BY INVITATION ONLY: ISS Seminar, Addis Ababa: The New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States: Bringing Meaningful Change

Date: 2012-05-29 to 2012-05-30

Jointly Organised by the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) Addis Ababa Office and International Alert, Oxfam International

Despite the enormous amount of international aid earmarked for Africa, 33 of the world’s 48 least developed countries (LDCs) are in Africa. UN estimates of progress on the Millennium Development Goals show that Africa is lagging behind the rest of the world in reducing poverty. Studies show that 1.5 billion people live in conflict-affected and so-called ‘fragile’ states. In addition, about 70 per cent of fragile states have experienced conflict since 1989.

Stakeholders, including donor countries, aid agencies and LDCs, held high-level forums about aid effectiveness in February 2003 and March 2005 in Paris, which led to the signing of the Paris Declaration. In September 2008, the Third High-Level Forum in Accra emphasised the need for donors and partner country governments to strengthen national ownership of development. In 2011, participants at the Fourth High-Level Forum held in Busan, South Korea, endorsed the concept of the ‘New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States’, which was developed as part of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, a process involving governments and civil society from donor and fragile countries, along with various international governmental organisations.

The aim of the conference is to explore how the New Deal can influence improvements in the security of people on the ground, and contribute to peaceful development. Most importantly, bringing meaningful change to the lives of people living in conflict-affected countries, less exposure to violence, greater confidence in their safety, access to justice, services and livelihoods, and political freedom and inclusion will be examined from the perspective of the African Union, regional economic communities and member states.

Speakers will include:

• a representative of the AU Commission;
• a representative of the Ethiopian Government;
• a representative of Oxfam International Liaison Office to the AU; and
• a representative of International Alert.

Please note that discussions occur under ISS Rules. Participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed without his/her express permission.