This workshop is aimed at having participants reach an understanding of how to work with context analyses which are used, among others, by donor organisations as a basis for their country specific (multi-annual) strategic planning. Specific attention will be paid to policy relevant considerations and policy design with respect to post-conflict or conflict affected countries. The specific aim of the workshop is to familiarize participants with the methodology of the Stability Assessment Framework (SAF), as developed by the Conflict Research Unit (CRU) of Clingendael, The Netherlands Institute for International Relations, as one example of integrated context analyses.

The workshop will be a 5-day SAF training session offered by the Clingendael Conflict Research Unit (CRU) (Netherlands) and coordinated by the Centre For Conflict Dialogue in New York (CCDNY). The workshop is planned for the second week of October 2010 (October 18-22) at the Millennium UN Plaza Hotel in New York. The CCDNY will facilitate the location for the workshop as well as all contacts with the participants, stakeholders and sponsors in preparation for the workshop.

During this workshop, the use of the SAF will be illustrated by practical, real and recent case studies. Attention will, among others, be paid to how to use primary and secondary data when carrying out a SAF and how to best consult policy makers, military personnel and/or aid workers etc. on potentially sensitive conflict issues. Key note speakers will be invited to: 1) serve as potential resource persons for the participants when practicing interview rounds; 2) provide participants with a more in-depth background on some critical conflict related issues as a basis for further discussion.

Background

Many parts of the world are characterized by instability, insecurity, problems of governance and underdevelopment. Dealing with such situations of instability are difficult but unavoidable realities for many organizations, which are challenged by the complexity of these problems and the solutions required. International organizations increasingly struggle to give due attention to these problems in their policy design. If the international community wants to engage in unstable environments (including post-conflict or fragile environments), it must develop well-suited and well coordinated policy interventions for achieving good governance, security and socio-economic development. Because of the link between these three policy areas, donor agencies, non-governmental organizations and development practitioners now operate alongside military, political and diplomatic actors in these situations. Each actor works in a specialized field of operation, but their joint objective is to establish sustainable stability.

Purpose

In order to reach sustainable stability, intervening organizations should apply an integrated approach that includes all three policy aspects (governance, security and socio-economic development). The SAF is a response oriented analysis. It was specifically developed in order to help organizations in designing integrated policies and coordinated responses. As such, the SAF is primarily a process management tool: it helps to incorporate information management and analysis, policy identification and prioritization into the development of an overall stability promotion strategy for a particular country or region.

Methodology

The workshop will utilize a participatory approach to engage in discussions. In line with the need to foster a productive and pragmatic dialogue on critical African issues, the participants will include a mixture of International, National and local practitioners.

All participants will be encouraged to participate openly, in order to exchange knowledge and experiences, consider Strategic Assessment Frameworks, ascertain gaps and formulate recommendations.

The training content will be prepared and delivered by The Clingendael Institute.

The SAF is developed to assist organizations in designing integrated policies aimed at supporting countries in creating or maintaining sustainable stability. The SAF has three major purposes: it helps tackle a strategic deficit in policy interventions; it helps build in-house capacities for analysis, awareness and response capacity; and as a process management tool, it helps to mainstream stability promotion into the organization’s policy planning cycle. The SAF was developed by the Clingendael Institute for the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to help develop integrated and country specific policy approaches for post-conflict and fragile states. Yet, the SAF reflects a generic method that can be adapted and fine-tuned to fit the particular purposes and institutional requirements of different organizations.

Clingendael is the Netherlands Institute for International Relations. It promotes the understanding of international affairs. Special attention is given to international security, conflict studies, European integrations, transatlantic relations, policy making on national and international energy markets, negotiations and diplomacy, the United Nations and other international organizations. Clingendael seeks to achieve these objectives through research, publications, and the organization of courses and training programmes.

Clingendael Conflict Research Unit

The Conflict Research Unit (CRU) is an integral part of the Clingendael Security and Conflict Programme. It conducts research on the nexus between security and development with a special focus on integrated/ comprehensive approaches on conflict prevention, stabilisation and reconstruction in fragile and post-conflict states. Specialising in conducting applied, policy-oriented research, linking academic research with policy analyses, the CRU translates theoretical insights into practical tools and policy recommendations for decision makers in national and multilateral governmental and non-governmental organisations.

The Centre for Conflict Dialogue in New York (CCDNY) facilitates and coordinates platforms through which thematic areas around conflict can be addressed with a view to informing policy and enhancing diplomatic efforts in resolving conflicts. Notwithstanding a broad spectrum of complexities in resolving global conflict, CCDNY explores ways in which practice can be linked to policy by collaborating with both state and non state actors in practically addressing the blue prints to resolving conflict.

The fee for course will be 5000 EUR per participant. The course fee will cover registration, international & local travel, accommodation & subsistence, course material & facilitation and general coordination and logistics.