The 5th Expert Meeting on Security Cooperation in Southern Africa at the Southern African Defence and Security Management Network (SADSEM), co-organised by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) was held in Maputo, Mozambique, from 28 - 29 October 2014. The 5th annual SADSEM/FES Maputo Dialogue focused on emerging security issues in the Southern African region. Key themes addressed by experts and decision makers included African peacekeeping, elections and conflict as well as emerging threats such as violent extremism. The main objective was to provide a platform for dialogue. General recommendations as a contribution to policy development was one of the outputs for an academic and conceptual level. ISS/TfP Senior Researcher and Training Coordinator Mr. Andre Roux was requested to deliver a presentation on peace intervention operations interventions. The conference discussed four main themes including, elections and conflict in SADC, military interventions and emerging threats, organised Crime and its impact on democratic governance, and a way forward to policy implementation on Maritime Security (region and beyond). Click on the read more link for more information on the speakers, various themes and key thematic issues discussed. The conclusion of the conference was to initiate a research report on POS Interventions in Africa. This will include field visits to PSO missions by the researchers coordinated by Professor Gavin Cawthra. Mr. Roux was requested to provide some technical level input as the primary subject matter expert on Peace operations interventions. The following speakers, themes and thematic issues were discussed at the 5th SADSEM/FES conference: Theme 1: Elections and Conflict: Mapping the SADC election year 2014 Speakers:

•  Miguel de Brito from EISA with a presentation on “Overview on elections and its outcomes in the SADC states”;
•  Mpho Molomo of the University of Botswana with “SADC Election management”;
• Motlamelle Kapa, University of Lesotho: “The Lesotho governance crisis: perspectives for stability”;
• Blessings Chinsinga, University of Malawi: “The Malawi elections: prospects for stability and democracy”; and
• lle Kapa, University of Lesotho: “The Lesotho governance crisis: perspectives for stability”.

Thematic Issues discussed:

• Trends in SADC 2014 election behaviour
• How were emerging conflicts managed by the respective states and by SADC?
• What are the main challenges for managing elections?
• New trends of potential conflicts visible

  Theme 2: Military Interventions and Emerging Threats Speakers:

• Andre Roux, ISS Pretoria: “Interventions in Africa – overview of current affairs”; and
• Gavin Gawthra: “Violent Extremism and Interventions in Africa”.

Thematic Issues discussed:

• Peace Operations trends
• Key lessons in Peace Support Operations (PSOs)
• African and the peacekeeping agenda
• Asymetrical warfare in PSOs
• Case study: FIB in MONUSCO – force enablers
• SADC capabilities for Peace Enforcement / Intervention

  Theme 3: Organised Crime and its impact on democratic governance Speakers:

• Catherine Moat, CDSM: “The State of Organized Crime in SADC”;
• Marc Shaw, The Global Initiative against Transnational Organised Crime: “Unholy alliances: trends of TOC in Southern Africa”; and
• Khalil Goga, Research Consultant: “The impact of trans-national crime networks on governance in Africa’s coastal cities”.

Thematic Issues discussed:

• What are the main areas of Organised Crime in the region (human trafficking, arms, money laundering etc)?
• What are emerging trends of transnational Organised Crime effecting Southern Africa (i.e. increase of drug routes from Latin America to the Southern African costal states)?
• What are the impacts of Organised Crime on the democratic development of the region?
• What are possible fields of intervention to contain the problem?

  Theme 4: A Way forward to policy implementation on Maritime Security (region and beyond) Speakers:

• João Paulo Coelho, CESAB : “SADC Initiative on Maritime Security”; and
• Francis Kornegay, IGD: “IBSAMAR, BRICs and global maritime governance options.

Thematic Issues discussed:

• Identifying challenges and a way forward to regional and continental as well as global approaches to Maritime Security and to develop policy making;
• The challenges for policy making on the micro (coastal communities) and macro level to enhance the maritime security policy framework?; and
• How can policy making be improved?