Restoration and Extension of State Authority

Where in the Annual Work plan of Civil Affairs 2012/13 support to restoration of state authority, support to capacity building of civil society and conflict resolution were separate pillars, it was realized that they are interdependent activities and should be amalgamated into one, in particular because focus will shift towards inter and intra dialogue of the development partners. However the pillar is divided into three activities:

 
1.     Development of a Territorial Administration Guide for the territorial levels and capacity building;
2.     Risk analysis and planning for reconstruction; conflict resolution and reconciliation;
3.     Development dialogue between civil society and (local) government.
 
 
Further to the President’s inaugural speech in November 2011, to establish a territorial administration, Civil Affairs supports the Direction d’Etudes et de Planification (DEP) of the Ministry of Interior, Security, Decentralization and Customary Affairs (MOI) to produce a “Guide for Territorial Authorities” (Guide à l’usage des autorités territoriales) to revitalize capacity-building and training for the territorial administration. The Guide focuses on (i) Defining territorial activities; (ii) Responsibilities of local administration (iii) Management tools and skill training; and (iv)  Monitoring and Evaluation of territorial actions. Civil Affairs will also support the MOI to introduce the Guide and provide training at territorial level.
 
 
Civil Affairs is developing a GIS map, which presents the actual distribution of community conflicts and their intensity and risk per province. At present 1,258 community conflicts have been identified of which 169 may become a threat to national security. It is precisely those risky areas which the Government and development partners need to prioritize and target for stabilization and peace consolidation activities. Conflicts are related to land ownership (39%), control of traditional/customary power (37%), control of natural resources (9%), ethnicity (8%) and politico-administrative rivalries (7%).
 
Civil Affairs supports the Ministry of Interior and facilitates provincial committees to identify hot spots and their root causes and prioritize reconstruction efforts.  In those places, Civil Affairs will support (I4S)-STAREC and the Peace Consolidation Programme (PCP) to facilitate the development dialogue between communities and the State. This is carried out using an area‐based, demand-driven and participatory approach, with special consideration for gender and vulnerable populations, to address the root causes of conflict.
 
Civil Affairs will also continue to support conflict resolution through local government and civil society representatives in selected hot spots at the local level. Civil Affairs will support partners to assist in providing capacity-building for chiefs and community leaders to strengthen (existing) conflict resolution structures and mechanisms, i.e. Local Conciliation Committees (LCCs) and the establishment of early-warning and early-response systems.
 
Civil Affairs supports the UNDP UNV programme in areas where the agency has no representation. Civil Affairs will supervise National UNVs as local advisers in six provinces to assist local authorities of the Ministry of Planning to carry out the restoration (and extension) of State authority activities.
 
 
Civil Affairs supports the development of civil society as a watchdog of the Government and development partners, as shown during the first National Symposium (2009) that established a Civil Society Charter and a development strategy. Civil Affairs supports civil society restructuring to bring it in line with the Government PRSP Thematic Groups to enhance the development dialogue. A second National Forum is expected to institutionalize civil society reform and appoint permanent institutions to improve popular representation. Civil Affairs will continue to support civil society so that it can represent the population in the national dialogue to further the agenda of the Peace, Security and Cooperation Framework. Civil Affairs will also assist civil society to establish an Advisory Committee to meet development partners to increase involvement in development matters and focus on gender issues. MONUSCO, UNCT and the Civil Society Advisory Committee meet quarterly at the level of the DSRSG.