1. The African Union Commission through the Peace and Security Department (PSD) has initiated a Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration Capacity Programme (DDRCP).  The purpose of the DDRCP is to create and strengthen capacities within the AU, its Member States and regional partners, namely the Regional Economic Communities (REC’s) and Regional Mechanisms (RM’s), to support national and regional DDR initiatives. The aim of the AU DDRCP is to develop and strengthen African modalities in DDR by exchanging the knowledge that already exists here in the continent and to reinforce DDR programmes that are being implemented by AU member states and its missions by mobilising the AU regional and continental peace and security infrastructure.  

2. Towards this end, the African Union Commission held two back to back meetings on Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration (DDR) under the umbrella of the AU DDR Capacity programme at the AU from 24 – 29 September 2012. Both meetings were held with the support from the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU), the DDR Unit of the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Office of Rule of Law and Security Institution (DPKO OROLSI) and the Transitional Demobilisation and Reintegration Programme (TDRP) of the World Bank. The two meetings were attended by a total of fifty (50) participants: staff from various AU Departments and AU Missions (AMISOM, Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, The  Comoros, Libya and South Sudan), as well as representatives from Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Mechanisms for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution (RMs) (CEN-SAD, ECCAS, EAC, COMESA, ECOWAS, NARC and EASFCOM), partners and DDR practitioners from various Member States (Cote d’Ivoire, The Comoros, DRC, The Sudan, South Sudan. Rwanda).

3. Both meetings were opened by Dr. Tarek Sharif, the Head of Defense and Security Division, African Union Commission. For the training workshop, additional welcome statements were made by Mr. Bruno Donat Officer-in-Charge, DDR Section, DPKO-OROLSI and Mr.  Anton Baare Senior Stabilisation specialist, TDRP- World Bank. For the validation workshop, welcome remarks were made by Mr. Collin Stewart, Chief of Staff at UNOAU and Mr. Abderrahim Fraiji, TDRP Manager, Post-conflict and Social Development Unit World Bank

 4. These meetings were a build up to start-up a consultation held in February 2012, a meeting held with the RECs and RMs, to conceptualize how the AU security architecture should be engaged to assist DDR processes. This meeting resulted in the designing of a DDR project framework which has been further developed by the Defence and Security division, in consultation with the UN and the TDRP World Bank. This framework has led to the development of the first draft of a three-year DDR programmatic document for 2013-2015, which is now completed.

 5. The training workshop took place from 24 – 26 September, and it introduced participants to the AU Vision for DDR. The training workshop also introduced participants to UN and World Bank approach to DDR, National Ownership and other important principles such as partnership – building, gender best practices, monitoring and evaluation, risk management, effective communication, second generation DDR and psycho-social support.

 6. The objectives of the DDR training was:

1. 1. Familiarisation with the DDR practice and guidance as enshrined in the Integrated DDR Standards and guidance materials used by other partners;
   2. Sharing participants’ practical experience in planning/conducting DDR programmes;
   3. Strengthening the partnership between the AU, REC DDR staff and national DDR counterparts (the course will place a particular emphasis on the areas of cooperation between the AU and national DDR processes as identified during the AU-REC workshop).

 7. The training was offered to participants from Africa whose official function either within the AU and RECs/RMs is relevant to DDR programmes across the continent, as well as some partners. Additionally, members of selected National DDR Commissions were invited to participate in the training as both participants and resource persons, where they gave case studies in order to add their practical experience to the substance of the training. Participants who completed the training received AU certificates of attendance. The development and implementation of an advanced DDR training for relevant African Union, Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms staff (REC/RM) and Member states are among key deliverables of the preparatory phase of the AU DDR capacity programme.

8. The Validation Meeting of the AU DDRCP project document took place from 28 – 29 September also at the AU Commission. This validation workshop was held in order to:

1. 1.  Introduce the first draft of the AU DDR Capacity Programme initiative to the RECs/ RMs and selected Member States;
   2. To seek advice, input and commentary from experts on the activities of the AU DDRCP;
   3. To get an endorsement from the participants for the implementation of the AU DDR capacity programme based on the project document.

 9. The Validation Meeting received a review of the AU DDRCP Start-up consultation that took place in February 2012, and a presentation of the draft AU DDRCP Project Document.  The meeting received comments and inputs from participants on the draft AUDDRCP Project Documents and suggestions on how to improve the document. Suggestions included: Strengthening linkages in the document to include early warning, linkages to civil society, existing African societal resources, arms control and community security as well as  consideration on merging DDR steering committee with the AU-Regions Steering Committee on Small Arms; either the TORs and compositions of the Steering Committee will be modified to reflect the needs of the DDRCP; or a DDR Task Force will be created using many of the same members of the Small Arms Steering Committee. Further inputs are still being received until 7 of October 2012 and thereafter, the final AU DDRCP Project Document will be sent to all participants and partners at the end of October 2012.

 10. The Validation Meeting endorsed the AU DDR Capacity Programme which will be guided by the Project Document revised as per the suggestions provided by the Validation Meeting. This finalised project document will be used as a fundraising tool and will be presented to donors’ later this year, in-order to harness further support in ensuring the implementation of this three year AU DDR Capacity programme (2013-2015). The AU-Regions Steering Committee on Small Arms will be inducted on DDR capacity programme and the consideration to merge the two programmes will be tabled, including revision of their terms of reference. Future annual DDR trainings will be built on the needs of identified from this initial training.

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