PSC Interview: Innovative approaches for a dynamic environment
Going digital an early highlight as the PSC Secretariat navigates peace and security challenges.
Recently appointed to head the Peace and Security Council (PSC) Secretariat, Neema Chusi discussed her vision and plans with PSC Report.
What highlights and achievements have you noted since taking office?
I have served as acting head of the PSC Secretariat since April 2020 and have gained valuable experience and learnt lessons in the run-up to and after my official appointment. A key highlight to date has been the Council’s transformation from manual to digital capability in line with improved global ways of working.
This has included the creation of a new application and a digital repository that will enhance our institutional memory and make documentation more easily available. Importantly, this will help the Secretariat to provide crucial information on the Council to any interested party or individual, further strengthening working knowledge of and accessibility to the PSC.
A second highlight has been the rate of implementation of the 2022 annual indicative programme, including emergency situations. We developed a matrix to track the rate of implementation, which indicates to the Secretariat where we are doing our best and where we need to improve.
Notable has been implementation of PSC activities based on its 2022 annual indicative programme
Last year, PSC activity implementation, based on its annual indicative programme, stood at more than 80%. Despite human capacity constraints, the PSC Secretariat was second-best budget-execution performer among the divisions and units in the Political Affairs Peace and Security (PAPS) department. I believe we are doing well but we need to do more.
What challenges have you experienced as leader of this dynamic policymaking unit?
Challenges are many, especially with peace and security efforts on the continent. Working without the member states would be counterproductive, thus ensuring their support is crucial. At times, diplomacy is needed to reach consensus on pertinent issues.
A major hurdle is the Council’s limited budget, which has forced the Secretariat to cut back some PSC activities. Member states have made a commendable effort in recent years to increase the PSC’s budget, but there’s still a shortfall, particularly for activities of PSC sub-committees. However, the Secretariat has secured funding for this from partners that work closely with the PSC.
This ties into another challenge – human resources – as we’re going through a reform period where recruitment is a lengthy process. We have a small team of five, two of whom are seconded. This adds to the capacity challenge as it requires considerable time and training to familiarise seconded staff and volunteers on the demands and sensitivity of our work.
How will you promote peace and security and improve PSC working methods during your tenure?
The peace and security landscape is dynamic and the Council’s constantly changing membership brings in new dynamics. Thus, PSC working methods must follow suit. This has been confirmed by the PSC itself, as every year its members undertake a retreat on working methods to explore possible improvements in light of continental peace and security dynamics.
Crisis prevention is less costly and complicated than post-conflict reconstruction and development
However, that responsibility lies with member states to undertake peer reviews to determine what has been effective and what can be improved. PAPS, well capacitated with human and financial resources, promotes peace and security and maintains a keen interest in PSC working methods.
We would also like to focus on and invest more in peace and security early warning indicators to achieve almost simultaneous early warning, early response and early funding. Early warning should be followed promptly by response through triggering of the requisite PSC Protocol mechanisms, while funding should be enhanced as, ultimately, prevention is less costly and complicated than post-conflict reconstruction and development. More informal meetings should be held on early warning as they are particularly useful platforms for free exchange of views, while forging the way foward.
How will you address the well-documented non-implementation of PSC decisions?
Tracing the implementation of PSC decisions is a challenge, especially where implementing actors are non-cooperative. Although most PSC decisions are implemented, we still face the challenge of data collection from various stakeholders on the implementation of PSC decisions. I believe that more needs to be done, particularly where African Union (AU) and PSC decisions are not implemented. At the moment, the approach to non-implementation is to continuously engage contravening actors.
We would like to improve our engagement with CSOs beyond engagement during field missions
That said, the PSC’s knowledge management team partially addresses the issue as it is directly responsible for tracing the implementation of PSC and AU Assembly peace and security decisions. This then allows the Secretariat to follow up and directly communicate decisions with those concerned. As it is evident that communicating decisions is a further stumbling block to implementation, the Secretariat is officially communicating Council decisions to diplomatic representatives in Addis Ababa.
How do you plan to work with member states, AU departments and organs and civil society?
The Secretariat must remain very dynamic to understand member states’ views and accommodate common African positions. We would like to improve our engagement with civil society organisations (CSOs) because, since its inception in 2004, the Council has held only one consultative meeting between it and CSOs, in 2022.
The PSC usually meets CSOs during field missions, where it liaises with national civic actors in crisis situations. However, this is not enough. In the near future, we would like to increase and expand this engagement to include grassroots groups. A second formal meeting with civil society is set for July 2023 will allow us to expand and improve our engagement, particularly with focal CSO points from the five regions.
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