Contribution of Core Funding to the ISS by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway
Contribution of Core Funding to the ISS by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway has agreed to provide core funding to the Institute for Security Studies in support of the implementation of various programmes at the Institute for a three-year period from 2006 – 2008.
The multi-million Rand core funding agreement will be signed by HE Ove Thorsheim, Ambassador of Norway to South Africa and Dr Jakkie Cilliers, Executive Director of the ISS on Tuesday, 25 April 2006 at 12h00 at the ISS offices in Pretoria.
Members of the media are invited to attend the signing ceremony and photo opportunity (address details at the end of this statement). A light finger lunch will be served afterwards.
Background
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway (MFA) and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) share a common commitment to promote peace and security in Africa as a precondition to poverty reduction and the achievement of sustainable development.
The mission of the ISS and the objectives of the MFA complement one another in regard to peace building, namely to work towards a stable and peaceful Africa characterised by sustainable development, human rights, the rule of law, democracy and collaborative security.
MFA recognises and supports a broad approach to security reflective of the changing nature and origin of threats to human development. This approach, central to the ISS, is reflected by the term human security – which, transcending a narrow focus on traditional state-centric national security concerns - brings additional areas of focus such as human rights, good governance (political and economic), personal and community security (crime), justice, refugee movements and internal displacement, food security, and sustainable livelihoods. If human development is freedom from want (a process widening the range of people’s choices), human security can be understood as the ability to pursue those choices in a safe and equitable environment. Practically this reflects the conviction that African development requires, amongst others, a democratic context and a vibrant civil society.
The international debate on human security issues is an important component of the work of ISS and the Institutes seek to inform the debate with an African perspective. In this sense the long-term goal of the ISS is to establish an African strategic studies institute able to compete and engage with the best internationally on those issues pertinent to continental security issues.
Against the background of these shared objectives and commitments, the MFA has agreed to, subject to Parliamentary appropriations, provide the Institute with core support for the period 2006-2008 in support of the ISS engagement in the region on policy research, capacity building, training and information sharing towards the following Key Result Areas (KRAs):
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KRA 1: To explore and conceptualise criminal business on the African continent, with particular focus on organised crime, corporate crime, money laundering, corruption and terrorism for the purpose of providing independent advice and support to state and non-state actors to develop policy and monitor its implementation in order to reduce the harm of these activities.
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KRA 2: To contribute to making Africa a continent that manages and controls small arms and conventional weapons.
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KRA 3: To strengthen parliamentary control and oversight of defence and security policy, plans and budgets and build transparency on defence and security issues in the region.
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KRA 4: To monitor, analyse and report on regional and continental institutions engaged with the advancement of human security in Africa, to undertake research and to support policy development as appropriate.
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KRA 5: To support the development of criminal justice systems in the region appropriate to the challenges faced by ordinary people regarding crime.
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KRA 6: To serve as an African and international reference source of timely in-depth analysis of threats to human security in Africa, in support of African and international conflict prevention, management and resolution activities.
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KRA 7: To support the development and implementation of conflict prevention and mitigation strategies within Southern Africa rooted in the concept of human security and sensitive to the enhancement of gender issues.
It is also pertinent to take note of assistance from the MFA to the Training for Peace (TfP) in Africa Programme at the Institute. Since 1997, the MFA has provided funding for the ISS/TfP to support the development of needs-driven training packages for peacekeeping capacity-building for the South African Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (SARPCCO). With effect form 2006, this training is also being provided for the East Africa Police Chiefs Cooperation Organisation (EAPCCO). The capacity-building training for SARPCCO and EAPCCO focuses largely on enhancing regional capacity for peace support operations under the mandate of the United Nations, and African Union or the appropriate Regional Economic Community, namely SADC and IGAD. In addition, peace-building training in the areas of HIV/AIDS and Violence Against Women and Children (VAWC) is provided for SARPPCO.
Furthermore, funding from the Ministry also supports policy development, the implementation of regional protocols and arrangements and the development of peace support operations/missions doctrine, particularly in relation to the African Standby Force (ASF), including the East Africa Standby Brigade (EASBRIG). Other areas of engagement supported by funding from the Norwegian Government include research, publications, dissemination, networking and the promotion of African positions and views on thematic issues within the international discourse, with a view to inform policy development in Africa.
Issued by the Institute for Security Studies
Pretoria
24 April 2006
