1. Can you briefly introduce yourself and your current role as Co-Chair of the IDDRTG?

My name is Milena Berks and I am working as a senior adviser and researcher at the Bonn International Centre for Conflict Studies (bicc). As of last year, bicc has once more taken over the role of Co-Chair of the IDDRTG with the Cairo International Center for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA). At bicc, I work on a joint project between bicc, the African Union and the Department of peace Operations on “Regional Approaches to Dealing with Armed groups in the Sahel”. My areas of expertise are DDR and Conventional Arms Control. I have worked on those topics in different settings both in mission and non-mission contexts, focusing on research, policy, and training.

2. For those less familiar with the IDDRTG, can you explain its mandate and the core mission of the group?

The IDDRTG is a network of 20 international organizations and training institutes. It was founded by 10 founding members – bicc was one of them – in 2006 and focuses on developing and sharing training materials on DDR. Members are united by a cooperation statement promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing. The group was created to coordinate DDR training efforts globally. It addresses the growing demand for skilled DDR professionals and policymakers. Initial efforts were based on the UN Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS). However, the scope later expanded to include regional guidelines from the EU and AU. Overall, the IDDRTG plays a key role in putting international DDR guidelines into practice. It continues to offer training to build capacity for those in or entering DDR-related roles, including national and international staff. Aside of its members, the IDDRTG has strategic partners that include the African Union (AU), the European Union External Action Service (EEAS), and the United Nations’ Inter-Agency Working Group on DDR (IAWG-DDR), which has developed the IDDRS.

1. What are the current priorities or focus areas for the IDDRTG in 2025?

A strong focus during the past meetings of the group has certainly been to further enhance coordination among members, but also to build stronger partnerships at various levels: regional, international, national and local. Focus of our past two extraordinary meetings was on regional conflict dynamics and how to effectively address those through connecting research, policy and practice. Ownership in this regard is key and the group through its mandate wants to enhance that ownership through capacity building of key DDR actors at various levels. Given the current pressure on multilateral structures in the world which also negatively reflects in funding shortages, members of the group aim to come closer together, support one another to fulfil the mandate.

2. How does the IDDRTG contribute to advancing DDR efforts globally—both in mission and non-mission contexts?

As mentioned before, the key to success is ownership. ‘Buy-in’ is not enough and can be counterproductive at times. It presupposes initial conceptualization elsewhere and now requires adoption. It is much better if concepts are taken and applied locally. One-size-fits-all is not the aim of the IDDRS and as such not the aim of DDR training based on it. Guidance is there to guide, not to prescribe. It is there to be used and to be shaped based on the needs and peculiarities of each unique context. Next to standing DDR courses (basic and advanced), more and more tailor-made training and workshops were pushed forward jointly by members of the IDDRTG. This is a testament to the value of context-specificity while basing one’s activities on well-defined concepts and guidance based on good practices. DDR has evolved over the years and so has training and guidance. The Revised UN Approach to DDR takes into account changing conflict landscapes, new threats to peace, and innovative methods on how to overcome them.  

3. How has the IDDRTG adapted its work to address emerging challenges such as climate-security linkages, urban violence, or youth engagement?

Context analysis and a thorough understanding of the evolving conflict contexts are key to the success of DDR. Through the establishment of the IDDRTG Research Working Group the group established the perspective/aspiration to more strongly integrate research, policy and practice, including training. More and more trainings also involve research expertise to be able to include evidence-based information on emerging conflict trends. Diversifying both trainer and trainee profiles is important to address the various new conflict dynamics. Hence, inclusion of civil society actors is central to understanding youth engagement from the grassroots, including gender dynamics, and how it can benefit DDR processes to engage youth more sustainably.  

The newly established library for DDR trainers and researchers is a key tool to support those in demand with relevant expertise.

1. As you mentioned, the IDDRTG is composed of a diverse set of institutions and organizations. How do you ensure effective collaboration and coherence across such a broad membership?

Certainly, collaboration is stronger among some members and strategic partners than among others. What is important is that all come together on a regular basis, that is during the Quarterly IDDRTG meetings, but more importantly during the annual and extraordinary meetings. For the day-to-day business acting jointly rather than in an isolated fashion is definitely the core philosophy of the group. With scarcer resources this will become even more the mantra.

2. Can you speak to a recent example of successful collaboration between IDDRTG members that had tangible impact on DDR training or policy development?

In 2022, upon request by the Chadian authorities, bicc together with DPO, IOM and the national authorities designed a process to develop a national strategy for the Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation of former members of Boko Haram and ISWAP. This three-year long process involved both training and strategy building workshops involving other training institutions, over ten UN agencies that are part of the Interagency Working Group on DDR, researchers, and civil society. The process has led to the adoption of the national DDRR strategy last year.

1. What role does the IDDRTG play in building the capacity of national and regional actors involved in DDR?

The IDDRTG has been instrumental in building the capacity of national and regional actors. Joint training initiatives ideally kick-start wider coordination and cooperation among key stakeholders. For example, members of the IDDRTG, including bicc, KAIPTC, EMP, and UNITAR, but also strategic partners, such as the African Union and the UN Department of Peace operations organized a training in Ghana in 2021 involving representatives of over 12 DDR Commissions and related institutions from Africa. Since the training, partners, and participants continue to exchange on DDR-related issues in the format of a webinar series. Based on a peer-learning approach, the webinar offers the opportunity for participants to receive guidance from partners and colleagues, share insights on lessons learned, and receive targeted information through external input and discussion. Combining input, peer learning and regular exchange has proven to be an effective measure to strengthen sustainable knowledge transfer and create strong networks that foster successful implementation of DDR processes.

2. How does the group ensure that its training materials remain relevant and reflect evolving dynamics in DDR practice?

As conflicts rapidly evolve, conflict responses and DDR support must stay abreast. The regular updating of training material is therefore essential. Bicc together with UNITAR and the UN Department of Peace Operations have, for instance, developed an online training course on the Revised IDDRS considering new developments in UN DDR Guidance. A similar course also exists for the AU Operational Guidance Notes on DDR. We cordially invite everyone interested to apply: these courses are free of charge and open for enrolment – have a look! Since 2023 the UN Department of Peace Operations through its DDR Section in collaboration with bicc, CCCPA, and the Folke Bernadotte Academy also offers a new course on Community Violence Reduction in Stans, Switzerland. This is a core development/outcome from the Revised IDDRS that offers CVR as a DDR-related tool, which is currently implemented in many mission and non-mission settings across the globe.

3. What efforts are being made to ensure inclusivity, particularly in terms of gender, youth, and local ownership, within training initiatives?

DDR has come a long way, and so have its training initiatives. Gender dimensions of conflict and responses are considered more thoroughly today, than in the past, where DDR and arms control were perceived predominantly as military tasks. The civilian involvement and focus have grown substantially, using a wider notion of security centred on people (human security). DDR efforts have become more inclusive, including a stronger emphasis on persons with disabilities, and gender considerations, but also enhancing the participation of women in both DDR processes, as trainers and DDR staff working in various contexts around the world. Certainly, much more is still to be done, but significant efforts in the right direction have already been made.    

1. What are the main opportunities and challenges you foresee for the IDDRTG in the coming years?

Beyond more challenging conflict settings, protracted conflicts, and greater challenges to solve them, fading support by major powers to multilateral structures is going to have a severe impact also on the work of the group. That goes hand in hand with less investment by member states in civilian crisis management and peace support, dramatically increased military spending and militarization. New technologies will certainly determine how wars are fought and more importantly how they end. This will have an impact on the shape and forms of DDR. Training institutions should strengthen their linkage to research even more to be ahead of the curve and not behind.

2. How can Member States, UN entities, and other stakeholders better support the IDDRTG’s work?

Provide core funding for integrated capacity building initiatives carried out by the group. The group never had joint funding but only funding by individual partners. That includes joint training initiative funds made available to the group, as well as funding for the targeted research initiatives on DDR-related topics. Stronger focus should be placed on impact measurement to clearly identify what works and what does not. Further strengthening unity instead of parallel engagements should be a core prerogative for partners and stakeholders in times of limited resources.

3. What would success look like for the IDDRTG by the end of your term as Co-Chair?

We want to effectively strengthen the integration of research, policy and practice through various engagements of the IDDRTG. This year’s IDDRTG Extraordinary Meeting is going to focus on: “DDR at a Crossroads: Adapting to New Realities in a Transforming Global Landscape” where we hope to take stock of major DDR initiatives and practice of the past and evaluate those critically from different perspective. We hope to reset in a way and define a common roadmap forward with very concrete actions for the IDDRTG in the years to come.

1. What motivates you personally in your work with the IDDRTG?

I find great joy in facilitation and collective learning through training and workshops. Well-planned and executed capacity-building measures leave a mark on you and lead to more effective implementation of policy, strategies, and programming. It is an honor for me to contribute there and get back from fellow colleagues and those participating.

2. Is there a particular moment or achievement in your time with the IDDRTG that stands out to you?

In general, the IDDRTG is a space where we come together as training teams on multiple occasions during the year with various skills, expertise, and talent. This is the great strength of collective and integrated action, which can develop formidable energy and products, in this case, capacity-building efforts of great quality. Years of collaboration create trust and, beyond that, friendship: A recipe for success and a basis for effective joint action in the future.