Meaning- developing digital skills and culture, embracing technological advancements and integrating them seamlessly into our work processes. It is about leveraging digital tools and platforms to enhance efficiency, foster collaboration, and amplify results.

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Nurturing behavioural science skills and promoting a culture of behavioural insight goes beyond understanding human actions. It is about applying knowledge of human behaviour to design evidence-based strategies and interventions that encourage positive change.

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This VR experience allows you to have access to information and experience testimonies as if you were on the ground yourself. It can help for example, DDR and other practitioners, learn from other context and extract best practices

Victims and their families are at the core of reconciliation. The Special Jurisdiction for Peace (SJP) makes sure that former combatants account for their war crimes. This focus on truth and justice is crucial to ensuring that Colombia never repeats the past.

Episode 3 : “Voice of Reconciliation”

In June, in support of the ongoing regional peace processes in the wake of the M23 resurgence, the MONSCO/DDRS conducted a technical reconnaissance of Rumangabo FARDC camp to identify a suitable site for the pre cantonment of M23 with the participation EACRF (East African Community Regional Force), AVM (Ad Hoc Verification Mechanism) and FARDC (Forces armées de la république démocratique du Congo). As a result, a suitable site was identified within the camp perimeter. MONUSCO technical team is now working on producing the scope of work and bill of quantities that will detail the resource requirement for the construction of a 250 pax tent based transit camp. During the reporting period, DDR HQ continued to consolidate the one time life support ( hygiene, and camping materials), in preparation for the Rumangabo pre-cantonment site in coordination with LSS and DDR Field Teams.

From 25 April to 12 May, the Operational Cell undertook another follow-up mission to South Kivu, eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The objective of this third field mission was to follow-up on contacts established with representatives of Burundian – Forces nationales de libération (FNL) and Résistance pour un état de droit au Burundi (RED Tabara) – and Rwandan – Conseil national pour le renouveau et la démocratie (CNRD) – armed groups, with the support of Congolese civil society organisations. More specifically, the aim was to obtain a list of combatants interested in a repatriation process through the Operational Cell. The Operational Cell confirmed the existence of combatants in South Kivu interested in a potential repatriation. To this end, the Cell obtained a list of 161 combatants from the FNL and RED Tabara, including indications of the weapons in their possession and the number of their dependents. The advance team also registered a dozen Burundian combatants within a Congolese armed group known as UCL.

In complement, an assessment team— composed of the United Nations (DPPA-DPO/CSAD, DPO/OROLSI/DDRS and O-SESG-GL) and the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) — conducted the needs assessment mission from 23 March to 2 April 2023. The mission aimed to assess Uganda, Burundi, and Rwanda’s readiness to receive and effectively reintegrate former combatants of foreign armed groups operating in Eastern DRC against the background of the engagement launched by the CCG Operational Cell and the East African Community (EAC) Regional Force’s deployment. This mission was also a follow-up to the consultations between the Special Envoy and some leaders of the region, notably the President of Burundi. During the assessment, the team met with national authorities, the Resident Coordinators of each country, UN partners in-country namely UNDP and IOM, civil society organizations, as well as ex-combatants and their dependents.

From 3-7 July, DDRS participated in the 4th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum for Regional Cooperation on Stabilization, Peacebuilding and Sustainable Development. The event was held in N’djamena and included a series of side events organized by UN entities, research institutions and donors. In the final Communiqué, state authorities noted the need to address mass exits from terrorist groups (Boko Haram and ISWAP) and enhance community-based reintegration and transitional justice initiatives across the region. Moreover, states reiterated their commitment to enhance the peace, humanitarian and development nexus. The representatives also committed to the preparation and adoption of a Community-Based Reconciliation and Reintegration Policy serving as a foundation for national and/or sub-national reconciliation activities. State authorities also plan on analyzing the role of vigilante groups and other government-affiliated security actors in the region, through the adoption of operational guidelines and actions; and build on existing structures, processes and mechanisms to re-integrate vigilantes and government-affiliated security actors into civilian life (rather than creating new ones). Lastly, representatives emphasized the importance to accelerate efforts at preparing a regional transitional justice framework for the LCB.

In May, the Haitian government, with support from BINUH, completed a series of 11 departmental and community consultations on the security situation in Haiti, marking a step forward in the UN’s efforts to engage communities on critical issues related to violence reduction and weapons proliferation in the face of rising insecurity driven by gangs. These forums helped identify and assess localized root causes of violence in Haiti, while exploring suitable solutions to address recommendations in preparation for the National Action Plan for Disarmament, Dismantlement, Reintegration, and Community Violence Reduction (NAPDDR-CVR)

Since the end of June 2023, an apparent calm has prevailed in the Haitian capital and no confrontations between the protagonists have been reported. Indeed, on 28 June, the leaders of Port-au-Prince’s two main gang coalitions, the G-pèp (Ti Gabriel/Kempès) and the G-9 (Barbecue/Iska), announced a non-aggression truce for 28 June in Cité Soleil and 2 July in Bel-Air respectively, and called on the population to return home.

From 8 to 12 May, DDRS and SSRU jointly conducted a field visit to Bamako, Mali, to (i) facilitate a three-day workshop on the UN new approaches to DDR and SSR and (ii) meet with relevant MINUSMA components. DSRSG Noudehou opened the workshop. DDRS presented the draft module on Armed Groups Designated as Terrorist Organizations (AGDTOs) to sensitize participants on the need to ensure that DDR support remains fit for purpose in contemporary conflicts. Over 60 participants attended the workshop, including senior representatives from the National DDR, Integration, and SSR Committees, relevant line ministries and MINUSMA components.

World-Bank-funded project for the reintegration of 900 women associated with armed groups commenced registration on 29 May and ended on 2 June. The beneficiaries of the programme include women associated with the Mouvement de l’Inclusivité. MINUSMA provided logistical, operational, technical and security support for this activity. While the World Bank had extended this project until end of December 2023, the same has at the moment been halted. 

On 30 June 2023 and at the request of the Malian Transitional Government, the Security Council through Resolution 2690, unanimously decided to terminate the mandate of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA), ceasing its operations, effective 30 June 2023, transferring its tasks and fully withdrawing its personnel by 31 December 2023.

On 13 July,  Permanent Mission of the Republic of Mali to the UN, during a meeting to exchange on potential support to Mali in light of MINUSMA’s withdrawal, highlighted the centrality of DDR for the successful implementation of the 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement and indicated the need for continued UN support. While current efforts are focused on MINUSMA’s withdrawal, the Malian delegation demonstrated overall openness to future discussions with the DDR section. 

The withdrawal of MINUSMA has negatively affected the EU’s outlook on Mali, as expressed during a meeting of the DDRS with the Integrated approach for Security and Peace Directorate of the External Action Service of the EU to provide an update on Mali. Concerns were voiced during the meeting about the spillover to the Sahel region overall, potential long-term effects on EU presence and security situation degradation in areas like border management, ministerial administration, and interior ministry support.   

On 24 July, DDRS met with MINUSMA DDR/SSR personnel to discuss navigating the uncertainty surrounding the Mission’s withdrawal and to identify support including future employment opportunities. It is expected that the majority of MINUSMA internationally recruited staff will no longer be working in the mission which will be closed on 31 December 2023. 

Between 2-4 August, a high-level Roundtable with the transitional authorities of Mali, MINUSMA the UNCT, took place in Bamako (including ECOWAS, UNOWAS and EUCAP) to assess whether and where UN support would be required in a post-MINUSMA context.

On 16 August, the DDRS chaired an extraordinary IAWG focusing on DDR efforts in a post-MINUSMA context, seeing the participation of member AFPs as well as EU-EEAS among other entities. The meeting updated the members on the situation in Mali and explored entry points as these relate to the potential absorption and capacity thereof of DDR/CVR programmatic activities by relevant AFPs in Mali.

The Secretary-General issued a letter to the UN Security Council on the articulated plan of MINUSMA’s withdrawal -particularly pertaining to the transfer of tasks, whereby, based on the request of the Malian government, DDRS could continue to provide support to the Malian people through the continuity of the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process via AFPs in conjunction with whichever monitoring mechanism the Parties may settle on.