un politically speaking

Bulletin of the United Nations Department of Political AffairsFall 2012www.un.org/depts/dpa

The United Nations assisted Libya as it held, on 7 July, its first free election

in 47 years: a historic and emotional achievement to be celebrated, even as many challenges remain on the country’s horizon.

The nationwide balloting to elect a Libyan National Congress was a key step in the country’s transition from dictatorship to democracy after a popular revolution swept away last year the bru-tal dictatorship of Moammar Gadhafi. It was all the more impressive given the absence of any electoral machinery or experi-ence, and the short period since the end of the fighting.

“No one should underestimate what has been achieved,” said Ian Martin, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya and Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya, which is assisting the country throughout its post-war transition.

“Libyans have had the opportunity to choose their own representatives freely in a credible election, fulfilling one of their revolution’s main goals,” Martin said. “This has been made possible thanks to the resolve of the interim authorities, the relentless efforts of electoral officials, and, above all, the determination of the people.”

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Supporting libya’s landmark Elections . . . . 1

Message from the Under-Secretary-General . . . . . . 2

libya: Interview with Special Representative Ian Martin . 6

Syria: Peacemaking in Transition . . . . . . . . . . 10

Crisis in Mali: Interview with the UN’s Envoy for West africa . . . . . . . . .12

Battling the lord’s Resistance army . . . . . . . . . . . .16

UN Report Includes New Guidance for Mediators . .18

Camp ashraf: Promoting a Peaceful Resolution . . 22

Somalia Beyond the Roadmap . . . . . . . . . 24

Encouraging Myanmar’s Democratic Reforms . . . 26

The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre . . . . . . . . . . . 29

OECD listing Opens New Window for DPa Donors . . . . . . 30

activities and Events . . . 32

JEffrEy fElTmaN, UNDEr-SEcrETary-GENEral for PolITIcal affaIrSPage 2

continued on page 4

lIBya

libya’s landmark Elections and Beyond

Celebrations in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi after the July 2012 elections.

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Biography of Jeffrey feltman Under-Secretary-General for Political affairs

Mr . Feltman, who recently served as US assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs with the rank of Career Minister, brings to the position over 26 years of political and diplomatic experience within the United States Foreign Service, mostly handling Eastern European and Middle Eastern affairs .

Mr . Feltman served as United States ambassador to the Republic of lebanon until 2008, previously heading the Coalition Provisional authority’s office in the Irbil province of Iraq, acting simultaneously as Deputy Regional Coordinator . He served until 2003 as acting Principal Officer at the United States Consulate-General in Jerusalem and until 2001 as the ambassador’s Special assistant on Peace Process issues in the United States Embassy of Tel aviv . Prior to this, he was Chief of the Political and Economic Section at the United States Embassy in Tunisia after having covered economic issues in the Gaza strip until 1998 at the United States Embassy in Tel aviv .

Mr . Feltman served until 1993 in the Office of Deputy Secretary Eagleburger as Special assistant coordinating United States assistance to countries of Eastern and Central Europe, and acted as economic officer at the United States Embassy in Hungary till 1991, after completing his posting as a consular officer in Port-au-Prince, Haiti .

Mr . Feltman who speaks arabic, French and Hungarian received his Bachelor’s degree in history and fine arts from Ball State University and his Master’s degree in law and Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of law and Diplomacy at Tufts University .

Born in 1959, Mr . Feltman is married .

Bulletin of the United Nations Department of Political affairs2 3Politically Speaking / Fall 2012

farewell to USG lynn Pascoe:

B . lynn Pascoe’s distin-guished stewardship of DPa during more than five years as the Under-Secretary-General for Political affairs was celebrated at a 27 June farewell ceremony attended by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, DPa staff and colleagues from around the UN system who came to express their appreciation and best wishes . The Secretary-General, in his remarks, praised B . lynn Pascoe’s leadership, wise council and principled commitment to the United Nations .

The former Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, B. Lynn Pascoe, speaking at his farewell party in June 2012. Pascoe led the Department from 2007 to mid-2012.

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As a student of interna-tional affairs many years ago, I was inspired by the ideals expressed in the

UN Charter. It is a real honor for me now to have been selected to head the Department of Political Affairs (DPA). I am grateful for the confidence of the Secretary-General. I want to underscore to this readership my commit-ment to using the resources of this Department to promote the Secretary-General’s objectives and to work with Member States to address the challenges of peace and security globally.

DPA’s responsibilities in work-ing to prevent and resolve deadly conflict are truly far-reaching and complex, as I have seen in my

first months in the job. I hope that, with this issue, readers will appreciate the scope of the UN’s peace and security efforts around the world. From the UN’s diplo-matic efforts in Syria to its preven-tive diplomacy in Iraq, its work to stabilize Somalia and shore up democracy in West Africa, its coordinating role in countering the Lord’s Resistance Army in Central Africa, and its expanding contributions in mediation and counter-terrorism, DPA, in close partnership with other parts of the UN family, is working in these and many other challenging environ-ments to employ political means in the pursuit of peace.

Please allow me to salute my predecessor, Lynn Pascoe. Lynn concentrated on how best to apply the talents and experience in DPA. I am fortunate to have arrived at DPA at a time of important trans-formations that should enhance our ability to respond rapidly to cri-ses. These include the profession-alization of our mediation efforts, our improved support to political missions in the field, our growing partnerships with regional organiza-tions, our assistance to the Security Council and other UN bodies, and our continued emphasis on provid-ing top-notch electoral assistance. As was the case under Lynn’s ten-ure, we are focused on results and committed to transparency. I am

grateful to many Member States for this support of DPA.

DPA will keep working in these important directions. We will count on the continued support of Member States, civil society and all who have a stake in the success of the UN’s initiatives in peace-making and conflict prevention. Only by joining together in this way can we hope to live up to the expectations of people around the world and the ever-inspiring ideals of the UN charter.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey FeltmanUnder-Secretary-General for Political Affairs

NEw lEaDErSHIP IN DPa

message from the Under-Secretary-General for Political affairs

DPA

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Jeffrey Feltman assumed his post as Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs in July 2012.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulates Under-Secretary-General Feltman at his swearing-in ceremony.

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Bulletin of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs4 5Politically Speaking / Fall 2012

UN aSSISTaNcE

The UN’s engagement in Libya is guided by the principle of national ownership: Libyans carried out their revolution and Libyans should now determine their own future.

Through a team of electoral advisors, the United Nations worked closely with Libya’s inde-pendent High National Election Commission, offering technical expertise to ensure a credible electoral process. Meanwhile, UNSMIL’s police advisors embed-ded within the Ministry of the Interior assisted the Libyans with a security plan for the elections.

Registration of voters and can-didates went smoothly, with more than 2.8 million of an estimated 3.4 million voters answering the call to register. More than 3,700 candidates reg-istered, running either as individuals or on lists of the numerous newly created political entities. More than 600 of the candidates were women, marking an unprec-edented level of women’s participa-tion. Training took place across the country for Libyan officials tasked with managing the balloting.

Election turnout exceeded 60 percent in polling, demonstrating Libyans’ determination to hold the

election despite security incidents and tensions in the run-up to the vote, particularly in the eastern

part of the country.

NExT STEPS for lIBya

Libya’s elections set the stage for the next steps on the country’s road to democracy.

A National Congress imbued with popular legitimacy was installled in early August. It is called upon to appoint a new government. A commission will draft a new constitution to be put to a popular referendum, probably in early 2013, to be followed by another election for a legislative

Girls wave and flash victory signs at a passing helicopter during a June 2012 military parade in the western city of Zawiya, held to mark the anniversary of last year’s uprising.

UNSMIL Photo, Iason Athanasiadis

libya’s elections set the stage for the next steps on the country’s road to

democracy.

body, which will be Libya’s first full parliament in half a century.

UN efforts to support the constitution-making process and to ensure a coordinated approach by the international community are underway.

armS, SEcUrITy aND HUmaN rIGHTS

The UN mission is providing sup-port in other key areas of Libya’s transition.

UNSMIL will continue, for example, to provide expert advice to the police and the military on how to build a sustainable secu-rity structure while integrating former revolutionaries. The UN

will also continue assisting au-thorities in other priority areas identified by the Libyans. These include human rights protection, transitional justice and the rule of law; the safe storage and control of the large amounts of weapons in the country; and countering arms proliferation and controlling Libya’s borders. The UN will also continue to encourage the par-ticipation of Libyan women in all national efforts.

Libya’s recovery faces numer-ous challenges, particularly local conflicts and security incidents in a nation still awash in weapons. Ethnic and regional differences left unaddressed and often exacer-bated by the previous regime have

resurfaced. In some areas tensions have erupted into fighting.

That Libyans are going for-ward, despite these difficulties, is in itself an encouraging sign that they are committed to seeing democracy prevail.

The United Nations will remain engaged to help Libyans build on the progress made and fulfil their aspirations for a democratic, stable and prosperous state.

Videos from libyalatest videos produced by the UN’s political mission in libya: http://ow.ly/ctoXY

All photos: UNSMIL Photo, Iason Athanasiadis

continued from page 1

Top left: Women participated strongly in Libya’s elections.

Right: Libyan security forces in the eastern city of Ajdabiya played an

important part in securing a peaceful electoral period.

Far right: SA Libyan woman shows her finger marked with black ink after

she cast her ballot in the landmark elections on 7 July 2012.


INTErVIEw

”libya has crossed an extremely important milestone”: Interview with

Special representative Ian martin

Q. What’s your take on Libya’s recent elections?

Ian Martin: Libya has crossed an extremely important milestone in its transition to a democratic state and it’s done it in a very short period of time.

It’s not yet a year since the National Transitional Council was seated at the General Assembly, and even after that, fighting went on until the ‘Declaration of Liberation’ in late October.

They set themselves a very ambi-tious timetable for when these first elections would take place, and they’ve happened more or less on schedule, and in a better context than almost anybody would have been prepared to predict.

Q. Have the elections enhanced expectations about what

Libya can achieve in the short to medium-term?

Expectations have always been very high – but it’s certainly true that the interim government was only regarded as just that, and didn’t itself feel that it had a mandate to take long-term decisions until there was an elected government; so yes, I think it’s true that expecta-tions will now be even higher.

But both Libyans and the inter-national community are going to have to realize that building a state out of a legacy of 42 years of a regime that deliberately didn’t develop the institutions of a mod-ern democracy is not a quick task.

Q. What are the main problems facing Libya at the moment?

Libya is a country with enormous resources for its relatively small population – that’s a blessing, obviously. But an economy that is only dependent on oil and has a very large public sector has a real

problem in diversifying its economy in a way that will provide employ-ment for growing numbers of young people – some of whom became the revolutionaries of last year.

In addition to that, it faces major security challenges. The transition from the revolution-ary brigades that were there at the end of the conflict, to state security forces having a monopoly of force, a national army and a proper police force – that can’t be created overnight. The majority of the revolutionaries don’t want to be in the security sector, they want civilian occupations – that’s a big challenge. Libya has enormous borders, particularly its southern border is open to the trafficking of people, weapons, drugs – getting a grip on that is a huge challenge.

And we’ve seen the outbreak of a number of local conflicts – which is not surprising. They are con-flicts that have long roots – and, indeed, were there during the al-Qadhafi regime and in many ways were exacerbated by its actions, but that’s going to need the atten-tion of an elected government and elected representatives.

Q. What are underlying issues behind those

security concerns?

It’s the question of how one moves [on] from the revolutionary bri-gades, which have continued to be an important provider of secu-rity… Ever since the end of the conflict, much of the security in towns and cities, in the absence of a robust police force or a sizable neutral army, has been provided by the brigades.

Now, there are some who are ill-disciplined and there have been

In a July 2012 interview with the UN News Centre, the outgoing Special Representative for libya, Ian Martin, spoke about the country’s elections, its prospects for the future and the UN’s support role .

serious abuses that continue – abductions, detentions, ill treat-ment by some of those brigades – but the leadership of the local military councils, the majority of the brigades, is a responsible lead-ership, which does not, I think, want to challenge state author-ity. Indeed [they] want to see the transformation that they fought for last year – but will only be ready to disarm and disband when sensible decisions are taken about the future of those who make up the brigades, and when the state capacity is there to hand over to.

Q. There have been reports of parts of Libya seeking more

of a say in the distribution of power and resources. How does that play into the country’s future?

The roots of that go back to the origins of independent Libya, which—not many people in the United Nations remember—was brought into being by a United Nations commission, in 1950-51, that negotiated the first constitu-tion, and Libya was formed out of the three former provinces of the Ottoman Empire – Cyrenaica, Tripolitania and Fezzan. At the very beginnings of the state, a major issue was: is it going to be a federal state? Which, indeed, it was from 1951 to 1963.

Eventually, a more unified constitution and what balance of representation should there be between the population, which is heaviest in the west, and the regions [needs to be considered]. Then you add to that that the east was deliberately marginalized by al-Qadhafi – it didn’t like him, he didn’t like it – and add to that Benghazi’s sense that it was where the revolution begun.

The east is certainly determined that it should have a full part in the future constitution-making and governance, and there’s a very general sense that Libya has been too centralized a state, and it’s not only in the east, it’s other parts – certainly the south and even parts of the west – that were neglected in an over-centralized authority from Tripoli. So, there are major decisions about future constitutional arrangements and the decentralization of government.

Q. Where are things at with Libya’s

constitution-making process?

The National Congress now has to decide how the constitutional com-mission that will actually draft the constitution is going to be com-posed. There was a last-minute decision by the outgoing National Transitional Council that it should be elected by the three regions rather than selected by members of the National Congress them-selves. But that’s something that now is going to be under discus-sion between the newly-elected political leaders and people, par-ticularly in the east, who felt most strongly about the case for equal representation.

So, we have to see how the body will be composed and then it can get down to business, and the United Nations will be ready to assist with that stage of the process and the constitutional referendum, and then eventually, the first elections under a new constitution.

Q. What role do tribal rivalries and loyalties play in Libya

today?

That’s a question on which Libya experts disagree. There are many ways in which the tribes play a positive role, in social networks, and indeed, while on the one hand tribal divisions can be part of local conflicts, the tribes actually have considerable mediation capacity and issues are worked out between

them. And, of course, the bulk of Libya’s population now is young and lives in the mixed cities of the coastal strip.

So I think there’s a tendency on the outside to exaggerate the view of Libya as

a place of warring tribes. I hope we’ll see that tribes will be playing a positive role in the new Libya, but the form of democracy will be – as this election shows – a mod-ern, representative democracy.

Q. What has the role of UNSMIL been up until now

and how will it change in the immediate future?

Our main work has been in three areas. The first has been support for the democratic transition, and the first phase of that has been the election and we‘ve had a sizable electoral team, at its peak some 55 international experts helping with the elections – it’s actually not a very large number compared with the role the United Nations has played elsewhere – but I think it’s been of obvious importance given that the electoral authori-ties in Libya started out with

Ian Martin

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“I hope that this first election is an important

step towards a government with full legitimacy.”

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absolutely no experience what-ever, and had to build an electoral machinery from scratch. And that role will continue through the constitution-making to the future constitutional referendum and later elections, if that’s what the Libyans want.

The second major area is sup-port to the security sector, to the development of the police force – we have had a police advisory team working with the Ministry of Interior and the police from the beginning. We’ve been doing a good deal of work with the army

as well, coordinating international expertise, helping the Libyans draw up a first defence white paper, to conceive of security forces being under proper demo-cratic control. That also includes the areas of border security and management of arms and ammu-nition, and the eventual demobi-lization and reintegration of the members of the brigades.

And then the third area is human rights, transitional jus-tice, [and] the rule of law, where there’s a major legacy from the past that has to be confronted:

missing persons, fate uncovered as far as possible, victims assisted, the worst perpetrators brought to trial in fair proceedings, and a problem of the continued deten-tion of those detained at the end of the conflict, rightly or wrongly, where the state capacity to screen those cases and deal with them properly within the law hasn’t yet full existed.

So those three areas remain as valid today as they were in the run-up to the last elections, I think. Of course, once there’s a new government, the UN will

discuss with that government its wishes for the UN role, but it doesn’t appear that there’s any reason why those three areas would not continue to be the main focus for the work of UNSMIL, in cooperation with UN agencies. And of course, the UN funds, agencies and programmes are active across a much broader area of capacity development.

Q. How do events in Libya over the past year compare to

similar events in the region? Are there lessons to be learned?

I think Libya is very much its own place. I’ve been asked several times how it’s been influenced by what’s happened to its neighbours; the influence is at the time of the uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya – there the sort of influences are obvious, but the situation as left in each of those three countries and elsewhere is very, very different and therefore has to be looked at on its own terms.

Q. With so much else happening around the world, has

the international community’s attention on Libya waned?

I think there is still a strong international desire that Libya succeeds in its transition. Libya’s needs are limited. It doesn’t need donor funding because it’s a country with very considerable resources of its own. It has a lot of skilled personnel, but what it doesn’t have is experience of well-functioning state institutions. So the need is mainly one for techni-cal assistance – fairly precise, well-targeted technical assistance – as requested by the Libyans.

Q. What was it like for you on the ground in Tripoli during

the elections?

There’s no doubt that election day itself was the most extraordinary occasion, particularly because there were serious security con-cerns immediately beforehand and, indeed, some attempts to disrupt the election through vio-lence. But the way that that was swept aside by the determination of the great majority of people to cast the votes they struggled to have the right to cast, and then to see some very old people, disabled people, young people, women vot-ers as well, coming out to display their inked finger to show others that they’d cast a vote — it was a great thing.

I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve been part of three historic pro-cesses for the UN – the popular consultation or self-determination referendum in East Timor in 1999; and then the end of the civil war, the end of the monarchy and the election of the Constituent Assembly in Nepal, and now this transition in Libya.

Each of them has had a major electoral exercise at the heart of it, where the UN role has been very important. In all cases, these have been very emotional occasions. People have seen very long-held aspirations coming within reach of realization. Certainly for me it’s been an extremely rewarding expe-rience in Libya – but one mustn’t, in the pleasure of a successful electoral exercise, lose sight of the long, hard road that always turns out to be ahead.

Q. Where do you see Libya in five years?

Libya has tremendous possibilities because of its wealth in relation to its population, because of its wonderful coastline as well as its desert areas, because of the most extraordinary Roman and Greek remains still only partially exca-vated. It’s a country with enor-mous positive potential that can be a benefit to not only its citizens but to its neighbours too, because it needs the support of migrant labour.

That, of course, requires effec-tive governance. And I hope that this first election in July is an important step to there being a government with full legitimacy, to the emergence of political par-ties – only partially formed for this election – and a functioning state which in five years could really be a positive feature in its region.

UN Special Representative for Libya, Ian Martin, awards a certificate to a member of the Libyan police who graduated from a course on guaranteeing security in the July 2012 national polls.

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Bulletin of the United Nations Department of Political affairs 11

D emands for democ-racy and dignity still reverberating from the Arab Spring continue

to reshape a region where they were denied for too long. In Syria, long a strategic crossroads, the resistance to change has been fierce, leading the country down a deadly spiral of conflict.

Efforts by the United Nations to stop the violence and the suffering have been consider-able - spanning its political, peacekeeping, human rights and humanitarian arms. This commit-ment to the Syrian people will continue.

As this issue of Politically Speaking went to print in mid-August, international peacemak-ing efforts were in transition.

The veteran diplomat Lakhdar Brahimi of Algeria was tapped to lead diplomatic efforts on behalf of the United Nations and the League of Arab States following the resignation of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The UN Security Council did not renew the mandate of the UN mission monitoring the cessation of violence after an escalation of the conflict.

In announcing the appoint-ment of Mr. Brahimi, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized that diplomacy remained a top focus for the United Nations. “More fighting

and militarization will only exacerbate the suffering and make more difficult the path to a peaceful resolution of the cri-sis which would lead to a politi-cal transition in accordance with the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people,” he said.

Special Representative Brahimi underlined the interna-tional community’s focus on the Syrian people: “We will consider their interests above and before everything else.”

The UN’s diplomatic strat-egy to this point had sought an immediate cessation of violence followed by political dialogue and transition. It was hoped that the deployment of cease-fire monitors would crucially change the dynamics on the ground, helping to lock the par-ties into their commitments to cease the violence.

10 Politically Speaking / Fall 2012

UPSUrGE of VIolENcE

But it would be up to those doing the fighting to step back – fore-most the Syrian government. Success would also depend on the leverage exercised by the interna-tional community.

Hopes were lifted in April by an initial pause in the fighting. However, violence soon surged again, surpass-ing previous levels and taking on worrisome sectarian dimensions.

In June, the activi-ties of the UN’s 300-strong mission, UNSMIS, were restricted amid escalating violence that hampered opera-tions and ultimately led to its withdrawal. The mission’s efforts under difficult circumstances were widely acknowledged, particularly in fostering local contacts and in providing an objective view from the ground

following mass killings in places such as Houleh and Tremsieh.

By August, unofficial estimates put the death toll as high as 18,000 over the more than a year

and half since Syria’s upheavals began with government repres-sion of peaceful protest. Hundreds of thousands of Syrians had fled either inside the country or over its borders, and as many as 2.5 mil-lion people were in need of humani-tarian assistance.

Sectarian violence intensified and fears of spillover from the conflict were running high around Syria’s volatile neighbor-hood, which includes countries such as Lebanon and Iraq.

Divisions in the UN Security Council have marked the crisis throughout.

The Department of Political Affairs (DPA) has worked inten-sively to support the Secretary-General and the UN-LAS envoy in their diplomatic strategy and missions. DPA cooperated closely with the UN peacekeeping depart-ment in supporting the monitor-ing effort on the ground, and continues to lead, with UNDP, a UN-system wide Inter-Agency Task Force on Syria, joining the many UN entities working to help the Syrian people.

The UN’s efforts aim to address and cope with the present while

SyrIa

Syria’s conflict: Peacemaking in Transition

At its meeting in Geneva on 30 June 2012, the UN-backed Action Group for Syria agreed on steps for a political transition in the country. From left to right: UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Former Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan; Sergey V. Lavrov, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation (right).

Lakhdar Brahimi

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Left: UN observers on a fact-finding mission in a Syrian village where a massacre of civilians took place. The UN’s mission in Syria helped to provide objective information about the conflict, June 2012. Right: After an initial pause in the fighting in April 2012, violence soon surged upward again, surpassing previous levels and taking on worrisome sectarian dimensions.

Updates on the Syrian conflictDaily updates on the Syrian conflict are available on the UN’s news website: www.un.org/news/focus/syria

“more fighting and militarization will only exacerbate

the suffering and make more difficult

the path to a peaceful resolution

of the crisis.”

continued on page 31

All photos: UN Photo

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in the tragic events that led to the occupation of a big part of the Malian territory.

Q. What are the options now for helping Mali recover

its democracy and its territorial integrity? What is the UN’s view on a military intervention?

At the moment, there is no clear decision in terms of military action. ECOWAS has decided to deploy its Standby Force to Mali and has approached the UN Security Council to seek authori-zation and support. The general opinion within the international community is that the situation in Bamako in the country’s south should first be consolidated before addressing the restoration of the territorial integrity in the north.

The priority is to restore full constitutional order in Bamako. There is no lasting solution with-out a return to democracy and constitutional normalcy, through elections within the twelve-month period that has been set forth by ECOWAS. What is expected of the transitional leadership in Bamako is to form an inclusive and representa-tive government – which is not yet the case -- and to agree on a roadmap for the transition to elec-tions and for recovering territorial integrity.

Secondly, Mali must recover its full territo-rial integrity and the international com-munity is calling for it. Our expectation at the United Nations is that all possibilities for addressing the situation through dialogue and

negotiations are exhausted before the use of force is considered. The option of military action has been put forward in the event that dialogue does not succeed. The Security Council has requested further details on the proposed military deployment by ECOWAS regarding the objectives, modali-

ties and means of such intervention.

Finally, the last and most difficult chal-lenge is to deal with extremists, jihadists and terrorists who have a foothold in the north. Again, there has to be a dialogue with the good people of Mali who are willing to discuss their situation so that the terrorists can be

isolated and handled in the most appropriate and decisive manner.

Q. How concerned are Mali’s neighbors and the

surrounding region?

They are worried—for three main reasons. Firstly, they were disappointed with the setback to democracy and constitutional order in Mali. The countries of the region are strongly commit-ted to democratic values and do not want any reverse in the democratization process in West Africa. They want to see consti-tutional order fully restored.

Secondly, there is the issue of unity and territorial integrity. Given the extent of ethnic diver-sity and the frequent separa-tions between north and south, countries in the region are very concerned about the risk of divi-sions to their fragile nations. Neighbouring countries are keen to see that territorial integrity

Q. Only a few months ago, Mali was seen as one of the most

stable and prosperous countries in the region, now it is seen as a real crisis country. What is the situation in Mali right now?

The situation is worrying, very serious and was quite unexpected, to be honest. Mali was considered a country doing very well, a model of democratic governance in the sub-region. Then suddenly the coup happened and led to a com-bination of problems. West Africa has been making progress since the ethnic conflicts of the 1990s, but as long as the root causes of instability remain, the situation is fragile and precarious. Anything can happen anytime and reverse progress on peace and democracy. This is what happened in Mali.

Q. What are the underlying factors that led to this

situation in Mali?

Nothing can justify a coup from my point of view. The President was quite well perceived regionally and internationally, despite some shortcomings, and was about to finish his mandate two months later. This being said, there were serious problems below the surface such as inequality, marginaliza-tion and exclusion of a number of political forces, along with a perception of corrupted leadership including in the military com-mand. Those issues have probably caused a lot of frustration in the army and in some circles within the political class and civil society. But again, this cannot be a justi-fication for a coup. Look at where Mali is now. It is just unjustifiable and I personally believe that the Junta bears a huge responsibility

A refugee camp of Malians who fled to Niger early 2012 due to the worsening security situation in northern Mali.

INTErVIEw

crisis in mali and its repercussions: Interview with the UN’s Envoy for west africa

“mali was considered a

country doing very well, a model of democratic

governance in the sub-region. Then suddenly

the coup happened.”

Mali, stung by a March military coup and the advance of rebels and extremist groups in the country’s north, has gone in short time from a perceived bulwark of progress in West africa to a major regional and international concern . Worsening humanitarian conditions, the destruc-tion of religious and historical sites, and fears of regional spillover are among the most worrisome dimensions of the situation .

For a perspective on the crisis, Politically Speaking turned to Said Djinnit, the United Nations Special Representative for West africa, who is playing an active role in forging the UN’s response on Mali from his position as head of the UN Office for West africa (UNOWa), a Dakar-based political mission overseen by the Department of Political affairs .

at the time of this interview, in mid-July, the United Nations was back-ing regional mediation efforts and also considering a request by the organization of West african states, ECOWaS, to authorize a regional military force to help push back against armed groups in the north .

UN Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit, at a meeting of the regional ‘Support and Follow-up Group on the Situation in Mali’, held in Abidjan in June 2012.

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elections. Lastly, I would flag the situation in Nigeria which is affected by the threat of ter-rorism through attacks by Boko Haram. Every effort should be made to help Nigeria consolidate its stability, and to fight terror-ism effectively in accordance with the rule of law. For Nigeria itself and given its wider role in Africa, Nigeria’s stability and democracy are paramount.

Q. Your office works on cross-cutting issues such as

drug trafficking and their effect on peace and security in the region. This seems to have become a major factor in Guinea-Bissau’s instability. How do you see the situation there?

Guinea-Bissau has been in per-manent crisis, unfortunately. My colleague, Joseph Mutaboba, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau, is trying to help the stake-holders to come together after the recent coup and amid the attempts by ECOWAS and the international

community to help despite dif-ferences in approach. My role as Special Representative for West Africa is to provide backup to my colleague and to help in mobiliz-ing regional attention and pro-moting regional coherence. This country has been severely affected by the plight of drug trafficking to the extent that some suspect criminal networks of being deeply involved in the political develop-ments, including in the context of the coup. Furthermore, there have been reports that drug trafficking is on the increase since the coup. This would mean that drug dealers have the potential to undermine what is being done by regional leaders, civil society and the international community to build credible states and rule of law.

Q. What more can be done, including by the United

Nations, to fight against drug trafficking?

We still have a long way to go in mobilizing leadership, includ-ing heads of states, ministers and

decision makers at all levels. We should do more to raise the alert about the damaging consequences of drug trafficking in undermin-ing security, national institutions and public health. West Africa is not only a transit route; it is increasingly becoming a consump-tion zone. Early actions should be taken to try to tackle all the aspects of drug trafficking and prevent the whole region from falling under the sway of drug networks. The United Nations —through its Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), my office and other actors – is strongly engaged in supporting the capacities to do so in the region.

is restored quickly, and that the African principle of integrity of borders is preserved.

The last concern, terrorism, is the greatest threat of all. Governments believe that Northern Mali has become a kind of nursery for ter-rorism. There are concerns about their nationals being trained in northern Mali and returning home to countries and seeking to desta-bilize them. This concern is shared by Algeria, Niger, Mauritania, Senegal and other countries. All of the countries in the region are taking this combination of threats very seriously.

Q. The picture of West Africa has recently become one

of instability and backsliding, Mali, another coup in Guinea-Bissau, troubled elections in Côte d’Ivoire, and even a close call in Senegal’s elections. Is West Africa moving backwards?

In my previous position, I served for many years in the African Union, as its Peace and Security Commissioner. I was part of the

process starting in late 1990s when the AU and ECOWAS, drawing lessons from the tragedies of the past, started elaborating an agenda and architecture for peace and security and the protection of human rights. Since then, the advances have been fantastic. Africa has moved forward con-siderably. But history has its ups and downs. Over the past year, a series of setbacks might make us believe that there are attempts to reverse that progress. But the leaders at all levels and the peo-ple are resisting. The gains of democracy and peace in West Africa have been won very painfully. The African people have paid a heavy price, they were brave and the African leaders took bold deci-sions. Despite their weaknesses, the countries are trying to find strength in working together. There are attempts to go back-wards, but there is strong resist-ance by the leadership and by civil society to protect those gains. We, at the United Nations, stand

in support of the African people and their institutions in their efforts to defend their hard won achievements with regard to peace and democracy and in seeking progress.

Q. When you look around the region, what are some of the

other places that give you cause for concern? What are some of the bright spots you see?

Every election is a test to democ-racy in West Africa and Africa in general. Elections are too

often associated with political instability and violence. Yet, we have every reason to hope that democ-racy is gaining roots in West Africa and the Continent as a whole. For instance,

Senegal went through a very delicate period. It was very tense and we were seriously concerned. but ultimately the attachment of the people and leaders of Senegal to the culture of democracy has prevailed. Elections are due in a number of countries such as Ghana, Sierra-Leone, Guinea, and Togo and we hope that Senegal will serve as an example. I have been in close touch with the par-ties in Guinea to help them create the conditions for peaceful legis-lative elections which concluded the transition to democratic rule. Guineans have achieved great progress in holding the first ever democratic presidential election since independence. I am also scheduled to go to Togo, where the situation in the past months and years has been tense, to encour-age all stakeholders there to create conditions for peaceful legislative

Large parts of northern Mali fell under the

control of rebels in 2012. The picture shows

Timbuktu, where Islamist

extremists have destroyed

mausoleums considered

world heritage.

The UN Special Representative for West Africa, Said Djinnit, at a Regional Action Group Meeting on Mali.

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“Elections are too often associated

with political instability and

violence.“

Photo: Emilio Labrador, Flickr

Video on the crisis in maliWatch the video interview with the UN’s Special Representative for West africa . www.un.org/depts/dpa

continued from previous page

through extensive consultations involving UN entities and part-ners. The strategy focuses on five key objectives: (i) implementation of the African Union-led Regional Cooperation Initiative against the LRA; (ii) Enhancement of efforts to promote the protec-tion of civilians; (iii) Expansion of current disarmament, demo-bilization, repatriation, resettle-ment and reintegration activities to cover all LRA-affected areas; (iv) Promotion of a coordinated humanitarian and child protec-tion response in all LRA-affected areas; and (v) provision of support to LRA-affected governments in the fields of peacebuilding, human rights, rule of law and develop-ment, so as to enable them to establish state authority through-out their territory.

While the four LRA affected countries have demonstrated the political will to tackle the LRA issue, it is clear that international cooperation, including financial support, is required.

“The strategy must only rep-resent the beginning of vigorous attention by the Council to address the LRA issue, in order to put an end to these atrocities once and for all,” Mr. Moussa said. “Its success-ful implementation will depend on the level of cooperation and engagement among the affected countries and on resource mobili-zation to address funding gaps.”

In his most recent report to the Security Council on the LRA, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon appealed for such assistance: “Only by providing the necessary resources will we be able to ensure the success of continuing efforts by the national authorities, the African Union and other interna-tional partners in this regard.”

The United Nations is not alone in supporting the African-led actions against the LRA. A group of United States military advisers deployed in the region is providing training and intelligence assistance. Furthermore, efforts by civil society and human rights

advocates – including the release of an online video sensation “Kony 2012” – have helped build global public support for addressing the threat and impact of the LRA.

A determined push will be needed, now, to translate plans into action so that the LRA’s reign of terror – which has victimized hundreds of thousands of civilians in four countries for more than two decades – may soon come to an end.

E fforts by the United Nations, African coun-tries and international partners to address the

threat and impact of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), and its leader Joseph Kony, have gained substantial momentum over the past year. The United Nations’ recently-established political mis-sion for Central Africa, UNOCA, is playing an important role in fos-tering a coordinated UN response and in building on the growing international support.

Throughout its history, the LRA has been known for its atrocities

– including the abduction and forced recruitment of children, rape, amputations and murder. This was the LRA’s modus oper-andi in Uganda from the 1980s until it was forced out by the national army in 2004, and when it later spread its terror to the neigh-bouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and South Sudan as well as to the Central African Republic. The LRA’s gruesome tactics have resulted in a massive displacement of civilian populations. And while its num-bers have dwindled to less than 500 armed combatants, the group

still has the capacity to attack and terrorize civilian populations.

Last year, the UN Security Council requested UNOCA, in coordination with the UN Office to the African Union (UNOAU), to work with UN entities and the African Union (AU) to develop a regional strategy on the LRA. Under the leadership of Special Representative Abou Moussa, UNOCA quickly went to work.

In January 2012, Mr. Moussa and AU Special Envoy on the LRA, Francisco Madeira, carried out joint assessment visits to LRA-affected areas prior to organizing several stakeholders’ meetings in Addis Ababa and Entebbe. On 24 March, the two officials were together at the launch of the African Union’s Regional Cooperation Initiative against the LRA (RCI-LRA) in Juba, South Sudan. The four affected coun-tries pledged to provide a total of 5,000 troops to form the RCI’s military component, the Regional Task Force (RTF), to hunt down the LRA and its leaders.

UNOCA and UNOAU, as well as the UN Integrated Peace-building Office in the Central African Republic (BINUCA), have been working with the UN peacekeeping operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) and in South Sudan (UNMISS), as well as with the UN’s agencies, funds and programmes to increase the UN’s response both to humanitar-ian needs and the protection of civilians.

At the end of June, the Security Council endorsed a comprehen-sive anti-LRA strategy arrived at


lorD’S rESISTaNcE army

United Nations and Partners Build momentum in the fight against the lra

The UN Regional Office for Central Africa, along with the African Union, coordinates efforts to address the threat and impact of the LRA. Visit to LRA-affected regions in April 2012.

Above: While its numbers have dwindled to less than 500 armed combatants, the LRA still has the capacity to attack and terrorize.

Right: Victims of the LRA, who had to flee from their villages following attacks by the group. Democratic Republic of the Congo, April 2012.

UN Special Representative Moussa and African Union Special Envoy Madeira talk to victims of the LRA in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, April 2012.

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W ith armed conflicts trending upward again and prov-ing increasingly

complex, the challenges are also mounting for mediators working to resolve them through negotia-tions. Newly developed guidance from the United Nations can help them to succeed, providing practi-cal advice for navigating mediation processes effectively.

The new United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation was released in August 2012 by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as an annex of a broader report (A/66/811) on trends and capacities in conflict

mediation issued at the request of the UN General Assembly.

The Guidance will be officially launched at a high-level event at the end of September, where mediation practitioners from dif-ferent backgrounds will exchange their views.

PrEVENTIVE DIPlomacy ToP PrIorITy

The Secretary-General has placed preventive diplomacy and media-tion high on his agenda, reflecting a desire for more effective action to save lives and stop conflicts at an early stage, before they require costlier international engage-ments. The Assembly’s landmark

2011 resolution on mediation (65/283) was its first to focus spe-cifically on this topic.

The Secretary-General’s new report should be of interest not only to practitioners, but to a broader audience concerned about mediation and its potential for diminishing conflicts around the world. It details recent steps taken by the United Nations to augment its mediation capacities – key among them is an ongoing process of strengthening the Department of Political Affairs, which anchors many UN mediation efforts.

mEDIaTIoN

UN report Includes New Guidance for mediators

mediation Experts in High Demand

Since 2008 renowned experts in fields such as mediation, strat-egy, power-sharing, constitution-making, human rights and natural resources have been plucked from their careers to work for the United Nations on one-year assignments as on-call advisers to peace envoys around the world .

Demand for the Department of Political affairs’ Standby Team of Mediation Experts has increased each year . The members of the 2011 Team were deployed on more than 50 occasions to over 20 countries including libya, Yemen, Somalia and Kyrgyzstan . The new 2012 team began its work in March .

Team members have the flex-ibility to deploy on short notice to assist UN or non-UN mediators globally, or to provide analysis and advice remotely . When not in the field, they are working on the development of UN best practices and training materi-als in their areas of expertise .

The Team located in the Mediation Support Unit of DPa’s Policy and Mediation Division, functions as a resource for the UN system broadly . Team members

have been deployed to support traveling envoys, field-based politi-cal and peacekeeping missions, and UN Resident Coordinators .

assistance is provided in the plan-ning, support, and coordination of mediation efforts; in contribut-ing thematic advice; conducting training and capacity building with conflict parties; carrying out strategic assessments; and developing policy guidance, les-sons learned, and mediation best practices to guide future efforts .

The 2012 team members and their respective areas of expertise are:

constitutions: John Packer (Canada) is a conflict resolu-tion expert and most recently a Professor of International law at Essex University (UK) .

Gender: Gerard Nduwayo (Burundi) is a leading gender expert who has worked extensively for UN WOMEN, UNDP and african Union Commission (Panel of the Wise) on issues of women, peace and secu-rity, as well as social inclusion .

Natural resources: George anderson (Canada) has had a long career in public service includ-ing as Deputy Minister of Natural

Resources (2002-5), Deputy Minister of Inter-governmental affairs (1996-2002) and assistant Deputy Minister in the energy, finance, and foreign ministries .

Power-sharing: Nicole Töpperwien (Switzerland) is an expert and consultant on power-sharing, including fed-eralism and decentralization, with in-depth experience work-ing on issues of inclusion in multi-cultural settings in conflict and post-conflict situations .

Security arrangements: Jeffrey Mapendere (Zimbabwe) has worked extensively in his career in the field of conflict reso-lution and has been a member of all three preceding Standby Teams .

Process Design: Graciela Tapia (argentina) is an expert on mediation and dialogue, and has worked on reconciliation and prevention issues in latin america and Central Europe .

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Standby Team of Mediation Experts 2012; From top left to bottom right: Jeffrey Mapendere, Graciela Tapia, George Anderson, Nicole Töpperwien, John Packer, Gerard Nduwayo.


General Assembly Spotlights Role of Mediation in High-Level Meeting, May 2012.

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“Although each conflict and each peace process is different, there are fundamentals that can be applied to good effect by media-tors,” he added.

mEDIaTIoN fUNDamENTalS

The Guidance outlines eight key “mediation fundamentals” that require the mediator’s consid-eration for an effective process. These are: preparedness; consent; impartiality; inclusivity; national ownership; international law and normative frameworks; coherence, coordination and complementa-rity among mediation efforts; and lastly, the development of quality peace agreements.

The Guidance will be widely dis-tributed and included in a training module for senior mediators.

Although primarily intended as a resource for mediation practi-tioners, the Guidance serves more broadly to generate better under-standing on the aims, potential and limits of mediation. For ease

of reference by users in the field, an application is currently under development by DPA to permit access to the mediation guidance on mobile devices.

Of course not all conflicts are amendable to mediation at all times. And no guidance can address all the challenges asso-ciated with complex mediation processes in a particular context. Nonetheless, a professional and coordinated approach increases the prospects for success.

In concluding, the guidance reminds us that the success or failure of a mediation effort ulti-mately depends on whether the conflict parties accept mediation and are committed to reach a set-tlement. When they are, media-tors can play an invaluable role.


DPA’s Mediation Support Unit, established in 2006, is helping to professionalize the UN’s media-tion approach, and has become a global provider of mediation support services. It houses the Department’s Standby Team of Mediation Experts (see page 19) as well as a broader roster of mediation professionals. The unit has also spearheaded the develop-ment of mediation guidance and training in DPA.

The Secretary-General’s report analyzes mediation trends from several vantage points. As requested by the General Assembly, it looks at efforts to build mediation capacity within the UN and other organizations, the need to link national and local mediation capacities with the efforts of the international

community, progress in women’s participation, and the cooperation and partnership between media-tion actors.

As the report points out, the United Nations is only one of many actors in a diverse and crowded mediation field also occupied today by Member States, regional and non-governmental organizations as well as private individuals. In the best of cir-cumstances, each can contribute according to its comparative advan-tage; at worst, competition among mediators hampers peace efforts.

And while previously, UN mediation was seen as the exclu-sive domain of Special Envoys, it has become clear that many enti-ties within and outside the United

Nations have important roles to play. Resident Coordinators overseeing the UN’s humanitarian and development efforts and other officials in the field often contrib-

ute to facilitation and dialogue processes. Local mediators can also make crucial contributions.

The report also contains an important call for resources, not-ing in particular that chronic shortages in the regular budget for the Department of Political Affairs have

forced a reliance on voluntary funding for mediation activi-ties - even though this is a char-ter responsibility of the United Nations.

Issued as an annex to the report, the UN Guidance for Effective Mediation is a reference docu-ment that provides a framework for enhanced understanding and better use of mediation. The Guidance was developed in close consultation with Member States and others, such as regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, civil society and women’s groups, as well as conflict resolution scholars.

“Peacemaking efforts can only benefit from guidance that reflects the deep experience, over many years, of those in the mediation community who have been working on the front-lines to prevent and resolve conflict,” said Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Tayé Brook-Zerihoun, who was closely involved in DPA’s efforts to develop the new UN guidance.

more on DPa’s websiteRead the full report on media-tion at: www.un.org/depts/dpa

Eight Key mediation fundamentals

• Preparedness

• Consent

• Impartiality

• Inclusivity

• National Ownership

• International law and Normative Frameworks

• Coherence, Coordination and Complementarity of Mediation Efforts

• Development of Quality Peace agreements

“although each conflict and each peace process is different, there

are fundamentals that can be applied to

good effect by mediators.”


Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser (centre), President of the sixty-sixth session of the General Assembly, opens the Assembly’s informal high-level meeting on “The Role of Member States in Mediation”, along-side Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (on left). 23 May 2012 United Nations, New York

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The mediation guidance is informed by the best practices of envoys. In this photo, UN Special Adviser Jamal Benomar is in talks to facilitate a political transition in Yemen, 2011.

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Through its political mis-sion in Iraq, UNAMI, the United Nations has worked on many fronts

to promote stability and recon-ciliation in the country, helping authorities there to organize landmark elections, draft develop-ment plans, improve relations with neighbors and promote national dialogue and compromise between communities.

A key focus over the past year has been UNAMI’s ongoing pre-ventive diplomacy to avert blood-shed over the situation of Camp Ashraf, where a tense standoff has persisted between the gov-ernment and an exiled Iranian opposition group.

For decades, the group known as the Mujahedin-e Khalq, or (MeK), occupied the Camp, a self-contained site only a few hours drive from Baghdad. Yet as Iraqi politics shifted following the fall of Saddam Hussein, so did the stance of the country’s authorities towards the group.

cloSING of camP

The current Iraqi government has made it clear that it wants Camp Ashraf shut down and the MeK —which once fought alongside Hussein and is designated by the United States as a terrorist organ-ization – to leave Iraq. Baghdad sees its presence, in a place which

is off-limits to the government, as an affront to national sovereignty.

When the government announced late last-year that it would be closing the camp by 31 December, many feared a repeat of the violence of April 2011, when dozens of Ashraf residents were killed in clashes with Iraqi

security forces at the camp. An earlier incident in 2009 cost the lives of at least 10 residents.

DIPlomaTIc EfforTS

To prevent a similar outcome, the United Nations initiated inten-sive diplomatic efforts to find a

peaceful solution to the crisis. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki to extend the deadline for the camp’s closure, which he agreed to do. This provided time and space for an extensive exer-cise in preventive diplomacy led by Martin Kobler, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for Iraq, who has mediated between the Iraqi government and the group.

“As an impartial actor the United Nations could interact with both parties,” Kobler said.

With support from other govern-ments, including the United States, Kobler was able to bridge the gaps between the two actors and find an agreement that both respects Iraq’s sovereignty and provides the peo-ple of Camp Ashraf with a safe and voluntary path to a more hopeful life outside of Iraq.

VolUNTary rElocaTIoN

The memorandum of under-standing signed by the UN and the Iraqi government in late December 2011, takes the main concerns of both actors into account. Under its terms, Camp Ashraf will be shut down, its residents relocated voluntarily to a temporary transit location, Camp Hurriya, a former U.S. Marine base near the airport in Baghdad.

The government of Iraq has accepted full responsibility for the safety and security of the residents, from the relocation throughout their stay at Camp Hurriya. The accord provides that none will be returned forcibly to Iran or resettled in third countries against their will.

The challenge, to which UNAMI has put considerable effort, is to ensure the relocation of camp resi-dents takes place without violence.

Following UNAMI’s diplomatic efforts, a first convoy of Camp Ashraf residents crossed the Iraqi desert on 17 February, carrying 400 people to their temporary homes in Camp Hurriya. By the end of August, a total of almost 2,400 persons, or three-fourths of the resi-dents, had moved to the new location while an estimated 800 remained in the previous camp awaiting transfer.

The moves involve complicated security and logistical preparations.

UNAMI monitors the relocation process and provides round-the-clock human rights monitoring at Camp Hurriya.

oNGoING mEDIaTIoN

Since the signing of the agree-ments, UNAMI has continued

to mediate between the residents and the government to keep the process on track. This involves everything from high-level talks to keep the parties com-mitted to the process, to the negotiation of practical and humani-tarian problems of camp management.

“How much water the residents are allowed to consume per day, how the sewage and garbage systems are organized—these detailed and time-consuming negotiations all go through us, too,” Kobler says.

rESETTlEmENT oUTSIDE of Iraq

In the meantime, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has begun to determine the residents’ eligibility for refugee status, paving the way for a longer-term solution: their resettlement outside of Iraq.

“As Camp Hurriya is only a tem-porary solution, resettlement is the key to the success of this effort. There must be countries that are

willing to accept Camp Ashraf residents after they obtain registered refugee status,“ says Kobler.

So far, however, commitments by gov-ernments to receive Ashraf residents have been limited. Kobler has been vocal in call-

ing on states to seriously consider taking them in.

fraGIlE SITUaTIoN

Though the initial stages of the relocation process pro-ceeded without violence, a slow-down between May and July prompted resumed tensions and recriminations, requiring renewed high-level diplomacy.

“The situation continues to be fragile,” says Kobler. “It is the responsibility of the Iraqi govern-ment and the camp residents to finalize the relocation in a peace-ful and orderly way.”

Iraq

camp ashraf: Promoting a Peaceful resolution

UN Special Representative for Iraq, Martin Kobler, is leading the UN’s efforts to avert bloodshed on the issue of Camp Ashraf.

Aerial shot of Camp Ashraf. The Iraqi government ordered the closure of the camp in 2011. The relocation of its residents was still ongoing as of August 2012.

“The Iraqi government

and the camp residents must

finalize the relocation in a peaceful and orderly way.”

Video Interview with martin KoblerWatch the video interview with the UN’s Special Representative for Iraq . http://ow.ly/cuF1t

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by the Somali people through a direct referendum.

crITIcal STaBIlIzaTIoN TaSKS

Addressing a meeting of the International Contact Group on Somalia in the run-up to August, Ambassador Mahiga noted that while progress had been made across the board over the last year, insufficient attention had been paid to critical stabilization tasks. These include developing the justice sector, establishing accountable police services and providing increased access to justice and corrections systems which conform to international standards. Creating governmental institutions is also high on the list of urgent requirements. The Transitional Federal Government (TFG) has had ministers, but no ministries and institutions to sup-port them.

The SRSG also pointed to the importance of capitalizing on security progress by support-ing Somali forces on the ground, strengthening the African Union’s

peacekeepers (AMISOM) and expanding efforts to provide ser-vices and governance in the newly recovered areas.

Visible changes have already taken place on the ground. In January of this year, Ambassador Mahiga became the first UN Head of Mission to be based in Mogadishu in 17 years thanks to the remarkable and hard-won security gains as the TFG forces and their allies pushed insurgents out of the capital.

The SRSG remarked how dra-matic the change in Mogadishu has been in the past year: “The population has really come back in great numbers and there is an amazing burst of economic activ-ity,” Ambassador Mahiga told Politically Speaking. “In addition to the daily selling and buying of food in the markets, substantial reconstruction is going on in all main areas of Mogadishu.”

Many members of the Somali business community have returned from the diaspora to invest in

new ventures hotels and guest houses and the emergence of cottage industries are reviving a once abandoned waterfront. The building of much needed schools and hospitals are a contrast to the familiar bullet-pocked landscape.

Changing the mindset how-ever, is no easy feat, Ambassador Mahiga said. With more than two decades under a weak gov-ernment, vested interests have naturally developed among clans, within the business community and among various ideological groups. Some of these special interest groups are not so keen to see change, he stated.

Inclusivity and continuous out-reach efforts, however, have been key to making inroads in getting acceptance and political buy-in for a provisional constitution. UNPOS has embarked on a major public information campaign which speaks to people of all walks of life, pegging the provisional constitution to a better future

A fter decades of strife and humanitarian tragedy many observers have called Somalia a “failed

state”. Some have written off the situation as insoluble. Yet the Somali people and the interna-tional community have remained stubbornly determined to change the dynamics — and recent efforts are paying off.

Major security improvements combined with substantive political progress under a year-old “roadmap” to ending the transitional period have created a sense of hope and a real opportunity to move toward peace and stability in Somalia.

As this issue of Politically Speaking went to print, all eyes were on how the nation would meet

a 20 August 2012 deadline to end a prolonged transitional phase and establish inclusive national institu-tions. Much time and effort was spent on crafting the Roadmap to End the Transition which set out critical but achievable tasks in the areas of security, constitution-making, reconciliation and good governance. Meanwhile, the UN’s top envoy for Somalia, Augustine P. Mahiga, was already looking ahead to how Somalia, under a new and more inclusive government, would rebuild its institutions and revive the social, political and economic landscape.

“The end of the transitional period will be an important benchmark, but it is time for us all to begin to look past 20 August and think about the future political dispensation of Somalia,” SRSG Mahiga, who heads the UN Political Office for Somalia (UNPOS), said in a message to the Somali people.

THE roaD aHEaD

The Roadmap hinges on the approval of the provisional consti-

tution by the National Constituent Assembly (NCA), itself selected by a Council of Elders representing all elements of Somali society and vetted by a Technical Selection Committee. With its endorsement, how-ever, there will be more challenges and

opportunities ahead. The provi-sional constitution will need to be approved by popular referendum. And it will set the stage for the establishment of permanent insti-tutions, including a new federal parliament, the executive and an independent judiciary. This is only the starting point for future progress and development.

A number of points in the pro-visional constitution will require further refinement. Issues such as citizenship and federalism, the role of Shar’ia law and whether the Parliament will be bi-cameral, need to be explored and debated openly among the Somali peo-ple. As such, the provisional constitution will remain a living, breathing and amendable docu-ment until it is eventually ratified

SomalIa

Somalia Beyond the roadmap

major security improvements combined with

political progress have created a

sense of hope and a real opportunity

in Somalia.

UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, Augustine Mahiga in Mogadishu, 7 August 2012

Left: Somalia’s capital Mogadishu is seeing an economic upturn with reconstruction throughout the city. Right: Major security improvements along with political progress have created a rare sense of hope and opportunity in Somalia.

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fraGIlE ProcESS

“Some say it is irreversible, how-ever it is still a fragile process, there is much that can go wrong,” he said. “But I think there is a determined sense on both sides—the side of President Thein Sein and the government and of some of the leaders like Aung San Suu Kyi on the opposition side—to make this work in order to see that you have a truly democratic progress.”

“Like all democracies it is a work in progress and there are many things that need to be done,” Nambiar added.

The Myanmar envoy spoke on the eve of his most recent visit to the country, one that underscored the complexities as well as the promise of the current moment in Myanmar. Not long after arrival in Yangon, Nambiar was thrust into efforts to calm inter-ethnic and religious tensions and violence that had erupted in Rakhine State, near the country’s border with Bangladesh.

He travelled in the area of unrest by helicopter along with Myanmar’s Minister of Border Affairs, meeting with leaders, pledging UN humani-tarian aid and support for efforts to quell the violence between Muslim and Buddhist communities. He spoke with persons displaced by the violence, Buddhist monks in the monasteries and heard from villag-ers belonging to the Islamic faith.

ImPorTaNT rEformS

Only two years ago, says Nambiar, the November 2010 election and the adoption, following Cyclone Nargis, of a new constitution by referendum—all part of a lengthy seven-step roadmap to transi-tion led by Myanmar’s military—were moves met with a degree of scepticism by many both inside and outside the country. Leading democracy advocate Aung San Suu Kyi considered the coun-try still “a sham democracy,” he recalled.

But her release, after many years of house arrest, followed by that

of a large number of the country’s politi-cal prisoners, helped her test the country’s newfound open-ness. Making renewed contact with her peo-ple at the grassroots level, and, especially

after a groundbreaking meeting with the country’s President Thein Sein, she agreed to run in the by-elections in April of this year after the electoral laws were amended to permit her and her party to do so. Her National League for Democracy party swept 44 of

48 seats in the by-election for Myanmar’s parliament. Laws on media censorship and freedom of association were also partially relaxed, among a series of impor-tant changes.

Regional and western govern-ments have responded, making high-level visits to the country and lifting or suspending sanctions on Myanmar that had been in place for many years. The decision of the regional organization of Southeast Asian states, ASEAN, to name Myanmar to its presi-dency in 2014, was another sign of normalization of the country’s international standing.

In April 2012, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon travelled to Myanmar, his third visit to the country as UN Chief, fol-lowing earlier visits under differ-ent circumstances. He strongly welcomed the democratic changes and ongoing national reconcilia-tion and peace efforts, while using the opportunity to encourage busi-ness investment in Myanmar and announce plans to increase UN support in a number of areas.

The Secretary-General announced the UN would be

Amidst startling political changes, including historic reforms led by President Thein Sein and the elec-

tion to parliament of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar is shedding its authoritarian image and emerging from decades of international isolation.

But just how firmly rooted are the changes and what can the out-side world do to help Myanmar and its current reform-minded leader-ship to keep up the momentum?

These are questions on the mind of many in the international community, among them the UN

Secretary-General’s special adviser on Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar. The former Indian national security adviser and Chief of Staff to the Secretary-General leads the UN’s diplomatic “good offices” efforts to support reform and development in the South Asian country.

In an interview, Nambiar voiced cautious optimism about the changes afoot in Myanmar and discussed how the UN role may evolve in the period ahead to help spur further reform and development.

myaNmar

Encouraging myanmar’s Democratic reforms

UN Special Adviser for Myanmar, Vijay Nambiar, sees a genuine commit-ment of the authorities to improving the standards of living in Myanmar, as well

as to opening up society as a whole.

Secretary-General Ban Ki moon Meets with H.E. U Thein Sein, President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and key Ministers, Naw Pyi TAW, April 30 2012.

UN

Photo/M

ark Garten

UN Photo

“Some say the political change is irreversible,

however, it is still a fragile process.”


A s Member States strive to combat ter-rorism, a new centre taking shape at the

United Nations will be a valu-able tool at their disposal.

The United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) is dedicated to boosting counter-terrorism capacities of developing countries, supporting implementa-tion of the UN Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted by Member States in 2006, and to fostering international counter-terrorism cooperation.

The Centre, which is still in its early stages, was for-mally established last year as part of the Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force

(CTITF), a coordinating body of all UN entities working in the fight against terrorism. Its staff will be based in the CTITF Office located within the Department of Political Affairs.

DEfINING PrIorITIES

Efforts to define the Centre’s priorities took an important step forward when UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon attended a high-level meeting of its 20-nation advisory board in June 2102, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The com-ing months will see the launch of the Centre’s first capacity-building projects on the ground.

“Suppressing the financing of terrorism is a critical area where internationally-accepted guidelines

need to be effectively applied,” Mr. Ban told the meeting in Riyadh. “At the strategic level, we need to try to understand – and counter – the appeal of terrorism. That means building a culture of dialogue, spreading education and promoting inter-community engagements,” he added.

The Secretary-General also underscored the importance of respecting human rights while countering terrorism and UNCCT’s potential to highlight the plight of victims of terrorism. “Victims and their families are among the most powerful voices in the fight against terrorism, and I urge the UNCCT to support their efforts.”

Board members agree that a key focus of the Centre will be to help governments establish comprehen-sive national and regional counter-terrorism strategies along the contours of the UN global strategy adopted in 2006 by the General Assembly. The global strategy emphasizes a holistic approach focused not only on law enforce-ment activities, but also address-ing human rights and conditions that may be conducive to terror-ism. The Centre is also planning to help Member States share counter-terrorism best practices, exchange expertise and develop effective training programs.

The idea was conceived dur-ing an International Counter-Terrorism Conference convened by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh in 2005. King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz proposed the crea-tion of a centre under the aegis of the UN, to support international

UN

Photo

coUNTEr-TErrorISm

United Nations counter-Terrorism centre

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia, brief the press after co-chairing the 2nd Meeting of the UN Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT)’s Advisory Board in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, June 2012.

Video Interview with Vijay NambiarWatch a video interview with the UN’s Special advisor on Myanmar . http://ow.ly/cuFhu

normalizing its development program in the country, helping Myanmar carry out a much-needed national census, strengthening drug eradica-tion programs, and offering support in electoral and governance reforms. Nambiar says reconciliation will also remain a focus, noting that Myanmar may welcome some degree of inter-national involvement in supporting the resolution of decades-old con-flicts between the government and armed ethnic groups.

Observers may debate what, in the end, produced the changes that had long eluded Myanmar, where a military junta took power after void-ing the results of the last elections in 1990.

DrIVErS of cHaNGE

Nambiar attributes it to a number of factors, but especially a desire by the country’s long ruling generals to emerge from isolation and return to respectability in the region. The devastation from Cyclone Nargis

in 2008 also exposed the country’s depths of underdevelopment, serv-ing as a wakeup call that Myanmar could not stay further behind.

“I think there is a genuine com-mitment to improving both the standards of living and the liveli-hood inside Myanmar as well as to opening up society as a whole,” Nambiar said.

“Whereas other countries like Laos and Cambodia have been getting almost four or five times as much development assistance as Myanmar, Myanmar has not been able to ben-efit from some of these kinds of rela-tionships with the outside world... and that has affected its own basic

development. Living in isolation from the international community can have a major impact in terms of quality of life for its own people.”

Nambiar says the prospect of being able to chair the ASEAN and host the 2014 ASEAN summit was

an important attraction for the military to speed up its transition.

As Myanmar changes, Nambiar sees the UN good offices role likely to evolve along with it.

The mandate was established by the General Assembly with a focus on pressing Myanmar for demo-cratic reforms. Some of the focus on reforms may still be needed, he said, but it could come less in the form of “strident demanding” than supportive encouragement to help ensure that the reform project succeeds and does not slip back-ward. The three main pillars of UN support today, he explained, are in the areas of democracy, humani-tarian assistance and development.

“There has to be occasional pres-sure, but there has to be patience,” he said.

Among the political challenges ahead, the country still holds political prisoners, Nambiar said, and will require assistance with legislative reforms, promoting the rule of law and the strengthening of human rights institutions and the establishment of a democratic political culture.

“Even if there is a functioning parliament and a constitution, there are serious issues of political reform that need to be addressed,” he said. “It remains to be seen how this process develops. It’s fragile, but I think it is encouraging.” Ban Ki-moon with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyii, May 2012.

UN

Photo


Bulletin of the United Nations Department of Political Affairs 31

for Somalia and encouraging all Somalis to have a role in the mak-ing of the provisional constitution.

Ambassador Mahiga is urg-ing Somalis to sustain their commitment to “broad-based, inclusive and representative” post-transitional arrangements. He is pledging, in turn, contin-ued support from the United Nations and its partners.

“It cannot be just an effort of the Somalis themselves. We value their leadership and ownership of the process but in a country that for 21 years hasn’t had a centralized authority or institutions, it can only succeed if it is fully supported by the international community.”

UN offIcE IN SomalIa oN SocIal mEDIa

For those who would like to keep

up to the minute on the Somali peace process and follow com-munication between key audi-ences, UNPOS has established a series of new media platforms. You can follow the mission’s work on Twitter (@UNPOSomalia); view photo essays and images on

Flickr (flickr.com/photos/unpos) and read a “leadership blog” on Tumblr (unposomalia.tumblr.com).

30 Politically Speaking / Fall 2012

Success in peacemaking and conflict prevention not only saves lives, it helps to provide critical

stability for economic develop-ment in nations undergoing strife or rebuilding after wars.

In recognition of this connec-tion, the Department of Political Affairs has been wel-comed this year by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) onto its list of entities eligible for official development assistance (ODA). This list has included UN humanitarian and development agencies for many years; it now, for the first time, includes the UN’s main political arm.

DPA hopes this will translate into increased support in a time of growing needs for voluntary assistance to comple-ment the Department’s regular budget. The decision will allow donors to meet their voluntary ODA targets

when pledging funds to DPA.

“If the politi-cal fundamentals are not in place in countries emerging from conflict, devel-opment progress will remain fragile. Donors understand this linkage and now

they have increased flexibility to express it through their contribu-tions,” said Delphine Bost, DPA’s Focal Point for Donor Relations.

raPID rESPoNSE BolSTErED By VolUNTary fUNDS

DPA’s activities funded with extra-budgetary contributions under its Multi-Year Appeal have continued in 2012 to focus on rapid response

to conflict, media-tion, and electoral assistance. Examples include DPA’s sup-port to the UN – Arab League Joint Special Envoy for Syria and the recent elections in Libya.

Extra-budgetary contributions often provide for the deployment of mediation or electoral experts to reinforce the UN’s field mis-sions. As of August, DPA had pro-vided electoral assistance to more than 45 countries this year, while members of the Standby Team of Mediation Experts were deployed on 57 occasions.

The Department was expected to have received from donors approximately $11 million in voluntary contributions by September, towards its $16 million target for 2012.

Since early 2012, DPA has intro-duced further tools to strengthen the capacity for assessing its work, including the establish-ment of a departmental evaluation policy. A new database to man-age the Department’s finances is expected to be operational by the end of the year.

fUNDING

oEcD listing opens New window for DPa Donors

The impact of last year’s

donations were described in

DPA’s 2011 Annual Report,

which can be found on DPA’s

website (“Funding”) at

www.un.org/depts/dpa

efforts to enhance counter-terror-ism cooperation. Initial three-year funding was provided through a $10 million Saudi contribution to develop the Centre’s infrastruc-ture and activities. The General Assembly has also encouraged Member States to collaborate with the Centre.

THE aDVISory BoarD

Saudi Arabia is the current Chair of the Advisory Board for three

years. The other members of the Advisory Board are: Algeria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, China, Egypt, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Morocco, Nigeria, Norway, Pakistan, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America and the European Union as Guest Member.

Syria

Somalia

United Nations counter-Terrorism centre




Success in peacemaking not only saves

lives, it also helps to provide critical stability

for economic development.

planning for future scenarios. “The conflict in Syria is a test of everything this organization stands for,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said, adding: “I do not want today’s United Nations to fail that test.”

Resolution of the crisis may be only a question of time, but how long, and at what additional cost to the Syrian people, their country and beyond?

as of august 2012, DPa has provided

electoral assistance to more than 45

countries.

Supported by the UN, the African Union’s peacekeepers (AMISOM) have successfully pushed out Al-Shabaab of Mogadishu last year.

UN

Photo


STaff NEwS

SENIor offIcIalS

In his first official travels since his appointment, Under-Secretary-General Feltman accompanied the Secretary-General on his 16-26 July visit to China and the Western Balkans and his 29-31 August attendance of the 16th Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement in Tehran. USG Feltman addressed the Security Council for the first time on 13 July, delivering remarks to its Interactive Dialogue on Post-Conflict Peacebuilding. In August, he briefed the Council on Mali and the Middle East Peace Process. Following his assumption of duties, the

Under-Secretary-General initiated a schedule of meetings with key counterparts including the chairs of UN regional groupings, perma-nent representatives of member states and close partners of DPA within the UN system.

Assistant Secretary-General Tayé-Brook Zerihoun, in February and March 2012, led a joint team of DPA and the Department of Field Support to the political missions in West, East and Central African countries (BNUB, UNIOGBIS, UNOWA, UNOCA, BINUCA and UNPOS) and the UN Office to the African Union in Addis Ababa. The team discussed mandate

implementation, reviewed strate-gic, managerial and support activi-ties with the missions and held meetings with local and interna-tional partners in the countries.

In April, ASG Zerihoun par-ticipated in a workshop on “Strengthening political govern-ance for peace, security and stabil-ity in Africa” organized by the African Union Panel of the Wise in Tunis, Tunisia -- part of a compre-hensive AU review of the existing mechanisms relating to democrati-zation and governance in Africa.

ASG Zerihoun briefed the Security Council in June on the situation in Guinea-Bissau,

Under-Secretary-General Feltman greet-ing Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China, July 2012.

on steps taken and required to restore constitutional order in the aftermath of the April coup. In preparation for the Security Council’s Mission to West Africa, ASG Zerihoun also briefed the Council on peacebuilding efforts in Sierra Leone and the prepara-tions for elections.

ASG Zerihoun co-chaired, with ASG Tegegnework Gettu of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the first meeting of the United Nations’ Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on the Sahel in June. The IATF was established following the Interagency Assessment Mission on the impact of the Libyan crisis on the Sahel. Its objective is to adopt a coherent, coordinated and demand-driven approach that brings together political, security, humanitarian and development issues based on a common understanding of the challenges affecting the region.

In July, ASG Zerihoun accom-panied the Deputy Secretary-General to the 19th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. On the margins of the Summit, they attended a high-level meet-ing of the AU Peace and Security Council to review the situations in Guinea-Bissau and Mali and the restoration of constitutional order in the two countries.

Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Oscar Fernández-Taranco travelled to the Western Balkans in March to assess the role of the United Nations in that sub-region and to provide an impetus to several new initiatives being undertaken by the United Nations country teams operating there.

In April, Mr. Fernández-Taranco represented the United Nations in a two-day consultation in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, co-organized by the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Organization for Co-operation and Security in Europe with regional, sub-regional and other international organizations. Later that month, Mr. Fernández-Taranco attended the second joint DPA-UNDP Bureau for Crisis Prevention and Recovery meeting with UN Resident Coordinators in Montreux, Switzerland.

The Assistant Secretary-General par-ticipated in two interna-tional meetings on the Syrian crisis: the meeting of the Contact Group on Syria in Geneva on 29-30 June, as well as the Third Meeting of the Group of Friends of the Syrian People in Paris on 6 July.

ASG Fernández-Taranco briefed the Security Council on the situ-ation in the Middle East in June. He also represented DPA at the General Assembly’s thematic debate on security in Central America as a regional and global challenge.

NEw GUIDaNcE To comBaT SExUal VIolENcE IN PEacE aGrEEmENTS

The United Nations is enlisting its peace envoys in stepped-up efforts by the organization to combat the scourge of sexual violence in conflict. In March 2012, DPA unveiled new guidelines to help mediators address the problem in peace agreements and cease-fires. The launch event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Germany to the UN brought together an

audience of eminent mediators, diplo-mats and civil soci-ety representatives including 2011 Nobel Peace Prize winner Leymah Gbowee of Liberia.

The new Guidance for Mediators on

addressing Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Ceasefire and Peace Agreements has been issued to UN mediators and mis-sion chiefs and incorporated in training and briefing materials for envoys and their teams. It is available as a public resource to others working in conflict media-tion globally.

acTIVITIES aND EVENTS

ASG Taye-Brook Zerihoun ASG Oscar Fernandez Taranco

UN

Photo/E

skinder Debebe


Among its key principles, the guidance obliges mediators to engage parties in discussion on this issue and to work towards firm commitments to cease all acts of conflict-related sexual violence. The guidelines also promote the inclusion of sexual violence in the definition of acts covered by, and monitored, under a ceasefire. The guidance is available on DPA’s website: www.un.org/depts/dpa

Special Political Missions Start-up Guide: Special politi-cal missions are being deployed with greater frequency by the United Nations to help prevent and resolve conflict and to build peace in nations in transition. The Department of Political Affairs has now developed a best practices guide for its staff and planners on successfully starting up a mission. A reference docu-ment for all DPA staff, the Special Political Missions Startup Guide focuses on the procedures and responsibilities during a mission’s critical early months. The Guide is currently being incorporated into training packages for political officers and senior UN officials. Field-based special political mis-sions under DPA’s supervision were most recently established in Central Africa and Libya.

The Secretary-General’s Retreat with Regional Organizations: DPA organ-ized a retreat of the Secretary-General held in June 2012 with the heads of selected regional organizations active on peace and security issues. With the United Nations and regional organiza-tions working increasingly closely in mitigating conflict, the meeting allowed for a strategic exchange

antonella caruso of Italy has been named Director of DPa’s Middle East and West asia Division, MEWaD . a former advisor to Italy’s Minister of Foreign affairs, Ms . Caruso brings to the position more than 20 years of experience working in the Middle East . In her last position before joining DPa, she was founder and direc-tor of a “track two” project to support the Iraqi Dialogue on National Reconciliation, which brings together leading politi-

cians and parties in the Iraqi Parliament . Ms . Caruso has also worked in the private sector as an analyst and advisor with emphasis on North africa, the Middle East and the Gulf . Ms Caruso speaks four languages including arabic .

The appointment of Ms . Caruso follows the retirement in May 2012 of Horst Heitmann as Director of MEWaD after nearly three decades of distinguished service to the United Nations . Mr . Heitmann also held positions in DPa as Director, Security Council affairs Division, and Deputy Director, asia and Pacific Division .

João Honwana was appoint-ed Director of DPa’s africa II Division which focuses on West and Central africa . Mr . Honwana was serving previ-ously as Director of the africa I Division . He has held numerous senior positions in disarmament, peacekeeping and peace-build-ing missions, including as the Representative of the Secretary-General for Guinea-Bissau and head of the UN political mis-sion in the country (UNIOGBIS) . Following his appointment

as africa II Director, Honwana visited Guinea-Bissau in July to dis-cuss solutions to the country’s political crisis in the aftermath of the april 2012 coup . He also visited Mali and Senegal, and attended an ECOWaS summit in Côte d’Ivoire .

of views and lessons learned. A similar retreat was held in 2010. The Secretary-General and the sixteen heads of regional organi-zations addressed a wide range of topics in informal and frank discussions, ranging from conflict prevention to climate change. Country-specific discussions focused on Afghanistan, Syria and the Sahel. Participants supported the Secretary-General’s call to strengthen its collaboration with regional partners.

Good Offices in Yemen: DPA has continued to support Yemen’s two-year transition towards inclu-sive and democratic national insti-tutions through Special Adviser Jamal Benomar’s engagement with all Yemeni sides. During visits to Yemen in April and July, Mr. Benomar was involved, respec-tively in efforts to resolve tensions over senior military appointments and facilitate preparations for an all-inclusive National Dialogue Conference. On 23 May, he

represented the Secretary-General at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Yemen hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh. The meeting demonstrated increased com-mitment by the international community to scale-up its sup-port to Yemen’s transition.

Iraq-Kuwait: DPA led a field assessment mission on 4-11 June 2012 to Kuwait and Iraq as the first step in reactivating the Iraq-Kuwait Boundary Maintenance Project (IKBMP) pursuant to Security Council resolution 833 (1993). Colleagues from the Cartographic Section of the Department of Field Support (DFS) and the UN’s political office in Iraq (UNAMI) joined the mission, which, in addition to meeting with governmental delegations, also travelled to the border area.

UN-OIC General Meeting: The General Meeting on

Cooperation between the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) from 1-3 May 2012 in Geneva reached an agreed framework for the first time, outlining common activities over the next two years. Jehangir Khan, Deputy Director of the Middle East and West Asia Division of DPA, headed the UN delegation to the meeting which was attended by more than 80 delegates from 38 offices and agencies. Topics ranged from conflict prevention to humanitarian assistance, to the fight against terrorism.

UN-LAS General Meeting: The 11th General Meeting on cooperation between the United Nations System and the League of Arab States was held in Vienna on 10-12 July at a time of both momentous events transform-ing the Middle East and North Africa and increased cooperation between the two organizations. Mr. Levent Bilman, Director of the Policy and Mediation Division,

UN Secretary-General’s Retreat with Regional Organizations, June 2012.

UN

Photo

UN

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POLITICALLYspeaking

headed the UN delegation, which consisted of representatives from more than 20 UN entities. A broad range of issues were dis-cussed, including the Middle East peace process.

DIVISIoN for PalESTINIaN rIGHTS

The Division for Palestinian Rights continued to provide substantive and administrative support to the Palestinian Rights Committee of the UN General Assembly, including the organiza-tion of events on the question of Palestine.

The UN Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People held in Cairo on 6-7 February focused on the economic consequences of the Israeli occupation. At the centre of the UN International Meeting on the Question of Palestine from 3-4 April in Geneva was the plight of Palestinian political prisoners in Israeli jails. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon was represented by Maxwell Gaylard, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

Women and youth gathered at UNESCO in Paris on 30-31 May for the UN International Meeting on the Question of Palestine, which highlighted their role as cat-alysts for peace and was followed by a Civil Society Meeting on 1 June. The UN Asia and Pacific

Meeting in Support of Israeli-Palestinian Peace took place in Bangkok on 10-11 July, examining the obstacles to peace and pro-moting regional efforts to help address them.

At UN Headquarters in New York, the Division organized briefings for the Committee by promi-nent participants in the peace talks – PLO Executive Committee Member Ms. Hanan Ashrawi and Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh — on 27 March and 12 June respectively.

Additional information can be found on the “Question of Palestine” website maintained by the Division at http://unispal.un.org/

Decolonization: The General Assembly’s Special Committee on Decolonization, also known as the Special Committee of 24, held its annual regional seminar in Quito, Ecuador from 30 May to 1 June 2012 under the theme Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism (2011-2020): current realities and prospects. The regional seminar, as other activities of the Special Committee aimed at eliminat-ing colonialism, was supported by DPA’s Decolonization Unit. The seminar was attended by

representatives of the Non-Self-Governing Territories (NSGTs), administering Powers, civil society and non-governmental organi-

zations, as well as experts. From 11 June to 22 June, the Special Committee held its 2012 sub-stantive session in New York, in which the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) figured prominently. In early May, in coopera-

tion with DPA’s Decolonization Unit, the Department of Public Information disseminated new posters and postcards to high-light the importance of the Third International Decade for the Eradication of Colonialism. Further information may be found on the decolonization website. http://www.un.org/en/decolonization/

36

DPa on Twitter

Follow DPA on Twitter to receive the very latest news about the UN’s work in preventive diplo-macy, peacemaking and electoral assistance: @UN_DPA

Politically Speaking / Fall 2012

Department of Political Affairs

United Nations

New York, NY 10017

Editorial contact:

Jared Kotler Public Information and External Relations Dept. of Political Affairs Email: [email protected] Website: www.un.org/depts/dpa Twitter: @UN_DPADesigned by Department of Public Information

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