Development and Cooperation


	Contributions from the Column Books and Media A brief history of Afghanistan Gender aspects: not very integrated Rwanda: a record of genocide Documents: from peacekeeping to development policy New chatroom for North-South topics 12/2004		Documents: from peacekeeping to development policy InWEnt / Development Policy Forum (ed.): Development Policy and the Armed Forces. Summary Report of an international conference organised by InWEnt’s Development Policy Forum and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), Berlin, 14-15 September, 2004 Peacekeeping has long since evolved beyond its traditional role as a monitor of ceasefires, engaging today in such different tasks as assisting political transitions, building institutions, fostering the spread of the rule of law or supporting economic reconstruction. Securing a sustainable peace is increasingly linked to both civil and military crisis management operations. At present, more than a quarter of a million foreign soldiers in more than twenty countries are on such missions – the majority of them legitimised by UN or regional organisations. The conference headlined “Development Policy and the Armed Forces” discussed current issues in a forum free from the constraints of protocol with participants from both the civilian and military sectors. Placing the emphasis on cooperation between the military and development policy actors, it aimed to provide an assessment of the way peace support mission mandates have evolved: what lessons have been learned, where can improvements be made, where are shortcomings found, and how can the cooperative process be shaped? But also: where is the appropriate entry point for development strategy, and where is the appropriate exit point for the military actors? Depending on the situation, different approaches need to be adopted. The conference tried to collate the different kinds of know-how accumulated in various parts of the world. Panel 1 dealt with the experience gained in the Balkans with multilateral troops working within the framework of a UN mandate and the cooperation between the UN, EU and World Bank within the Stability Pact for South-Eastern Europe, Panel 2 was concerned with the stabilisation tasks undertaken by the UN-led troops in Africa and the experience gained there. Panel 3 dealt with African peace missions under regional command – for instance the ECOWAS mission in West Africa – in the context of the increasing importance of the African Union and regional organisations for conflict prevention and crisis management in Africa. Panel 4 looked at the NATO-led and UN-mandated peace mission in Afghanistan. The publication is available in English at http://www.dse.de/ef/military