Cross-border regional peace enhancement and trade extension (create)

Target Beneficiaries

VOPA has conducted Dissemination of Peace dialogues along the Kenya –Ethiopia border between Garre and Degodia, the event reached approx. 1500 people

CPMR/EWER trainings for cross border local authorities and community members were held, formation and training of cross border communities.

Organised a forum for business/private sector and local authorities, the target participants were drawn from state and non-state actors, business/private communities community leaders, women, youth, community elders, People with Disability, minority communities, county and national government representatives.

Context

Governance issues and politics have emerged as a new frontier for conflict in Mandera County. Issues of political representation and service delivery have emerged as some of the key impediments to peace in the County.

Decentralization of governance in Kenya’s 2010 Constitution has made devolution more amplified, and resulted in competition between the clans, each trying to outdo the other in the competition for the resources that are devolved from the National Government to the County.

The political temperature in Mandera is quite high. The negotiated democracy that privileged many people to easily get in to power is no longer accepted by the community as it as unconstitutional, biased and unfair process that limits the rights of marginalized groups in the society.

Objective (s)

The project aimed to strengthen inter-authority/community relationship to improve cross border peace and security and enhance cross border cooperation and governance. The project leveraged on the influence and capacities of the existing structures and indigenous institutions to re-energize the peace building initiatives within the region and foster a neutral institution which conforms to community expectation.

Methodological Approach

The methodological approach used was participatory, dialogue based, and inclusive of stakeholders of varying levels, aimed to enhance cross-border trade and sustainable peace through strengthening Early Warning Early Response Mechanism (EWER) and capacity building of both communities and local authorities on Conflict Prevention, Mitigation and Response (CPMR) and participatory social reconciliation skills.

VOPA has consistently mainstreamed gender issues in its implementation. VOPA has deliberately designed its program in a way that it is gender responsive and has identified women as a vulnerable group. In all activities it ensured gender balance is maintained to include women, youth and other vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities.

Results

The project results included reaching more key stakeholders to strategically implement the cross-border peace initiative and promote cross border cooperation and social cohesion.

The process served as awareness raising to enhance deeper consultations with the wider community in the region through the process of capacity enhancement on cross-border conflict management.

Promoted the transformative business of shared intelligence and information for the mutual benefit of improved cross border community safety and security. Main results summed up include:

• Strengthened Institutional/Community Capacities to mitigate cross border conflicts
• Improved inter-authority relationship and restoration of cross border peace and stability.
• Improved Economic development through cross border trade

Impact

Missing

Success Factors

• Close engagement with the local authorities for coordination purpose and to update the government officials on the project strategy to avoid overlapping and duplication of activities by non-state actors registered good results for VOPA
• All project interventions involved members of the County and Sub County Security Intelligence Committees and County Government officers and cross border local authorities. Interventions were inclusive and respected the different levels of authorities ensuring success in the interventions

Constraints

The constraints and challenges posed by an already tense context and environment. Some notable constraints included:

• Communities traumatized by ravaging drought that affected livelihoods is desperate ways
• The lead up to the election made the environment very tense as the outcome was unknown
• Fear of AS attacks and other terrorist threats are prevailing concerns
• Some local communities have a lot of information, but they fear to share with the security agents
• There is some mistrust between the local authorities and communities, and more work is needed to build these relations

Sustainability

Sharing of information and networking among the cross border local authorities proved to be a good way to ensure plans and activities were understood and that there was buy in

Regular meetings to address issues as they arise and follow ups, reduced issues remaining unresolved for a long time

Strengthened coordination with the security team

Community training to ensure members are vigilant and share intelligent information regarding terror attacks

Revitalization of the nyumba kumi initiative ‘to know your neighbor’, and build close community ties

Monitor conflict early warning indicators and respond immediately by using the local peace committee and administration

Replicability

Peace dialogues was a very successful methodology/ tool used and can be applied in the different communities

Sharing of success stories to be used by local authorities to bring awareness of the issues in the region but also how they can be resolved