ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries Emerging from Conflict

168 Pages·2006·0.88 MB·English

Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination

ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on
African Countries Emerging from
Conflict: The Silent Avant-Garde

United Nations
New York, 2006
NOTE

United Nations Publications
ISBN no. 92-1-104560-6
Sales no. E.06.II.A.2
Copyright © United Nations 2006
All rights reserved

For further information please contact:

United Nations
Department of Economic and Social Affairs
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination,
1 United Nations Plaza, Room DC1-1428,
New York, N.Y. 10017, USA.

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Department of Economic and
Social Affairs.

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The Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat
is a vital interface between global policies in the economic, social and
environmental spheres and national action. The Department works in three main
interlinked areas: (i) it compiles, generates and analyses a wide range of
economic, social and environmental data and information on which Members
States of the United Nations draw to review common problems and to take stock
of policy options; (ii) it facilitates the negotiations of Member States in many
intergovernmental bodies on joint courses of action to address ongoing or
emerging global challenges; and (iii) it advises interested Governments on the
ways and means of translating policy frameworks developed in United Nations
conferences and summits into programmes at the country level and, through
technical assistance, helps build national capabilities.

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Acknowledgements

This report has been commissioned by the Office of ECOSOC Support and
Coordination, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, United Nations, New
York, to Dr. Jochen Prantl, Research Fellow in International Relations, Nuffield
College, University of Oxford. The terms of reference requested to undertake an
independent analysis of the context, background, and practice of the ECOSOC
Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries Emerging from Conflict. The
author was also asked to draw some lessons relevant for the workings of the new
Peacebuilding Commission. Analysis is based on a qualitative assessment of the
groups’ reports and documents, including communication with the countries
concerned and other stakeholders. In addition, the author held a range of
interviews and background talks at UN Headquarters. The views expressed in
this report are the personal views of the author.

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Contents

GLOSSARY.......................................................................................................VI
FOREWORD........................................................................................................1
PREFACE.............................................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................................................5
1. Context.........................................................................................................7
2. Rationale......................................................................................................9
3. Practice.......................................................................................................13
4. Lessons learned..........................................................................................22
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.....................................................................32
I. Chronology.................................................................................................33
II. Reports.............................................................................................................................41
Establishment of an Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African countries emerging
from conflict, Report of the Secretary-General (E/2002/12)...............................42
Report of the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Group on
Guinea-Bissau (E/2003/8)..............................................................................................52
Report of the Economic and Social Council Ad Hoc Advisory Group on
Burundi (E/2004/11).........................................................................................................93
Assessment of the Ad Hoc Advisory Groups of the Economic and Social Council
on African countries emerging from conflict (E/2004/86), Report of the
Secretary-General of 25 June 2004...........................................................................117
Assessment of the Ad Hoc Advisory Groups of the Economic and Social Council
on African countries emerging from conflict (E/2006/64), Report of the
Secretary-General of 8 May 2006.............................................................................136
III. Resolutions and Decisions.......................................................................147
Resolution 2002/1..............................................................................................148
Decision 2002/304.............................................................................................151
Resolution 2003/16............................................................................................152
Decision 2003/311.............................................................................................154
Resolution 2004/59............................................................................................155
IV. Bibliography.............................................................................................159
Books and Articles.............................................................................................159
Internet Sources.................................................................................................160

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Glossary

ADB African Development Bank
AHAG Ad Hoc Advisory Group
AHWG Ad Hoc Working Group
AIDS Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
AU African Union
BWI Bretton Woods Institutions
CPLP Community of Portuguese-Speaking Countries
DDRR Demobilization, Disarmament, Rehabilitation,
and Reintegration
DESA Department of Economic and Social Affairs
DPA Department of Political Affairs
DPKO Department of Peacekeeping Operations
ECHA Executive Committee for Humanitarian Affairs
ECOSOC Economic and Social Council
ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States
EEMF Economic Emergency Management Fund
EU European Union
FAO Food and Agriculture Organization
G-8 Group of Eight
G77 Group of 77
HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus
IFAD International Fund for Agricultural
Development
IFIs International Financial Institutions
ICG International Crisis Group
IMF International Monetary Fund
LDC Least Developed Country
LDCT Least Developed Country Tariff
Nepad New Partnership for Africa’s Development
NGO Non-governmental Organization
OCHA Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian
Affairs
OECD Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development
ONUB United Nations Operations in Burundi
ONUC United Nations Operation in the Congo
PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper
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UNDG United Nations Development Group
UNDP United Nations Development Programme
UNEF United Nations Emergency Force
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
UNOGBIS United Nations Peacebuilding Support Office in
Guinea-Bissau
WFP World Food Programme
WTO World Trade Organization
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ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries Emerging from Conflict
Foreword

The establishment and functioning of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on African
countries emerging from conflict could be considered as one of the key
innovations in the work of the Council since its inception. The Council, through
the creation of these adaptable and country-specific Ad Hoc Advisory Groups for
Guinea-Bissau and Burundi, sought to put into practice the comprehensive
approach to peacebuilding that had been advocated most notably by the
Secretary General in his 1998 report on the Causes of Conflict and the Promotion
of Durable Peace and Sustainable Development in Africa as well as by the
Council itself in its Ministerial Declaration on Africa in 2001.
Working through existing mechanisms, the Council was able to bring its unique
coordination role to bear on peacebuilding and economic and social
reconstruction. In this endeavour, the Groups had strong support at the working
level from the Department of Political Affairs in its capacity as the United
Nations focal point for post-conflict peace-building, the UNDP and the country
teams in Burundi and Guinea-Bissau as well as the Bretton Woods Institutions.
Both the short-lived Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti of 1999 and the Ad Hoc
Advisory Groups on African countries emerging from conflict came on the
agenda of the Council through recommendations from the Security Council and
the General Assembly respectively. It therefore demonstrates that ECOSOC is
seen as an important contributor in addressing the longer-term economic and
social aspects of peacebuilding. While there were some limitations in its work,
including the evolution of the political situation in the countries themselves and
the limited ability of these groups to mobilize resources, the Council’s strong
advocacy for these two countries helped to keep them on the radar screen of the
international community.
Among the achievements of the Groups, the enhanced working relationships
between the Economic and Social Council and the Security Council deserve
specific mention. The two missions of the Group to Guinea-Bissau, jointly with
the Security Council, testify to the high level of coherence reached by the two
bodies in the consideration of the situation in this country. This experience
should remain a reference for ongoing efforts to increase the coherence and
impact of the work of United Nations bodies and entities.
The Groups could not have achieved these results without the dedication of all
their members who have accepted to work differently compared to ‘traditional’
international support arrangements, and without the excellent support of the
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ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Groups on African Countries Emerging from Conflict
Office for ECOSOC Support and Coordination of the Department of Economic
and Social Affairs.
The spirit in which the ECOSOC Ad Hoc Advisory Groups has been working
should continue to inspire United Nations bodies. We hope that the
Peacebuilding Commission will benefit from the experience of the Council’s
initial efforts in supporting countries emerging from conflict and the lessons
learned distilled in this publication. We are proud to have been part of this
“silent avant-garde”.

Ali Hachani
President, Economic and Social Council
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Tunisia to the United Nations

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