STIMULATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF STIMULATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORKS TO CIVIL SOCIETY NETWORKS TO

SUPPORT UN STRATEGY SUPPORT UN STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION IMPLEMENTATION

Workshop on:Workshop on:

Building an African Civil Society Network to Support Building an African Civil Society Network to Support the Implementation of the UN Global the Implementation of the UN Global

Counter-Terrorism Strategy Counter-Terrorism Strategy

BYBY

Zebulon Suifon TakwaZebulon Suifon Takwa

Director of Programs, WANEPDirector of Programs, WANEP

Cape Town, South AfricaCape Town, South Africa

WANEP: StrategyWANEP: Strategy Engaging the actorsEngaging the actors Networking and Collaborative approachNetworking and Collaborative approach Building strategic partnerships e.g. Building strategic partnerships e.g. • Partnership with ECOWAS in the “Capacity Partnership with ECOWAS in the “Capacity

Building Programme for Conflict Prevention Building Programme for Conflict Prevention and Good Governance for ECOWAS and and Good Governance for ECOWAS and Civil Society Organisations in West Africa” Civil Society Organisations in West Africa” since 2002.since 2002.

• Focus on operationalising the ECOWAS Focus on operationalising the ECOWAS Early Warning System as laid down in Early Warning System as laid down in protocols (1999; 2001) and enhanced by protocols (1999; 2001) and enhanced by the 2008 Conflict Prevention Framework the 2008 Conflict Prevention Framework DocumentDocument

• ECOWARN (Early Warning System) and ECOWARN (Early Warning System) and reliance on open sources of data collection. reliance on open sources of data collection.

04/19/2304/19/23 West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

RELATIONAL STRUCTURE: RELATIONAL STRUCTURE: WANEP NATIONAL WANEP NATIONAL NETWORKSNETWORKS

RELATIONAL STRUCTURE: RELATIONAL STRUCTURE: WANEP NATIONAL WANEP NATIONAL NETWORKSNETWORKS

19/04/23 3Mali

Niger

Caper Verde

Cameroon

04/19/2304/19/23West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

STRUCTURE OF THE ECOWAS EW SYSTEM (ECOWARN): ROLE OF WANEP

ZONE 1

WANEP Zonal Coordinator (ZC)

ZONE 2

WANEP ZC

ZONE 3

WANEP ZC

ZONE 4

WANEP ZC

GAMBIA

SENEGAL

GUINEA BISAU

CAPE VERDE

BURKINA FASO

COTE D’IVOIRE

MALI

NIGER

LIBERIA

SIERRA LEONE

GUINEA

GHANA

BENIN

TOGO

NIGERIA

CAPITAL BANJUL

CAPITAL OUAGA

CAPITAL MONROVIA

CAPITAL COTONOU

EARLY WARNING DEP’T/WANEP Liaison Officer (temporarily redeployed)

NNCs,FPs

NNCs,FPs

NNCs,FPs

NNCs,FPs

04/19/2304/19/23 West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

Counter Terrorism Counter Terrorism Not directly addressed by WANEP though we Not directly addressed by WANEP though we

look at the structural and proximate causes of look at the structural and proximate causes of violent conflictsviolent conflicts

ECOWAS has dealt with issue as a security ECOWAS has dealt with issue as a security threat following 9/11 and some member states threat following 9/11 and some member states have collaborated with the United States in have collaborated with the United States in waging the war on terror in the Sahel-Sahara waging the war on terror in the Sahel-Sahara beltbelt

The ECOWAS indicators for ECOWARN also The ECOWAS indicators for ECOWARN also focuses on terrorism focuses on terrorism

04/19/2304/19/23 West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

Opportunities for Opportunities for stimultating CSO Networks stimultating CSO Networks

Existing Networks and platforms in West Africa Existing Networks and platforms in West Africa ( WANSED, WANEP, WACSOF, etc); effective ( WANSED, WANEP, WACSOF, etc); effective coordination, capacity enhancement and perhaps coordination, capacity enhancement and perhaps division of labour is the missing link.division of labour is the missing link.

Government-civil society working relations on Government-civil society working relations on security issues improving (at least in some security issues improving (at least in some countries)countries)

Space for, and voice of civil society is available and Space for, and voice of civil society is available and needs to be enhanced. WANEP for instance has needs to be enhanced. WANEP for instance has played a pivotal role in the ECOWARN process and played a pivotal role in the ECOWARN process and is expected to do same in the new phase that is expected to do same in the new phase that focuses on early responsefocuses on early response

ECOWAS’ emphasis on an “ECOWAS of the People” ECOWAS’ emphasis on an “ECOWAS of the People” 04/19/2304/19/23 West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

Challenges Challenges Terrorism as a concept is still a controversial Terrorism as a concept is still a controversial

issue.issue. Terrorism is real; yet discussions around it Terrorism is real; yet discussions around it

remain the preserve of governments and remain the preserve of governments and covert operations associated with it makes the covert operations associated with it makes the space for CSOs narrow.space for CSOs narrow.

Other threats to human security such as Other threats to human security such as dumping of toxic and chemical wastes, dumping of toxic and chemical wastes, ‘deliberate’ environmental damage, medical ‘deliberate’ environmental damage, medical vaccine trials/tests on human beings, etc… vaccine trials/tests on human beings, etc… should they be equated to terrorism?should they be equated to terrorism?

How do we deal with State terrorism or state How do we deal with State terrorism or state sponsored terrorism? sponsored terrorism? 04/19/2304/19/23 West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

WANEP and Policy InfluencingWANEP and Policy InfluencingPolicy

Influencing

International partners

Way Forward Way Forward Build on what exist and avoid Build on what exist and avoid

duplications/unhealthy competition among CSOs. duplications/unhealthy competition among CSOs. Enhance capacity of existing networks to include Enhance capacity of existing networks to include “Counter-terrorism” but avoid the doing “Counter-terrorism” but avoid the doing everything syndrome among CSOseverything syndrome among CSOs

Capitalize on current dynamism and Capitalize on current dynamism and opportunities (West Africa in particular-towards opportunities (West Africa in particular-towards an ECOWAS of the people), other RECs and AU. an ECOWAS of the people), other RECs and AU.

Support Civil Society-State partnerships Support Civil Society-State partnerships Explore ways towards a “preventive approach to Explore ways towards a “preventive approach to

dealing with terrorism” rather than reactivedealing with terrorism” rather than reactive Adopt an inclusive approach and take into Adopt an inclusive approach and take into

consideration the linguistic diversity of Africa consideration the linguistic diversity of Africa (Anglophones, Francophones, Lusophones, etc). (Anglophones, Francophones, Lusophones, etc).

04/19/2304/19/23 West Africa Network for PeacebuildingWest Africa Network for Peacebuilding

Thank you for your kind attention Thank you for your kind attention

WANEP: WANEP: www.wanep.org

Address: Address: wanep@wanep.org

Tel: +233 21775975Tel: +233 21775975

775977 775977

04/19/2304/19/23West Africa Network for West Africa Network for

PeacebuildingPeacebuilding