos on clothing, vehicles, and buildings when security conditions permit.
5. NGHO personnel’s visits to military facilities/sites should be by prior arrangement.
6. Except for liaison arrangements detailed in the sections that follow, NGHOs should minimize their activities at military bases and with U.S. Armed Forces personnel of a nature that might compromise their independence.
7. NGHOs may, as a last resort, request military protection for convoys delivering humanitarian assistance, take advantage of essential logistics support available only from the military, or accept evacuation assistance for medical treatment or to evacuate from a hostile environment. Provision of such mili tary support to NGHOs rests solely within the discretion of the military forces and will not be undertaken if it interferes with higher priority military activities. Support generally will be provided on a reimbursable basis in accordance with appli cable U.S. law.'

Sudan- Aid convoys under attack in Darfur

Two articles chronicling a 'dramatic rise in attacks on aid convoys in Darfur', according to the World Food Programme. The impact was measured by the number of people now 'out of reach' for food aid, apparently now at 170,000.

Nothing earth shattering in the piece, beyond the scale of challenges facing civilian actors in a context where the range of arms carriers continues to multiply as groups fracture into smaller and smaller entities, with little link to any clear chain of command. Perhaps it's a poor measure of insecurity, but given the sheer scale of the operation, couldn't we consider the insecurity to be statistically lower than in a comparatively smaller operation? A good overview of WFP assets and exposure are including in the original WFP text:

'The WFP’s food distribution in Darfur is the largest ongoing humanitarian effort in the world, employing nearly 800 people and over 700 trucks to feed more than two million people every month. The U.N. agency says it plans to distribute up to 450,000 metric tons of food in Darfur at a cost of about half a billion dollars this year.

The UN’s Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in an email to The Associated Press that 76 vehicles from the U.N. or other aid groups have been stolen in Darfur so far this year, and that 77 humanitarian convoys were attacked. The WFP said 18 of its food convoys have been attacked this year, and 10 staff, including contractors, have been either detained or abducted. The attacks are carried out by several of Darfur’s various warring parties, and the WFP believes the motive is banditry, said Emilia Casella, the WFP spokeswoman in Sudan. “The people who are doing this are wearing different kinds of uniforms,” she said, calling on “all parties in Darfur” to cease attacks and respect humanitarian workers. Large amounts of food have also been looted during ambushes, Casella said. There were five attacks last week in southern Darfur, she said, and gunmen looted seven trucks, stealing approximately 10 metric tons of food.'

Resource- Where does Human Security fit in?

Human Security Review has a great post called 'Human Security 101'.

Great introduction to the competing views of precisely what human security means. While human security is an excellent concept destined to change the way we think about security, at the field level it hasn't really been 'operationalized' by states in their foreign policies, or by IOs in their programs. There should be clear links to the questions of how civilian agencies working in hostile environments view their own security, though this is rarely the case- there is a worrying disconnect between 'their' security, and that of the beneficiaries and their environment. Some of these disconnects were touched upon by the Feinstein Institute's report, 'Mapping the Security Environment: Understanding the perceptions of local communities, peace support operations and assistance agencies'.


'Human security is a relatively new concept and there is much disagreement as to its precise meaning. Below is the definition used by Human Security Review.

Human security looks at security from the level of the individual, as opposed to the state or international system. That is, human security concerns the protection of individuals and societies.

This is not the only definition. Some definitions focus on violent threats to individuals (genocide, conflict, civil war, insurgency…). Human Security Review takes a broader perspective, arguing violence (also called personal security) is only one of many threats to the individual (environmental, health, food, etc…). This broad view of human security is presented in the graphic below.



The horizontal axis represents different types of security while the vertical axis represents levels of analysis. What all definitions of human security agree on, is the level of analysis. The level of analysis is fundamental to human security and separates it from more other perspectives of security. Traditionally security has been viewed from the state level. Many confuse national security and human security, and for good reason. There is much overlap between the concepts and often national security policies are indistinguishable from human security policies. Often, but not always.

Imagine two presidential security advisers in the United States before an imminent nuclear war. One advisor, Mr. Naton, looks at security from the state level (national security). The other advisor, Mr. Hume, looks at security from the individual level (human security). Their different level of analysis matter.

Looking from the national security perspective, Mr. Naton want to secure the entity of the United States. He recommends the core / most important members of the government be placed bunkers. His goal is to protect the government (represented by Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court) and thus the entity of the state survives. That is, he is concerned with threats to the state.

Alternatively looking from the human security perspective, Mr. Hume wants to secure the individuals (who happen to live in the United States). He recommends as many people as possible be placed in bunkers. His goal is to protect the individuals living in the United States. That is, he is concerned with threats to individuals.'

Lebanon- Peacekeeping with Hizballah's Help | TIME

TIME has an excellent piece on the challenges facing the relatively successful UNIFIL mission in Lebanon. The peacekeepers are apparently being forced to 'shake hands with the devil'- in order to improve their force protection, and reduce further threats from yet another metaphoric devil. The suggestion is that UNIFIL is obliged to maintain contacts with Hizbollah, in order to protect themselves from further Al-Qaeda attacks:

'The contingents comprising the peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL have good cause for concern. Last month, six Spanish and Colombian UNIFIL soldiers were killed in a bomb ambush, the deadliest attack against the peacekeeping mission in its 29-year history. In a video message released this week, Al-Qaeda deputy leader Ayman al-Zawahiri hailed the attack as "a response against those invading Crusader forces who were occupying a beloved part of the land of Islam". And, UNIFIL officials fear, given the worsening security situation in Lebanon, there could be more attacks on the way. "The major difficulty we are going to face for sure is this kind of terrorist attack because even if we have no idea yet who could be the perpetrators... another attack can come," Major General Claudio Graziano, UNIFIL's commander, told TIME in an interview at his headquarters in the southern coastal village of Naqoura.'


Whatever contacts may exist between UNIFIL and Hizbollah, there was also another roadside bomb that struck a peacekeeping vehicle, the second such incident in a month.

UN Investigations of various abuses by peacekeeping troops

The United Nations is investigating allegations of widespread sexual abuse and exploitation by peacekeepers serving in Ivory Coast. A UN statement said the latest allegations had been uncovered by an internal inquiry, and a full investigation was now under way.

While the accused contingent has not been named publicly, apparently the entire unit has been confined to base while the investigation continues.

In 2007 alone, there have been investigations into sexual abuse claims in the Sudan, Liberia, Haiti and Ivory Coast, and reports that sexual abuse allegations have doubled over 2006.

This new investigation follows on the heels of an ongoing probe of Indian peacekeepers stationed in eastern DRC, who allegedly were trafficking in gold and guns. The accusations suggested that the Indians were trading food rations for gold with Rwandan rebels.

Update: AlertNet stated the nationality of the suspended peacekeeping troops in Ivory Coast is Moroccan.

Sierra Leone: UN, partners voice 'utmost concern' at electoral violence Scoop: Sierra Leone: UN & Partners Voice Utmost Concern

Some worrying news from Sierra Leone:

'The United Nations and its international partners have voiced renewed concern at widely reported cases of intimidation and violence ahead of elections in Sierra Leone next month, calling on all concerned to avoid incitement and provocation in the small West African country that is still recovering from a disastrous decade-long civil war.

"The UN and international community remain fully committed to supporting credible, fair and violence-free elections," the partners said in a weekend statement, which welcomed positive steps by the Government, including a successful voter registration exercise and preparations for polling, counting, tallying and the announcement of results.

"However, since the official start of campaigning, cases of intimidation and violence have been widely reported. We view this development with utmost concern. It constitutes a threat to the democratic process. It also goes against the interests of the people of Sierra Leone, who want peaceful, free and credible elections," they added.

The statement called upon leaders of all political parties to promote a peaceful campaign and prevent provocative conduct on the part of their supporters as the country prepares to vote in presidential and parliamentary elections on 11 August, the second since emerging from the civil war in 2002.'

Launch of the ICT for peace foundation, Geneva

We are happy to see the following announcement:

'The ICT4Peace Foundation announced the launch of ICT4Peace: An International Process for Crisis Management today.

ICT4Peace aims to enhance the performance of the international community in crisis management through the application of information Communications Technology (ICT) - technologies that can facilitate effective and sustained communication between peoples, communities and stakeholders involved in crisis management, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding. Crisis management is defined, for the purposes of this process, as civilian and/or military intervention in a crisis that may be a violent or non-violent with the intention of preventing a further escalation of the crisis and facilitating its resolution. This definition covers peace mediation, peace-keeping and peace-building activities of the international community. In bridging the fragmentation between various organisations and activities during different crisis phases, ICT4Peace aims to facilitate a holistic, cohesive and collaborative mechanisms directly in line with Paragraph 36 of the WSIS Tunis Commitment.'

A comprehensive concept note on the project can be found here. They also have their own blog.

The New Security Beat: PODCAST - Trade, Aid and Security

The New Security Beat has an interesting podcast on Trade, Aid and Security: An agenda for peace and development. From their post:



'Current approaches to trade and aid often fail to stem poverty, promote stability, or prevent conflict in the developing world. According to Trade, Aid and Security: An agenda for peace and development, existing policies are poorly designed and benefit rich countries, denying developing nations access to vital financial markets. Lifting people out of poverty requires a secure environment and effective trade and aid policies can promote the preconditions for peace and stability. Oli Brown, Project Manager and Policy Researcher at the International Institute for Sustainable Development and one of the editors of Trade, Aid and Security, discusses current development strategies and the conditions for wider political and economic stability.'

Nepal Food shortages, security threaten a fragile peace

AlertNet published a short article looking at the threat to the fragile peace in Nepal, following a decade-long Maoist rebellion. With elections schedule for November:

'... violence continues, especially in the south, and security remains a problem throughout the country with police demoralized, the U.N. envoy in Nepal, Ian Martin, told a news conference after briefing the U.N. Security Council.

Two U.N. food agencies also warned on Thursday that natural disasters in 2006 and 2007 had severely hurt crop production in Nepal, leaving 42 of the country's 75 districts facing food shortages.

"This is particularly troubling during this highly sensitive post-conflict period," Richard Ragan, World Food Program (WFP) representative in Nepal, said in a statement.
A U.N. report said the postponement of elections initially planned to take place by mid-June had tested the unity of Nepal's eight political parties and "failure to ensure a credible election within a realistic and well-planned period could have a much more serious impact."

Presenting the report to the Security Council, Martin said he emphasized "the very considerable challenges that still remain," especially in terms of security.'

Jobs- Programme Management Advisor (Peacebuilding and Recovery)

UNDP is recruiting for a Programme Management Advisor (Peacebuilding and Recovery) based in Kathmandu.

'Under the overall supervision of the UN Resident Coordinator/UNDP RR and the direct supervision of the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme), the Senior Programme Manager (SPM) will head the Peacebuilding and Recovery Unit within the Programme Division and lead the development and implementation of UNDP’s post-conflict recovery strategy in Nepal. S/he will act as an advisor to Senior Management on all peacebuilding and recovery aspects of the UNDP Country Office (CO) Programme. The SPM will work in close collaboration with other UN Agencies, United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), Bureau for Crisis Prevention & Recovery (BCPR)/UNDP HQ staff and Government officials, technical advisors and experts, multi-lateral and bi-lateral donors and civil society to successfully implement the peacebuilding and recovery components of the UNDP programme.'

Sierra Leone: UN Fund Approves Projects to Assist Peacebuilding Efforts (Page 1 of 1)

Short piece on the PBC having approved funding for four new projects in Sierra Leone:

'The United Nations fund set up to help address the immediate needs of countries emerging from conflict today approved four new projects to support the ongoing electoral process and improve the judiciary, water, sanitation and health facilities in Sierra Leone.

"The approval of these projects is timely and demand-driven," Christian Holger Strohmann, Spokesperson for the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL), said following the action taken today by the UN Peacebuilding Fund's Steering Committee for Sierra Leone.'

The article also puts a figure of $16 million USD as the total financing allocated to seven Sierra Leone-based projects of the PBC.

Job- Senior Programme Officer: African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme- ACCORD

The African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD) is recruiting for the position of Senior Programme Officer: African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme. The following is from their website:

'The African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme seeks to enhance coherence across the peace, security, humanitarian, development and human rights dimensions of African peacebuilding operations. The purpose of the Programme is to improve the planning and coordination dimension of African peacebuilding operations. The Programme will work towards this overall objective through four output areas: (a) Training personnel responsible for planning and coordination and establishing a database of those trained; (b) Refining the training material already developed in the field and developing new training material; (c) Undertaking applied research that can inform policy development and training; and (d) Facilitating policy development aimed at assisting the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Regional Mechanisms, Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and African Member States to develop and adopt policies and operating procedures that will facilitate the system-wide coordination of peacebuilding operations.

Key Responsibilities:
- Day-to-day implementation of the African Peacebuilding Coordination Programme;
- Planning and conducting activities and training interventions;
- Liaison with donors, training partners and UN and AU Mission personnel;
- Research, analysis and writing;
-Preparing budgets and assuming responsibility for financial management of the Programme;
- Report-writing;
- Representing the Programme at regional and international conferences and meetings;
- Assisting with the strategic planning of the Programme and preparing annual proposals;
- Travel within and beyond the continent to implement the Programme.'

Resource- Peace and Collaborative Development Networking

Peace and Collaborative Development Networking: Building Bridges, Networks and Expertise Across Sectors

This looks to be excellent resource: a professional networking site to encourage interaction between individuals & organizations worldwide involved in development, peace, conflict resolution and related fields.

Ning in general is a great free service for developing social networks, and it is being used extremely well in this instance. This network already boasts 543 members.

Jobs- Peace Fund Trust Advisor- Nepal

UNDP is looking for a Peace Fund Trust Advisor to be based in Nepal.

'In support of the implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Peace Fund will finance activities carried out by government or NGO entities in the five following areas: a. Management of Camps and Reintegration of Former Combatants; b. Rehabilitation of Internally Displaced People (IDPs); c. Election of Constituent Assembly; d. Strengthening of Law and Order and Police Administration; and e. Support to the Peace Process.'

Jobs- Peace and Development Outcomes Evaluation Consultant- Sierra Leone

UNDP is advertising for a consultant for a Sierre Leone-based project: Peace and Development Outcomes Evaluation Consultant.

This seems a particularly interesting position, particularly given that there is no globally recognized set of evaluation criteria for peacebuilding activities.

From the description:

Outcome to be evaluated
The outcomes to be evaluated are defined by the Country Programme Document of UNDP Sierra Leone, which is stated as follows:

1. Increased livelihood opportunities for war affected populations especially women and youth
2. Improved capacity for conflict resolution and addressing human rights issues at community level

Objectives and scope of the outcome evaluation
This evaluation is being undertaken to determine the collective outcome of four years of peace and development work in Sierra Leone, from 2004-2007. The evaluation report will present findings and conclusion, lessons learned and recommendations for the future.

The main objectives of the outcome evaluation:
Assess progress towards the outcome
Assess the factors affecting the outcome
Assess key UNDP contributions to outcomes
Assess the partnership strategy
Each of the key issues shall be evaluated using the main evaluation criteria as appropriate: effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, impact, and sustainability. Specifically, the following issues should be addressed:

Outcome analysis
What is the current situation and possible trend in the near future with regard to the outcome?
In the past, has sufficient progress been achieved vis-à-vis the outcome as measured by the outcome indicator?
What are the main factors (positive and negative) that affect the achievement of the outcome?
Are the outcome indicators chosen sufficient to measure the outcomes?
To what extent are synergies in programming such as partnerships among various UNDP programmes related to outcomes?

Output-outcome link
Whether UNDP’s outputs or other interventions can be credibly linked to the achievement of the outcome (including the key outputs, projects, and soft assistance)
What are the key contributions that UNDP has made/is making to the outcome?
What has been the role of UNDP soft-assistance activities in helping achieve the outcome?
With the current planned interventions in partnership with other actors and stakeholders, will UNDP be able to achieve the outcome within the set timeframe and inputs – or whether additional resources are required and new or changed interventions are needed?
Whether UNDP’s partnership strategy has been appropriate and effective.
Assess UNDP’s ability to develop national capacity in a sustainable manner (through exposure to best practices in other countries, holistic and participatory approach). Has UNDP been able to respond to changing circumstances and requirements in capacity development?
What is the prospect of the sustainability of UNDP interventions related to the outcome?

The Swiss-based organisation 'Initiatives of Change' held six days of 'honest conversations' with 33 leading Burundians

The Swiss-based organisation 'Initiatives of Change' held six days of 'honest conversations' with 33 leading Burundians

"Following last September´s ceasefire agreement between the Burundi government and rebel Palipehutu FNL (National Liberation Forces), 33 leading Burundians, including three former heads of state, held six days of 'honest conversations' as guests of Initatives of Change at its conference centre in Caux, Switzerland. In this bid to consolidate the fragile peace in their country the Burundians felt the need for an informal setting where they could build relationships of trust. Members of parliament, political leaders, representatives of Palipehutu FNL, religious leaders, and representatives of civil society tool part. 'Caux has helped us to open our hearts...to each other.´said one political leader. Another added, 'If we are motivated by our fears and hurts our country will never come out of the vicious circle of violence."

Japan to chair U.N. Peacebuilding Commission | The Japan Times Online

The U.N. Peacebuilding Commission has picked Japan as the chair to lead the 31-member panel during its second one-year session that started last week.

'"Japan is very, very honored to have been elected to the chair of the Peacebuilding Commission in its second year and, of course, it is not always easy to get a new mechanism off the ground and get it working in the U.N. system," Kenzo Oshima, head of the panel, said after taking up his new post.'

Jobs- Peace Building Advisor, Ethiopia

ZOA Refugee Care is recruiting for the position of Peace Building Advisor, based in Ethiopia.

'The Peace Building Advisor advises and supports the Head of Programmes of ZOA Ethiopia on all aspects of its Peace Building programme. He may also provide general advisory support to ZOA Ethiopia as requested by the Country Director.

In addition, the Advisor provides advise and support to the ZOA international Programme in Apeldoorn and specific country programmes for a maximum of 10-20% of his time and with funds reserved for this within the Peace Building budget or made available by ZOA international. For this secondment he will liaise with relevant HQ staff and Country Directors.'

Jobs- Senior Civil Society Development Coordinator, DRC

IRC is recruiting for a Senior Civil Society Development Coordinator, based in Bukavu, DRC.

'The Senior Civil Society Development Coordinator is responsible for overseeing IRC’s CSD program portfolio in the DRC. The Senior CSD Coordinator is responsible for defining and implementing IRC’s strategic vision in the CSD sector – significant evolutions are expected in this regard before the end of FY07. IRC plans on priming on a civil society development program in response to a general RFA for the D. R. Congo (DRC) related to governance and policy reform. He/She manages and supports a GBV Coordinator, Civil Society Program Managers (currently 1 but likely to expand if additional grants are awarded), and a Partnership Support Manager.

Training- Core Skills for Working in Conflict | Peaceworkers UK

Peaceworkers UK is offering a course entitled Core Skills for Working in Conflict. It will be held from 17-22 July in the UK.

Kofi Annan Launches Global Humanitarian Forum

A formal announcement has finally been made concerning the Global Humanitarian Forum, a new organization created by from UN Secretary General Kofi Annan with support from the Swiss Government. Based in Geneva, the Forum will help people in poor countries play a greater role in finding solutions to their developmental and humanitarian problems.

While the former SG is vague on precisely what the organization will do, he does provide one precise example of what they might do:

'For example, he says the United Nations and other members of the humanitarian community would not have been able to deal with natural disasters such as the Indian Ocean tsunami and the earthquake in Kashmir without the help of the military.

"If the military had not come in and provided heavy logistical support … many more people would have died as we would not have been able to get to them," said the former U.N. chief. "And, so the military have become important players in humanitarian relief. And, yet, when we get together to discuss humanitarian issues, they are not around, they are not at the table."

"I think we would want to bring them to the table to discuss with humanitarian actors how we could cooperate. And, from my own previous experience, I know it is not an easy relationship," he added.

Mr. Annan says he recognizes private aid groups are not comfortable working with the military. He says he hopes the Forum can improve this relationship.'

UN decides to split Department of Peacekeeping Operations

The United Nations General Assembly decided by consensus to split the Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO), creating a new Department of Field Support to look after management and logistic under the supervision of an Under-Secretary-General. The Peacekeeping Department will now concentrate on operations and will also be headed by an Under-Secretary-General.

'...Ban sees it [the splitting of DPKO] as an important part of the reforms process and asserts that it would increase the overall efficiency at a time when the world body is being asked to take on more and more responsibility of peacekeeping.'

Jobs- Associate Director of Reconciliation & Peacebuilding, World Vision

World Vision is recruiting for an Associate Director of Reconciliation & Peacebuilding. The purpose of the post is to establish and promote a partnership-wide strategy and operational capability for peacbuilding and reconciliation as an integrated global theme in all the lines of ministry in WVI, in close collaboration with the Director of Reconciliation and Peacebuilding. Particular responsibility is focused on developing capacity and capability for conflict sensitive programming in Humanitarian and Emergency Affairs (HEA), Food Programming Management Group (FPMG) and Christian Commitments (CC).

Jobs- Various positions with DPKO, Worldwide

DPKO is carrying out rolling recruitment for the following profiles:

Senior Disarmament Demobilization and Reintegration Officer, P-5
Senior Recovery, Return and Reintegration Officer, P-5
Recovery, Return and Reintegration Officer, P-3
Recovery, Return and Reintegration Officer, P-4

Jobs- International Peacebuilding Support Network- Project of Justice in Times of Transition

The International Peacebuilding Support Network's on Project of Justice in Times of Transition is seeking candidates that have experience restructuring or introducing new legal systems or have had involvement in projects designed to reintegrate former combatants. In particular IPSN is
interested in recruiting former national leaders with direct experience in managing such issues in post-conflict contexts.

Jobs- Resident Program Director, Governance Program- NDI, Iraq

The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is seeking a Resident Program Director, Governance Program to be based in Baghdad. The Resident Program Director for the Governance Program will report to NDI’s Resident Director and will oversee the program of assistance provided by NDI to the Council of Representatives and other government bodies.

Jobs- Deputy Head of Rule of Law, UNDP Sudan

The UNDP Governance & Rule of Law Unit is recruiting a Deputy Head of Unit to be based in Khartoum. The Head of the Governance & Rule of Law Unit is supported by two deputies in charge of the Rule of Law Programme and the Governance Programme, respectively. The present position relates to the Deputy Head of the Governance & Rule of Law Unit for the Rule of Law Programme.

The Governance and Rule of LAw unit plays a key role in Sudan in providing capacity building support to national stakeholders in the sectors of the Rule of Law and Governance. To this end, the Unit implements programmes at central level (Khartoum) and at state- and community-level across Northern Sudan and the Three Areas. With the current implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), and recently signed peace-agreements in Darfur (DPA) and the East (EPA), the UNDP Governance and Rule of Law Programmes are tailored to address both crisis and post-crisis situations through early recovery, recovery and development programming.

Jobs- Peacebuilding/Governance Program Manager, CRS Sudan

CRS seeks a Peacebuilding/Governance Program Manager for the Sudan. The candidate is being sought to weave Peacebuilding through all program areas. In 2006, CRS in partnership with the Local Governance Board, UNDP and PACT began a long term capacity building program aimed at strengthen the capacity of local government to be more responsive to the needs of civil society and establish this decentralized layer of governance in compliance with the CPA.

Darfur- UN links climate change to war

A report on Darfur by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) is getting a good deal of press currently:

'The conflict in Darfur has been driven by climate change and environmental degradation, which threaten to trigger a succession of new wars across Africa unless more is done to contain the damage, said a UN report published on Friday.

"Darfur ... holds grim lessons for other countries at risk," an 18-month study of Sudan by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) concluded.'

The links between natural resources and conflict have been well-studied over the last years, so the UNEP report is not ground-breaking. That said, it is good to see analysis on Darfur that goes beyond the travails of deploying a more robust peacekeping force. The report's statistics give some stark indications of the projected impacts of global warming:

'It [the report] found that the desert in northern Sudan has advanced southward by 80km over the past 40 years and that rainfall has dropped 16 percent to 30 percent. Climate models for the region suggest a rise of between 0.5oC and 1.5oC between 2030 and 2060. Meanwhile, yields in the local staple, sorghum, could drop 70 percent.'

Jobs- Conflict Analysis and Resolution

Nova Southeastern University is seeking a Faculty Member speclializing in Conflict Analysis and Resolution.

Resource- Peacebuilding: A Caritas Training Manual

This Peacebuilding Manual of Caritas is an excellent resource. It was published with the intent to train Caritas workers and partners to incorporate conflict prevention, peacemaking and reconciliation into their relief, development and social work worldwide.

From the preface:
'Peacebuilding: A Caritas Training Manual builds on the Caritas Handbook Working for
Reconciliation,and extends the material into peacebuilding training and programming. It is a resource that contains both conceptual and practical tools to help fill the peacebuilder’s toolbox. In the manual, peacebuilding in development work is introduced with core concepts, peacebuilding skills, and ideas to connect peacebuilding to programming. The manual aims to provideCaritas Internationalis workers, and other NGO (non- governmental organisation) workers, with flexible training suggestions and materials to support and enhance their efforts in peacebuilding and reconciliation. It is designed for both expert trainers and novices. More specifically, the manual goals are to:
1. Provide ideas and resources for effective peacebuilding trainers;
2. Provide interactive materials that cover the basic conceptual dimensions of
peacebuilding;
3. Provide training modules that identify and enhance skills needed for peacebuilding and reconciliation work;
4. Provide trainers with flexible options that allow them to tailor training to fit
participants’ needs and their local context.

This training manual is designed to assist trainers doing training at two levels. The first is training local Caritas and other NGO workers in peacebuilding concepts, and the second is training the trainers.'

Looking at early ideas for the Iraq Surge: Bush $1bn jobs plan to draw Iraqis into fold

The battle to win the war in Iraq will apparently be not only include a surge of 20-30,000 US troops, but will include an absolutely massive hearts-and-minds employment-creation campaign:

"The other sweetener will be a doubling of reconstruction efforts. Up to $1bn is to be spent on a programme in which Iraqis are employed to clean the streets and repair and paint schools.

The Pentagon-run scheme would try to draw young men away from insurgent groups and back into the mainstream economy. It would be administered by officials embedded in US combat brigades in a bid to persuade Iraqis that the Americans were there as a force for good and not just of occupation."

The 'embedding' issue will clearly be one for humanitarian organizations to fume about; more importantly, even the least-experienced development worker would ask about the sustainability of spending 1 billion US dollars on ad hoc employment generation projects.

Editorial - Where's the police? | IHT

This was originally posted on civilmilitaryrelations-


'Another excellent article written by a civilian expert, lamenting the lack of security as the Achille's heel of what appeared to be an otherwise successful project. This echoes the mantra of 'no security without development, no development without security':

'In the long-term plan, alternative livelihoods meant helping Afghan farmers export high-value crops like saffron and cumin. It meant restoring the orchards and vineyards that had once made Afghanistan a power in the raisin and almond markets. It meant providing credit to farmers who had relied on traffickers for affordable loans.

In the short run, however, with the first eradication tractors already plowing up poppy fields, we had no time for those approaches. Instead, we created public-works jobs. We handed out shovels to thousands of local Afghans and paid them $4 per day to repair canals and roads. By May 2005, we had paid out millions of dollars and had some 14,000 men on the payroll simultaneously.

Security was our Achilles' heel. There was a new American military base by the graveyard on the edge of town, but the few score Iowa National Guard members there lacked the manpower and the local knowledge to protect us. We could not afford the professional security companies in Kabul.''

Public, Private, Non-Profit?- Clear Path International Contracted by DynCorp as part of a US Department of State Contract

The non-profit Clear Path International (CPI) has just received a multi-year contract from DynCorp International to start a landmine survivor assistance program in Afghanistan on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. This is an excellent illustration of how complex working relationships have become in Afghansitan. The press release makes great pains to delineated the particular identities and characters of each group:

- Since 2000, Clear Path International has assisted nearly 4,000 survivors of accidental landmine and explosive remnants of war incidents in Vietnam, Cambodia and along the Thai-Burma border. It has also sent 65 containers of medical equipment and supplies to 25 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

- The Department of State's Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement is one of the world's largest sponsors of mine clearance, risk reduction education and survivors assistance. It has directly funded Clear Path's programs in Vietnam and Cambodia and some of the organization's public awareness and fundraising efforts in the United States.

- DynCorp International is a U.S-based company that provides support services to military and civilian government institutions in such areas as aviation, infrastructure development, security and logistics.

Are there issues in such a blurred public-private-NGO relationship?
As we post on articles such as 'Under fire, aid workers face life as a soft target', and DynCorp staffers being similarly targeted, it does pose questions as to how some agencies are balancing risks and their presence in a context such as Afghanistan.

DRC: Army, police involved in human rights abuses in the east - report

The February human rights assessment report by the UN mission in the DRC (MONUC) stated that, '...soldiers of the Democratic Republic of Congo's national army and the police have been involved in human rights violations in the eastern Ituri region, and are allegedly responsible for growing insecurity in North Kivu'. It wasn't clear what measures have been taken by MONUC, despite long knowledge of such violations being committed.

Confusion in the Margins: Narrow or Wide? Saving Lives or Building peace?

An insightful piece by Antonio Donini, Senior Researcher at the Feinstein International Center.

He looks at the question of how wide the definition of humanitarianism should be- a narrowly defined niche only for civilian do-gooders who prize neutrality and independence? Or, as he succinctly puts it:

"Thus, humanitarianism is in the eye of the beholder. It is self-defined. The term is ambiguous in that a diverse range of actors claim to operate under a banner that is used to justify a multitude of interventions. There is no formal standard to which organizations, who see themselves as humanitarian, can be held to account. This is one of the problems: there is not one humanitarianism; there are many. And, quite naturally, there is a range of views on whether humanitarian action should be narrowly defined or broad in scope."

Antonio presented this paper at the ICVA Conference: A Contribution to the Debate, in Geneva, Switzerland, 2 February 2007.

Refugees International- Security Sector Reform Must Focus on Protection of Civilians

Refugees International (RI) sent a statement to the UN Security Council on February 16, 2007, appealing for a coordinated UN approach to Security Sector Reform (SSR). The 'punchline' of their appeal was that SSR must place more focus on the protection of civilians.

RI makes some excellent points in their piece, notably on the rationale behind their appeal:
'Regenerating and strengthening of the security sector post-conflict have been issues of UN concern for some time. Modern integrated UN peacekeeping missions incorporate military, political, humanitarian and development actors. Like the more traditional peacekeeping missions, these multidimensional missions still fulfill short-term stabilization and protection duties. But today peacekeepers are also expected to lay the ground work for long-term development and a self-sustaining peace. The weak or corrupted security institutions that make peacekeeping necessary in the first place must be developed into strong, accountable institutions that protect civilians, ensure stability, and create the necessary conditions for lasting peace, security, and rule of law.'

Curious as to how these initiatives on SSR link into the UN Peacebuilding Commission.

David Phinney- Preparing for the Iraq Prison Surge

David Phinney blogs on the issuing of contracting civilian private sector actors to augment the Iraqi prison system- described as being an initiative paralleling the famed ongoing troop 'surge'.

Congolese radio show gives war victims a voice | csmonitor.com

CSMonitor ran an interesting story on a radio program initiative in the Ituri region of DRC. The program's objective is to provide the following service to its listeners, in the style of a phone-in show. The show is introduced with the following:

'Your questions can concern the way justice is organized, the way it functions, abuses and violations of human rights.'

A sampling of questions from participants:
Are military elements authorized to carry weapons while in civilian clothes?

Various armed groups of Ituri randomly planted mines, which cause great damage among the population. Can this also constitute one of the crimes to be charged against those responsible among armed groups who will be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court?

There is a custom according to which a woman can be abducted by the friends of the one who wants to marry her. In some cases, the young woman is 13 or 14 years old. Will the law condemn this practice?

UN PBC Endorses Strategic Framework for Burundi Aimed at Internal Challenges Threatening Long-term Peace, Development

UN General Assembly PBC/15:
UN PBC Endorses Strategic Framework for Burundi Aimed at Internal Challenges Threatening Long-term Peace, Development

Event- The Role of Civil Society in Security

RUSI will be hosting the following event of the Global Facilitation Network for Security Sector Reform (GFN-SSR) on the 28th of June in London:

'It is generally acknowledged that a vibrant civil society is important for sustainable and meaningful development. Security is often cited as a priority concern by the poorest and most marginalised, and the provision of a safe and secure environment for development is a vital function for governments worldwide. However, there is little substantive discussion or clear meaning behind how civil society actors can influence decisions on security and defence involving the military, police, intelligence services and judiciary. Some would argue that the role of civil society is little understood by the military and defence sectors, which have traditionally been resistant to public input. Others would state that civil society doesn’t have either the necessary expertise or interest needed to provide an informed input into what is a uniquely specialised policy area.

This half-day seminar aims to begin addressing this issue by broadening the parameters of the current debate to explore grassroots civil society perspectives and participatory approaches to the provision of security.'

DPKO- Discipline for peacekeeping troops vital

Yesterday, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping operations, Jean-Marie Guehenno, talked about the upcoming introduction of formal discipline standards for United Nations peacekeepers, standards which troop-contributing nations must accept.

A separate article focused on the staggering budget of DPKO on the International Day of UN Peacekeepers. The article includes a roundup of views on the effectiveness and efficiency of the UN system, and those states who are footing important parts of the overall cost.

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Female Police in Liberia Hope to Curb Rape Epidemic

ABC reported on the deployment of an female Indian Para-military force serving with the UN Peacekeeping force in Liberia. Theirs is the first deployment of an all-female unit by the United Nations.

A direct impact of this group of peacekeepers has been to give Liberian women the confidence to report assaults directly to them- not a small achievement, given that the UN in Liberia has convicted peacekeepers with 30 cases involving sex for food in 2006 alone.



'Part of the policewomen's mission here is to encourage Liberian women to join a national police force of their own. Their belief is that the sight of uniformed women in positions of authority can reduce the level of violence against all women.'

Poppy Fields Are Now a Front Line in Afghanistan War - NYT

NYT has an excellent article on the new front line in Afghanistan- the drug war.



The article doesn't shy away from the evident criticism- that having avoided fighting the opium trade in Afghanistan has seriously eroded the military, political and development progress made elsewhere. The issue of exactly 'who?' should take on the drug war has been a political- and military- hot potato since the 2001 war. At alternating intervals, ISAF, Coalition Forces and the Afghan government have denied their role in the drug war, and often even its importance.

One interlocutor made an interesting parallel with Iraq:
“This is the Afghan equivalent of failing to deal with looting in Baghdad,” said Andre D. Hollis, a former deputy assistant secretary of defense for counternarcotics. “If you are not dealing with those who are threatened by security and who undermine security, namely drug traffickers, all your other grandiose plans will come to naught.”<

PriceofPeace.org- Video Petition

Couldn't resist posting this flashy video from PriceofPeace.org. Beyond the quality of the video production, the message isn't too bad either- 'Peace. It's cheaper than war.'

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Good Offices and Peace Support, Development of a Constitution, Public Administration and Government Strengthening, Local Governance, Economic Strategy and Coordination of International Assistance, Financial Transparency and Accountability, Elections, Political Parties, Civil Society, Media, Humanitarian Protection, Humanitarian Assistance, Gender, Physical Infrastructure and Reconstruction, Employment Generation, Economic Foundations for Growth and Development, Security Sector Governance, Law Enforcement Institutions

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Aid Policies

Two contrasting articles:

China reviews aid policy as its global might grows
A poignant article looking at how China will attempt to streamline its foreign aid policies to focus its diplomatic strengths. This glimpse compliments a slew of reports over the last weeks, looking at the exponential rise of (visible) Chinese projects, often bilateral in nature, with very commercial (i.e. not development) terms of engagement. Is the infighting amongst Chinese Ministries such a particular challenge?

U.S. House puts conditions on Afghan aid
'U.S. lawmakers voted on Wednesday to bar U.S. government aid to areas of Afghanistan where officials are engaged in the drug trade or helping insurgents, brushing aside Bush administration protests against such conditions.'