ACTION Support Centre (ASC) Peacebuilders' Blog

Insider Mediators Platform - Africa

The 2nd Working Group meeting of the Insider Mediators Platform was held in Mombasa, Kenya from the 26th to the 27th of July 2011. The objectives of the meeting centred on reflection, learning and planning the most effective way forward for the platform.

The meeting was well attended with 20 participants from 16 different countries representing a range of practitioners and institutional representatives working on conflict contexts at all levels. The range of participants constituted the forms of collaborative partnership envisaged as being key to the development of an insider mediator driven process.

Evaluative comments highlighted the dynamic nature of the group, the high quality of participants and the fluidity of the process as being key to the successful outcome of the meeting. A full summary of these comments is included as an appendix to this report.

The meeting began with an update of AIMP activities and a process of sharing experiences amongst participants. This was followed by an analysis of the external environment to identify key challenges, opportunities and trends likely to impact on the work of insider mediators.

The analysis was strengthened with the presentation of several case studies that highlighted the potential role of the platform. The session then moved into a strategic planning process that identified key focus areas and the critical next steps for the platform.

The initial outcomes of the meeting, contained within this report, will be used to draft an Action Plan that will form the basis for the development of a full proposal that will be used as a resource mobilisation tool to take the work of the platform forward.

Summary Outcomes

• The ability of the platform to initiate and strengthen mediative processes aimed at crisis prevention and in support of conflict transformation was seen as the critical added value that informs its establishment.
• The proposed Action Plan will endorse the conceptualisation of the platform as a capacity multiplier that will use innovative forms of learning and experience sharing to enhance national level mediation capacity in support of a collaborative inclusive partnership approach to mediative processes.
• The Action Plan will be focused on tapping into learning opportunities through the development of in-depth case studies, analysis of key geographical areas of concern, consolidating the relationship building and networking capacities of the platform and establishing a directory of insider mediators and institutional resources.
• The meeting agreed to rename the initiative as the Insider Mediators Platform Africa, or IMP-AF. This would reflect the longer-term potential of replicating the IMP initiative in other parts of the world.
• It was also agreed that the interim coordinator would work towards establishing a lean full time secretariat that would work to promote the platform as a resource for learning and information.
• The platform will embark on a programme of needs driven support to insider mediators aimed at enhancing national mediation capacity, and focused particularly on crisis prevention and longer-term mediative processes.
• The immediate mobilisation of resources in support of these intentions is a key priority.

Cultural Diversity Project

ASC in partnership with International Organisation for Migration IOM will be kick starting a Cultural Diversity Project in Alexandra Township- Gauteng. The project will include a Mapping Exercise, Cultural Diversity Workshops and a Cultural Festival.

For more information contact Philani Ndebele on philani@asc.org.za

Applied Conflict Transformation Course

Skills and Strategies for engaging with conflict
Lessons from Africa and Around the World

Duration:                                          24th 28th October 2011
Location:                                           Johannesburg, South Africa
Language of facilitation:               English, with translation- Portuguese and French
Closing date for applications:      31st August 2011

ACTION for Conflict Transformation is a global network of individuals and organisations working for sustainable peace.  In Africa the ACTION Support Centre, through its Skills and Strategies for Change programme aims to be a resource for African wisdom and expertise able to respond effectively to the deep-rooted social conflicts across the continent. It connects people working for peace and development, human rights and social transformation, in Anglophone, Lusophone and Francophone countries throughout Africa.

The Applied Conflict Transformation Course has been designed by a team of conflict and development specialists and aims to enhance and support the work of practitioners and policy makers affected by conflict and tension.

Specifically the course aims to:

For more information contact Richard Smith on richard@asc.org.za

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Regional Capacity Building Project
Phase 2

Regional delegates drawn from Soweto Concerned Residence (SCR)-South Africa, Swaziland Coalition (SCCCO)-Swaziland, Swaziland Young Womens Network (SYWN)-Swaziland, Youth Initiative for Democracy in Zimbabwe (YIDEZ)-Zimbabwe, PROPAZ-Mozambique, and Forum Mulher-Mozambique will be participating in the second phase of the Regional Capacity Building Project.  Activities will take the form of exchange visits and partners monitoring and evaluation workshops in Swaziland and Mozambique.

The aim of this initiative is to build capacity on common areas of need such as colaborative mobilising for socio-economic and political change, and strengthening internal and external organizational communication in the region.  It also focuses on strengthening people to people solidarity through learning, sharing skills and information with each other, particularly face to face exchange of information where possible, and making the best use of the communication mechanism that are at our disposal. Exchange visits are seen as critical in the implementation of this project.

For more information contact Philani Ndebele on philani@asc.org.za

Regional Solidarity Project

Managing Transition Seminars on Zimbabwe, delegates drawn from South African and Zimbabwean organisation in the Diaspora. These Seminars will take place in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg over the next two months.

The aim of this initiative is to revive and strengthen links between the Zimbabwe Solidaity Forum, its South African partners and the Zimbabwean Civil Society organisation in the Diaspora. Continue raise awarness around people to people solidarity in communities through learning and sharing and inform people at a grassroots level on all developments  that are taking place in Zimbabwe.

For more information contact Sipho Theys on sipho@asc.org.za

Drums of Change

Drums of Change is a newsletter profiling peace work, primarily at grassroots level in Africa. It was developed by the Peace and Development Desk at the ACTION Support Center as an effort to promote and publicize grassroots peace workers work. The publications are trying to keep readers, even in the most remote areas, abreast with news concerning peace and development in different parts of Africa. The idea is to let other organizations see what their partners are up to in words and pictures. This is primarily for information purposes, but perhaps also to provide inspiration or offer solutions to similar challenges.

The newsletter is an attempt to communicate peace and development efforts at grassroots level to other grassroots communities and organizations working in this field primarily in Africa. This is in an effort to achieve several goals, namely;

Publications: June 2011, September 2011, December 2011.
For submission of stories or for further information, contact rindai@asc.org.za.

Africas Insider Mediators Platform (AIMP)

In November 2010 a workshop supported by the Peace Nexus Foundation brought together 14 key insider mediation stakeholders. The workshop explored existing support initiatives and collaboration, and used the insights into existing gaps and challenges in mediation as the starting point of a strategic discussion on focusing and enhancing efforts to support and strengthen the contribution of insider mediators on the continent.  The second meeting of the AIMP is scheduled to take place in Kenya in July 2011.

Overall Goal
To establish a support base for African mediators working on conflict systems at multiple levels that enhances internal national mediation capacity and contributes to local ownership of mediation outcomes.

Strategy objectives

Proudly African Campaign Consultations

In the light of the 2008 violent cultural intolerance waves and recent worrying sporadic incidents accross South African, ASC intends to kick start a Proudly African Campaign. The initial stages of this initiative will involve two strategic meetings: A civil Society Consultative Meeting and a Donors Roundtable Meeting. These meetings will take place in August/September 2011.

For more information about this initiative contact Philani Ndebele on philani@asc.org.za

Swaziland Democracy Campaign

Global Week of Action (GwoA)
September 2011 will see, once more, progressive forces inside and outside Swaziland embarking on yet another Global Week of Action in Swaziland. A series of activities such as marches, border blockades and pickets will be organised in Swaziland and accross the world.

The Swaziland Democracy Campaign is made up of labour, faith, youth, women and social movements inside and outside Swaziland. It has several chapters around the world with the ACTION Support Centre as the communication Hub of the Campaign.

For more information visit www.swazidemocracy.org or www.sdcamapign.mobi

Southern Africa Social Forum 2011

The 6th edition of Southern Africa Social Forum (SASF) will take place the 13th-15th of October, 2011  in Lusaka, Zambia. ASC intends to mobilise resources for this event. A delegate comprising of ASC partners will be attending this crucial event.

For ideas email info@asc.org.za