As part of the ISS/TfP engagements with the African Union (AU), ISS/TfP at the request of the AU Crisis Management, Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development (CMPCRD) Division at the Peace and Security Department (PSD) at the AUC provided support to the development and implementation of the Division’s five-year work plan. The workshop was thus developed as a means to provide clear and commission-wide direction that will enable the AU Commission (AUC) to more effectively develop its plans and implement in a realistic and tangible manner. The focus was dual: to provide necessary support to the work plan regarding the different pillars as present in the 2006 PCRD policy; to develop draft work will plan on the crisis management, mediation and mediation support unit aspects of CMPCRD. ISS was represented by Annette Leijenaar (PCRD) and Gustavo de Carvalho (Crisis Management and MSU).
Julian Brett served as a consultant for the process, funded by ISS, being the main facilitator of the process. The process also received critical support and leadership from Linda Darkwa, TfP coordinator in Addis. The meeting brought together participants from the different AUC departments, including CMPCRD, PSD, programme management team (PMT), DPA, Department of Social Affairs, PSOD, Office Special Envoy on Women, Peace and Security; Bureau of the chairperson; Bureau of the deputy chairperson. Dr Sarjoh Bah, Head of CMPCRD, highlighted the steps to follow during his closing remarks which includes having a draft work plan finalised by the end of April to developing a resource mobilisation plan that should address the resource gaps. He concluded with the following statement: I would like to express my gratitude to the TfP partners – ISS, ACCORD and NUPI – as they have provided and gave their support to PCRD and MSU. Cooperation between CMPCRD and ISS is growing stronger, and on behalf of Acting Head, Mr Kambudzi we would like to express our gratitude to them.