In efforts to help build the capacity of policy makers from African Member States to design and implement policies that promote inter-linkages between peace, security, human rights, humanitarian affairs and development to accelerate sustainable development on the continent, the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) held two virtual sub-regional workshops in June.
The workshops for Southern and East Africa were held on 8 and 9 June, and for Central, North and West African sub-regions from 10 to 11 June. Participants included officials from Government Ministries, the diplomatic community, the African Union Commission, AUDA-NEPAD, Regional Economic Communities, representatives of African think tanks and Civil Society Organizations, academia and UN entities.
Introducing the workshops, Said Adejumobi, Director, Strategic Planning, Oversight and Results Division (SPORD) at the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) stressed that the inter-linkages between peace, security, humanitarian action and development could not be over-emphasized as “peace is the foundation of development. Yet, peace remains fragile and elusive in many African countries.”
He added that conflicts continued to impose a heavy toll on Africa, with humanitarian consequences of internally displaced persons, refugees, disruption of livelihood for millions of people and the exacerbation of poverty and inequality. For instance, he said, in 2019, there were at least with active armed conflicts in Sub-Saharan Africa, eight of which were low intensity, subnational armed conflicts, while seven were high intensity armed conflicts.
This was echoed by David Hamam, Director at OSAA, who stated that the both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Aspirations recognize that development, peace, security, humanitarian and human rights efforts are complementary and need to reinforce each other to promote inclusive and sustainable development on the continent.
“Promoting the nexus approach will contribute towards breaking the silos and building back better from the coronavirus pandemic, while further accelerating the implementation of Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063,” he added.
Speakers at the workshops highlighted the significant challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had reversed some of Africa’s socio-economic development gains. For example, Mr. Adejumobi said, an estimated 32 million people were pushed into poverty in 2020, a number that is likely to increase to 39 million in 2021. Fiscal revenue loss for African countries was estimated at about 20-30 per cent – roughly $500 billion, while Africa's gross domestic product (GDP) contracted by no less than 5 per cent in 2020, over 20 million jobs were lost and foreign direct investment declined by about 15 per cent.
Given this scenario and that 40 of the 91 countries that constitute Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), are in Africa and face unique challenges in achieving long-term sustainable development, it was important to strengthen the nexus approach to achieve sustainable development, said Erdenebileg Sandagdorj, High Representative and Chief, Policy Development, Coordination and Reporting Service for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS at the UN Office of High Representative on Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (UN-OHRLLS).
“These vulnerable countries face unique developmental challenges. LDCs face structural constraints that inhibit their ability to attain sustainable development. LLDCs are characterized by lack of territorial access to the sea, remoteness and isolation from world markets. SIDS are also far away from world markets and face an existential threat because of climate change,” he said, adding that violent conflict was an additional challenge to countries already facing other vulnerabilities.
During the workshops, participants reviewed and validated the baseline assessment study conducted by OSAA on the nexus and a training manual aimed at promoting synergies between the pillars of peace and security, humanitarian work, development and human rights to accelerate sustainable development. They sought ways to address the fragmented and siloed approach to achieving the SDGs and Agenda 2063.
The workshops included breakout sessions, where participants from each sub-region discussed specificities and realities of implementing the nexus approach in their contexts. Discussions in these sessions confirmed some initial gaps identified in the assessment study, such as weak institutional systems and lack of national coordination mechanisms, lack of a coherent financing framework or mechanism at national and international level, and the silos between actors. Although COVID-19 was identified as a major impediment in progress towards implementing the interlinkages, participants also highlighted the opportunities it presented to promote the use of the nexus approach and to build back better at the national level.
In their recommendations, participants stressed the pivotal role of governance for the practical outcomes of policy implementation and service delivery. They recommended an integrated approach to national priorities and development, with strong national ownership and leadership, supported by solid partnerships. The participants also stressed the need to promote localization and decentralization as key strategies for the successful implementation of the nexus and highlighted human rights as a cross cutting pillar. They emphasized the importance of a comprehensive training manual on practical steps towards synergistic policies and efforts on operating under the situational four-pillar interlinkages. The training manual on the nexus approach developed by OSAA will serve this purpose.
“No one knows Africa better than Africans themselves. International partners should continue to support African countries in seeking African solutions for African problems and respect their right to take the lead. With a better understanding of the nexus between peace, humanitarian, and development in their national context, each African country will have a better chance to properly integrate the nexus into its national strategy that suits its own conditions,” said Zhiqiang Sun, Counselor and Political Coordinator Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. He added that the study had also shown that African countries had many best practices and successful stories to share.
Recommendations from the workshops will feed into the baseline assessment study and training manual, while the manual will also contribute to resource materials for an online training course being developed by OSAA and the ECA’s African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP).
In line with OSAA’s mandate and work on global advocacy for Africa’s development, peace and security, the workshops are part of a project to strengthen the capacity of African countries to design and implement policies that promote the interlinkages among humanitarian, development, peace and security to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The project is funded by the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund, with financial support from the government of China. The workshops were organized in partnership with the ECA and UN-OHRLLS.