Day 1: Assessing Peace Operations Doctrine to Address Violent Extremism
Opening Session
Opening Ceremony and Seminar Introduction
Objectives:
- Welcome roundtable participants.
- Provide an opportunity for senior leaders and sponsors to discuss the roundtable’s significance in advancing multilateral solutions to violent extremist threats in Africa
Presented by:
- Undersecretary Jean-Pierre Lacroix,
Undersecretary General for Peace Operations, United Nations - Ambassador Fatima Mohammed,
Permanent Observer of the African Union to the United Nations - Major General Kenneth Ekman,
West Africa Coordination Element Lead, United States Africa Command - Ambassador Martin Kimani,
Executive Director, Center on International Cooperation, New York University - Colonel (ret.) Dan Hampton,
Acting Director, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Moderator:
- Dr. Nate Allen,
Associate Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Program Overview
Objectives:
- Set program expectations.
- Provide an overview of program objectives and content for participants.
- Provide definitions of key terms and an overview of historical and present-day efforts by multilateral institutions in Africa to address the spread of violent extremism.
Presented by:
- Dr. Nate Allen,
Associate Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Session 1
UN and African Peace Support Operation (PSO) Doctrine to Address Violent Extremist Insurgencies
Objectives:
- Discuss the similarities and differences between the doctrines of UN and African-led PSOs that have confronted violent extremist insurgencies.
- Discuss the successes and challenges PSOs sponsored by the UN and African institutions have had in addressing violent extremist threats.
Presented by:
- Major General Cheryl Ann Pearce,
Acting Military Adviser, Department of Peace Operations of the United Nations - Mr. Idriss Mounir Lallali,
Acting Director, African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism, African Union - Ms. Martha Pobee,
Assistant Secretary-General for Africa, United Nations
Moderator:
- Colonel (ret.) Daniel Hampton,
Acting Director, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Session 2
Lessons Learned: Regional Geopolitics and AU Peace Enforcement Operations in Somalia
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the growth and evolution of the violent extremist threat in Somalia.
- Analyze the efforts of the multiple peace enforcement operations undertaken by the AU to address the threat by Al-Shabaab, focusing specifically on the challenges troop contributing countries and the international community have faced in mobilizing and sustaining support for the peace operations.
- Provide recommendations from the experiences of the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and the African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) to inform future potential peace operations to address violent extremism in Somalia and elsewhere.
Presented by:
- Dr. Andre Le Sage,
Director, Sage Research - Lieutenant General (ret.) Diomede Ndegeya,
Former Force Commander, African Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) - Dr. Seth Appiah-Mensah,
Chief Joint Operations Center/Integrated Information Hub, United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia
Moderator:
- Colonel Sean McClure, Senior Military Advisor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Session 3
Lessons Learned: Parallel Peace Operations in the Sahel
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the growth and evolution of the violent extremist threat in the Sahel.
- Discuss the challenges the UN’s Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) and the G5 Sahel Joint Force faced in coordinating their activities with one another, with their respective host countries, and with French forces in response to the violent extremist threat.
- Provide recommendations from the experiences of MINUSMA and the G5 Sahel Joint Force to inform future potential peace operations to address violent extremism.
Presented by:
- HE Kamissa Camara,
Professor of Practice, University of Michigan - General (ret.) Dennis Gyllensporre,
Associate Professor and Researcher at the Department of Political Science at the Swedish Defense - Ambassador Maman Sambou Sidikou,
Senior Adviser on Central Sahel for United States Institute of Peace and Senior Adviser Africa for Center for Civilians in Conflict
Moderator:
- Ambassador Martin Kimani,
New York University
Day 2: Comparing Peace Operations with Other Regional Models and Mechanisms
Session 4
Lessons Learned: Civil-Military Cooperation in the Lake Chad Basin
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the growth and evolution of the violent extremist threat in the Lake Chad Basin.
- Discuss successes and challenges the Multinational Joint Task Force has had in addressing the violent extremist threat in the Lake Chad Basin region, focusing on the integration of MNJTF operations with efforts to stabilize the region and provide humanitarian and development assistance.
- Provide recommendations from the experience of the MNJTF to inform future potential peace operations to address violent extremism.
Presented by:
- Dr. Anouar Boukhars,
Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) - General (ret.) Lucky Irabor,
Former Chief of Defense Staff of Nigeria - Mr. Tikum Njoya,
Director of the Sub-Regional Hub for West and Central Africa, UNDP and Resident Representative of UNDP Senegal
Moderator:
- Dr. Nate Allen,
Associate Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Session 5
Public Expenditure Management in the Security Sector
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the growth and evolution of the violent extremist threat to Coastal West Africa.
- Provide a brief overview of the efforts by regional actors including ECOWAS and the Accra Initiative to coordinate a response to the growing threat.
- Provide recommendations from the experiences of ECOWAS and the Accra Initiative to inform future peace operations to address violent extremism.
Presented by:
- Dr. Amandine Gnanguênon,
Associate Research Fellow, European Council on Foreign Relations - H.E. Ambassador Kinza Jawara-Njai,
Permanent Representative of ECOWAS to the United Nations - Major-General Michael Ayisi Amoah,
Force Commander, Multinational Joint Task Force of the Accra Initiative
Moderator:
- Dr. Anouar Boukhars,
Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Session 6
Roundtable: Assessing Multilateral Mechanisms and Models to Address Violent Extremism
Objectives:
- Assess peace operations in comparison to other forms of regional and multilateral mechanisms sponsored by the AU and the UN to address the spread of violent extremism.
- Discuss how, if, and under what circumstances, UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 2719 might be deployed to address a violent extremist insurgency.
- Discuss how to incorporate lessons learned throughout the roundtable up until that point into a potential mission authorized under UNSCR 2719.
Presented by:
- Mr. Oliver Ulich,
Head of the Performance and Protection Pillar, Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training, United Nations - Mr. Zinurine AlGhali,
Senior Political Coordinator, Africa Union Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations - Ms. Bitania Tadesse,
Policy Specialist for Africa, International Peace Institute
Moderator:
- Ms. Sophie Rutenbar,
Visiting Scholar, New York University Center for International Cooperation
Day 3: Comparing Peace Operations with Bilateral and National Responses
Session 7
Lessons Learned: Comparing UN and Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)-led Efforts to Confront the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF)
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the growth and evolution of the violent extremist threat in the DRC.
- Discuss successes, challenges and lessons learned the from UN’s Force Intervention Brigade (FIB) to address the threat from the ADF in the DRC.
- Compare and contrast FIB operations with those of the Armed Forces of the DRC, which managed to deal the group a decisive defeat.
- Provide recommendations from the experience of the FIB to inform future peace operations.
Presented by:
- Major General Dr. Augustin Mubiayi Mamba,
Director General, College of Advanced Studies of Strategy and Defense, CHESD-DRC - Ms. Leila Zerroughi,
Former Special Representative and Head of the UN Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo - Major General Patrick Dube,
Former Force Commander of United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO)’s Force Intervention Brigade and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM)
Moderator:
- Mr. Herbert Loret, Team Lead, Light Coordination Mechanism, Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training, United Nations
Session 8
Lessons Learned: Comparing Rwandan and SAMIM Efforts to Address Extremism in Mozambique
Objectives:
- Provide an overview of the growth and evolution of the violent extremist threat in northern Mozambique.
- Discuss successes, challenges, and lessons learned from the SADC Mission in Mozambique (SAMIM)
- Compare and contrast SAMIM’s operations in Mozambique with those of the Rwandan Defense Forces, which have stayed after SADC was asked to leave by the government of Mozambique.
- Provide recommendations from the experience of the SAMIM to inform future peace operations.
Presented by:
- Ms. Liesl Louw-Vaudran,
Senior Adviser to African Union, International Crisis Group - HE Ambassador Professor Mpho Molomo,
Former Head of SAMIM and Special Representative to the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense and Security Cooperation - Brigadier General Patrick Karuretwa,
Director of International Military Cooperation, Republic of Rwanda
Moderator:
- Dr. Daisy Muibu,
Assistant Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies
Session 9
Lessons Learned: Group Discussion on Recommendations for Advancing Multilateral Responses to Violent Extremist Threats
Presented by:
- Dr. Nate Allen,
Associate Professor, Africa Center for Strategic Studies - Ms. Sophie Rutenbar,
Visiting Scholar, New York University Center for International Cooperation