| Grant Profile: |
| Project Title: |
Support to a National Framework for Dialogue and Peace Building in Guinea-Bissau |
| PCF/LICUS/SPF: |
LICUS |
Status: |
Closed |
| File Number: |
45
| Region: |
AFR |
| Sector: |
Health and other social services |
Country: |
Guinea-Bissau |
| FY approved: |
2007 |
Grant Theme : |
Social dev/gender/inclusion |
| Keyword(s): |
Civil society / NGOs;Peace and reconciliation dialogue;Peace negotiations |
Approved Amount: |
$299,500.00 |
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Grant Recipient:
INTERPEACE/National Institute of Studies and Research (INEP) of Guinea Bissau |
Grant Purpose:
The grant aims go support peace consolidation and national reconciliation efforts, in order to create a culture of inclusive dialogue and reduce the potential for future armed conflict and political instability in Guinea-Bissau. The Grant will finance activities which aim at supporting national reconciliation, peace building, and capacity development efforts in Guinea-Bissau.
Most specifically, the Grant will aim to initiate a national multi-stakeholder dialogue on national priorities for conflict prevention, sources of tensions and sustainable solutions, and critical issues relating to economic development and governance issues.
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Grant Activities:
The Project will support part of INTERPEACE-INEP’s “Voice of Peace” program. It will help broaden social networks for peace-building (through the recruitment of a research and coordination team from across social segments; the activation of a national network of district representatives as quasi-facilitators and “early warning” focal points; and preparation for the convening of a representative “Steering Committee” (composed of respected authorities representing various institutions) for the larger program. In addition, the Project will set up and train a National Reconciliation Commission, in close coordination with the National Popular Assembly (ANP), civil society and religious authorities, and convening orientation meetings in Bissau and the main regions of the country to introduce the Project.
Under this Grant and in cooperation with national Government structures, INTERPEACE will work with a team of locally recruited and trained facilitators and researchers to undertake the following activities over a period of 6-9 months:
(1) Facilitate multi-stakeholder participatory research consultations in Bissau and province capitals:
(2) Elaborate participatory conflict assessments of 5-10 short-term conflict triggers, and 5 cross-cutting sources of tension
(3) Facilitate multi-stakeholder definitions of 5 sets of solutions for overcoming cross-cutting tensions
(4) Facilitate multi-stakeholder definitions of a national agenda and vision for peaceful development and practical plans to achieve it.
The team, which will include representatives from all of the country’s provinces, will carry out this work under the leadership of a national director and management team with a reputation for neutrality and independence. INEP will coordinate the “process management and research team” and the Coordination Committee will provide guidance. The Project will bring the many different actors together through interactive dialogue and research, and public communication activities. The objective is to empower all stakeholders to identify common challenges, define long-term priorities and overcome obstacles to the development of a viable and peaceful society.
One of the envisaged outcomes of the research and consultations outlined above is to provide critical inputs for a proposed National Conference for Peace and Reconciliation at the end of the first phase of the broader INTERPEACE /INEP program, of which “Voice of Peace” is one component being co-financed by the Grant.
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Results:
The project financed part of the Voz di Paz (Voice of Peace) program implemented by Interpeace and the National Institute for Studies and Research in Guinea-Bissau. The Voz di Paz peacebuilding program aimed to contribute to the consolidation of peace and stability in the country as a prerequisite for sustainable development. Outcomes from the project include:
• The project increased state and civil society capacity to identify and address dividing issues in a peaceful manner.
• Multi-stakeholder consultations around the main priorities of conflict prevention provided significant input to the National Conference for Peace and Reconciliation.
• In July 2008, the project supported a campaign to prevent tensions during the parliamentary elections held in November 2008. The initiative involved discussions among traditional leaders, imams, youth organizations, and representatives of political parties at the local level. Topics for discussion included rule of law, management of resources and participation of citizens in consultations and decision-making. Sessions were held in different regions of the country. This was the first time stakeholders in the country discussed peace during elections. The campaign contributed to a peaceful election process – no major incident of ethnic confrontation occurred during the elections.
• In 2008, the program conducted extensive consultations with around 6,000 Bissau-Guineans on the main causes of conflict in the country. This helped build a collective analysis and common understanding of the conflict and inform the process of developing a strategy to overcome and prevent conflict in Guinea-Bissau.
• The Voz di Paz program created spaces for dialogue in all ten regions of Guinea-Bissau. These spaces help communities maintain a constant dialogue and serve as a link between citizens and decision makers at state institutions.
• Members of the regional peace spaces facilitated the resolution of 70 cases of disputes on a community level. These peace builders also serve as a conflict alert network, to inform authorities and key international actors about events that could lead to violent conflict in Guinea-Bissau.
• The program created a network of 600 peace activities involving representatives of communities and government. This has helped bridge the gap between citizens and government.
• The project helped create a partnership among 30 community radios, to broadcast messages of peace and tolerance. In addition, journalists participated in peacebuilding trainings with the objective to serve as a medium of conflict resolution in society. This helps spread the message of peace in the country.
• Dialogue at local and national levels was filmed. The videos help bring the views of citizens to authorities and vice-versa.
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Lessons Learned:
Lessons learned from the project include:
• In a country with a high level of illiteracy, use of video is an appropriate tool to stimulate participation of people in national debate and to reduce the distance among communities.
• The peacebuilding process in the country is still fragile and remains at risk of reversal. Continued international support for the peace process will help mitigate this risk.
• The grant supported activities with significant benefits for the peacebuilding process. Ensuring participation of Bissau-Guineans in an in-depth analysis of conflict in the country and in developing consensus-based solutions to issues that affect the peacebuilding process is necessary to build a culture of peace.
• Multi-stakeholder capacity building in conflict prevention is important for maximizing transfer of knowledge on peacebuilding. This also helps reinforce local and national capacities for democratic dialogue.
• Given the risks and complexity of reforms in the country’s context, close coordination with other development partners is significant for mitigating risks and maximizing synergies.
• The sustainability of the achievements in the peace process depends on political and security outlooks, government commitment, and donor assistance.
• The strong involvement of the international community backed by actors such as the United Nations, the Economic Community of West African States and the Community of Portuguese Speaking Countries could help foster political stability in the country and reduce security concerns.
• Timely, adequate and well coordinated donor assistance is critical for the sustainability of the peace process.
• Government commitment to the peacebuilding process is necessary for the sustainability of the achieved results in the peace process.
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News:
A World Bank project supporting peace and reconciliation efforts in Guinea-Bissau has proved instrumental in promoting multi-stakeholder dialogue on national violence prevention priorities. Since the creation of the Voice of Peace program in 2007, the project has enhanced the development of a national infrastructure for consultations on the steps to be taken on the road to reconciliation, governance, and development.
Guinea-Bissau has been affected by recurrent violent conflict since its independence from Portuguese rule in 1974. Despite the formation of a national unity government in 2007, frequent confrontations and the mistrust between the government and civil society pose the risk of a renewed cycle of political instability and violence. As a response, the Voice of Peace program was created with the vision of empowering national stakeholders to take a proactive approach in promoting nationwide reconciliation and peace through dialogue in the society. The purpose of the World Bank Support to a National Framework for Dialogue and Peacebuilding project has been to support the Voice of Peace activities.
The objective of the project is two-fold: to promote the consolidation of peace and stability in Guinea-Bissau, as key pre-requisites for sustainable post-conflict development, and to address the recurrent political tensions impeding the national reconciliation process and economic renewal. Bringing together local and national stakeholders, the program has promoted the establishment of a peacebuilding network of committed and respected peace activists united around the goal of identifying challenges, priorities and solutions to peace and development. It has turned into a platform for assessing the drivers of violence in Guinea-Bissau, for development of strategies to mitigate tension, and the definition of a national agenda for peaceful development and practical plans to achieve it.
The program is implemented by Interpeace and the National Institute of Studies and Research of Guinea-Bissau, in partnership with the United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in the country.
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