IGAD DROUGHT DISASTER RESILIENCE AND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVE (IDDRSI) CLUSTER APPROACH FOR CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION AND INVESTMENTS TO STRENGTHEN DROUGHT RESILIENCE IN IGAD – REGION 4th IDDRSI PLATFORM STEERING COMMITTEE MEETING AND GENERAL ASSEMBLY, ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA, 25 – 27 MARCH 2015. Draft concept note prepared by the Platform Coordination Unit (PCU) 25-27 March 2015, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 0 Table of Contents 1. BACKGROUND AND REFERENCES TO THE CONCEPT NOTE .................................................................. 2 2. PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPT NOTE ........................................................................................................ 5 3. CONTEXT ............................................................................................................................................... 5 4. RATIONALE ............................................................................................................................................ 6 5. THE CROSS-BORDER CLUSTER APPROACH............................................................................................ 6 6. CROSS-BORDER MACRO-CLUSTERS IN IGAD-REGION........................................................................... 7 7. THE PROCESS OF STRENGTHENING CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION WITHIN THE CLUSTERS ............. 9 8. RISKS, FRAGILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY .............................................................................................. 16 9. BUDGET FOR THE CLUSTER APPROACH ............................................................................................. 17 ANNEX 1: IGAD – CROSS-BORDER CLUSTERS.............................................................................................. 18 ANNEX 2: TASKS TO STRENGTHEN CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION WITHIN THE CLUSTERS ..................... 19 ANNEX 3: COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE IGAD CLUSTER COORDINATION UNIT ...................... 20 ANNEX 4: IGAD-SERVICES WITHIN IDDRSI ................................................................................................. 21 1 1. BACKGROUND AND REFERENCES TO THE CONCEPT NOTE Nairobi-Strategy In the Nairobi Strategy adopted at the Summit on the Horn of Africa Crisis the 9th of September 2011 in Nairobi Heads of State and Government from IGAD and EAC stated: “As we pursue the above strategies in our respective countries, we are cognizant of the fact that the arid lands of the Horn of Africa extends across national boundaries. Indeed, much of the countries in the Horn are under the same climatic zone, and when drought occurs, it affects most, if not all, of these countries concurrently. Thus, it is abundantly clear that close collaboration among the countries in the region will be of essence, if we are to succeed in our shared goal of ending drought emergencies now and in the future”; One of the measures adopted by Heads of State and Government is to “Launch regional projects to address the underlying causes of vulnerability in drought-prone areas and to promote sustainable livelihood practices”. IDDRSI Following the Nairobi Summit’s mandate IGAD concerted with its Member States a the Regional Drought Resilience Strategy IDDRSI, Country Programming Papers and a Regional Programming Paper. In the IDDRSI-Strategy stated: “In addition the CPPs will provide regional and cross-border priorities, which will be introduced in a common Regional Programming Paper (RPP) to guide the programmes to be developed and implemented at the regional level. Both the CPPs and the RPP are fundamental elements of the current IDDRSI Strategy and form integral parts of its action plan and programmes”. In the Regional Programming Paper stated: “While the individual IGAD Member States may have their own specificities (as described in the Member States Country Programme Papers), their dry land areas and drought-prone communities face common challenges and are often interconnected through, inter alia, natural resource sharing, livestock movement, regional trade and trans-boundary human and animal diseases. The RPP highlights the regional dimensions of the drought resilience and sustainability initiative and will be used to guide the development of projects and interventions”. CEWARN-Clusters Based on CEWARN’s Clusters “Karamoja”, “Somali” and “Dikhil” (now clusters 1, 2 and 3), which are used since several years for the “Pastoral Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism”, 2 IDDRSI-Projects are initiating harmonized mutli-sectoral project interventions to foster crossborder cooperation among neighboring countries involved in the clusters. IGAD – Study on the Karamoja Cluster The IGAD Study on Karamoja-Cluster (Sept. 2012, funded by the EU) recommended to treat the Karamoja-Cluster (now denominated Cluster 1) as “ONE REGION” and proposed the elaboration of a “Regional Integrated and Comprehensive Development Plan for the Karamoja Cluster”. Important elements on how to design the process to foster cross-border cooperation among the involved Member States has been considered in the present concept note, especially in defining the main facilitation tasks to be undertaken by the Cluster Coordination Unit. IGAD Ministerial Meeting ON PEACE, SECURITY, AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE KARAMOJA CLUSTER An important IGAD Ministerial Meeting on PEACE, SECURITY, AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE KARAMOJA CLUSTER was held the 14th of October 2013 in Kampala. The meeting was chaired by H.E Hon. Janet K. Museveni as host and was attended by Mr. Joseph Ole Lenku, Cabinet Secretary, Interior and Coordination of National Government, Republic of Kenya; Hon. Benjamin Marial, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of South Sudan; Hon. Omod Obang Olom, State Minister of Federal Affairs, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Hon. Barbara Oundo Nekesa, Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, the Republic of Uganda and Hon. James Baba, State Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Uganda The Ministerial Communiqué stated for the Karamoja Cluster: “Commit IGAD, its' relevant Member States, and non-state actors to facilitate the implementation of innovative solutions identified by the group of experts and endorsed by the Karamoja Cluster Parliamentary caucus. And in this regard, scale up the implementation of these solutions, including through intra-state mechanisms, for example, Country Programming Papers (CPPs), and existing regional frameworks, such as the IGAD Drought Disasters Resilience and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI), Regional Programming Paper (RPP), IGAD Regional HIV/AIDS Partnership Program (IRRAP), and the proposed Regional Integrated and Comprehensive Development Program (RICDP) for the Karamoja Cluster”. “Committed specialized IGAD units, such as the Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN), IGAD Center for Pastoral and Livestock Development (ICPALD), IGAD Security Sector Program (ISSP) and IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Centre (ICPAC), and all IGAD divisions, to align peace and security initiatives with development agenda in the Karamoja Cluster.” 3 The cluster-approach during the Resource Mobilization Process The Drought Resilience and Sustainable Livelihoods Programme (DRSLP funded by AfDB), the Regional Pastoral Livelihoods Resilience Project (RPLRP funded by WB), and the Regional Drought Resilience Fund (RDRF funded by Germany) include border regions as investment areas and support IGAD’s role as a facilitator and service provider for cross-border and regional cooperation. During the Resource Mobilization Process, multiple feasibility studies and appraisal missions included “cross-border clusters” as geographic intervention areas for project investments. Within the project preparation process of the RPLRP, FAO introduced an important note for discussion on “Cluster Approach for Coordinated Cross Border Investment to Enhance Resilience (15 November 2013) which was agreed in its basic concepts by the projects preparation teams of Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda as well as by the representative from South Sudan. Several text passages are captured for the definition and conceptualization of the “cluster-approach” in the present concept note. In the RPLRP Report No: 71634-AFR elaborated by the World Bank stated: “The first phase will particularly embark on cross-country initiatives within the Karamoja cluster. The second phase of the project may add Ethiopia through an additional financing. This would allow additional investments in the Karamoja cluster, which covers Uganda, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan.” In the first planning session in Eldoret, Kenya (29th of June to the 4th of July 2014) to harmonize cross-border project activities between Kenya and Uganda further operationalization was made to implement the RPLRP in the Karamoja-Cluster (now denominated Cluster 1). The aid memoire stated: “The workshop brought together the project preparation teams from Kenya and Uganda, the technical staff from the two countries who work in areas that form the Karamoja Cluster and officials and professional staff from IGAD to discuss and identify priority activities in their respective work plans.” Within the IGAD-KfW feasibility study (January 2014), the cross-border clusters “Dikhil” and “Somali” (now denominated IGAD cluster 2 and 3) were identified as geographic intervention areas for the German funded Regional Drought Resilience Fund (RDRF). The feasibility study stated: “The Phase 1 will target drought resilience building interventions for arid and semi‐arid lowland areas (ASALs) in the Dikhil and Somali Clusters in Djibouti and Ethiopia. Clusters are not necessarily spatial areas with precisely defined boundaries but areas with shared physical, cultural, ethnical and economical characteristics.” 4 2. PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPT NOTE This concept note responses to the Steering Committee Recommendations expressed in the 3rd Meeting held in Khartoum the 16th and 17th of November 2014. The Platform Steering Committee (PSC) recommends: 2- IGAD to produce a concept note for the establishment of units to coordinate activities in the execution of cross border projects being implemented in clusters of the IGAD region such as the Karamoja Cluster 3- Adopt “Management of Cross border Interventions” as the theme for the 2015 General Assembly and consider setting a “Resilience Day” The concept note represents a common understanding among IGAD-Member States, IGAD, Development Partners and other regional Platform Members on how to plan and implement resilience-enhancing investments in cross-border areas of the IGAD – region. It also serves as a technical framework for further resilience and development interventions in cross-border areas. In order to facilitate the necessary dialogue to realize effective investments in a specified transboundary region or ‘cross-border cluster’, communities, governments, civil society organizations, IGAD, and Development Partners will actively participate in this exercise. 3. CONTEXT IDDRSI is the 15-years regional drought resilience strategy approved and adopted by IGAD, IGAD Member States, and Development Partners in the first Meeting of the General Assembly of the Platform for Drought Resilience and Sustainability in Addis Ababa (February 2013). The challenge of IDDRSI is to prevent drought emergencies and enhance resilience of pastoral and agro-pastoral communities in drought prone areas by addressing the underlying causes of chronic and acute vulnerability of the people living in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of the IGAD-Region. Numerous sectoral and multi-sectoral investments within the countries and across the borders are needed for a full geographic and thematic coverage of IDDRSI in IGAD-Region. Resilience investments, programs and projects are embedded in IDDRSI, in the seven Country Programming Papers (CPPs) of IGAD Member States and in the Regional Programming Paper (RPP). Resilience investments are framed along seven Priority Intervention Areas (PIAs): • • • • • • • PIA 1: Natural Resource Management PIA 2: Market Access and Trade PIA 3: Livelihoods Support and Basic Social Services PIA 4: Pastoral Disaster Risk Management, Preparedness and Effective Response PIA 5: Research and Knowledge Management and Technology Transfer PIA 6: Conflict Prevention, Resolution and Peace building PIA 7: Coordination, institutional strengthening, partnerships and resource mobilisation 5 4. RATIONALE In IGAD-Region, drought disasters have a strong regional dimension as they affect people in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) whose mainstay is pastoralism or agro-pastoralism and whose livelihoods are based on the management of common natural resources, trade and social capital that expands beyond national boundaries. Moreover, drought affects hardest those who are already vulnerable to other threats and crises including conflicts. Hence there is a need to consider a range of critical regional issues for effectively enhancing people’s resilience to drought such as social dynamics, resource management, access to markets and trade, and mobility, regional priorities to enhance resilience emerged from the CPPs and the RPP. Pastoralism and agro-pastoralism are the dominant livelihoods systems found in all regions of the ASALs, which cover around 70 % of the IGAD-Region. These lands and the people living therein are not necessarily defined by national or international political-administrative borders. Pastoralism, as a livelihood system, relies on livestock as a source of economic and social wellbeing and on mobility to access water, diverse grazing areas depending on the seasons and markets. For centuries, long before political boundaries were established, pastoralists have been able to mitigate drought and other uncertainties including access to natural resources with mobility and trade as core coping mechanisms. While dryland communities nowadays continue to collaborate across borders to exploit resources, many share similar social institutions and engage in a range of other cross-border activities. Resilience investments need to take these facts into account. 5. THE CROSS-BORDER CLUSTER APPROACH The cross-border cluster approach helps to promote practical roadmaps to foster a dialogue between stakeholders in order to enable the coordination of mutually beneficial investments across borders. The approach will provide a framework for addressing the common context-specific challenges while harnessing the development potential and opportunities across the borders. A typical entry point for identifying a “cluster” are the unifying factors of a geographic area whether physical–space, water and pasture, markets and infrastructure, or more intangible like traditional institutions, common language and social safety nets - , or common challenges such as vulnerability to droughts and conflicts. “Clusters” could be related to the use of common natural resources (e.g. grazing land, water points), common infrastructure (main road and feeder road local markets, internal and cross border trade points), or common services (veterinary and quarantine services, basic social services like health, nutrition and education, etc.). Macro-clusters embracing large geographic areas need to be broken down into smaller microclusters to concentrate investments and activities along livestock routes/corridors with regional significance across international borders or across political-administrative borders within a single country. Criteria to identify micro-clusters follow the same unifying factors and common challenges as them of the macro-cluster, but refer to smaller spaces and will be used for operationalization and precise targeting of specific resilience investment sites. 6 For the purpose of IDDRSI implementation a “cluster” is defined as “a geographic space that cuts across multiple political-administrative units within the country and international borders, where a range of resources, services, cultural values are shared by pastoral and agro-pastoral communities, and in which stakeholders aim to develop and implement coordinated investments to enhance resilience and sustainable development”. This concept note refers exclusively to cross-border clusters, whether macro or micro-clusters, and which involve at least two Member States. The identification and treatments of macro and micro clusters within national borders could be subject of a separate concept note, if the IDDRSI Steering Committee requires. The starting point for the cross-border cluster approach is that there is no cross-border solution, if there is no cross-border dialogue. Stakeholders at multiple levels need to ensure that responsibilities for long-term resilience-promotion are carried out. Moreover, changes on one side of the border can easily have spill over effects, positive or negative on the other side of the border. Since the aim is to enhance resilience of communities on both sides of the border, investments ought to be carefully coordinated in order to optimize the impacts on resilience across the borders. The role of IGAD is in facilitating dialogue and decision making across the borders, and at all levels, coordinating planning and investments to avoid duplication and contradiction, as well as assisting Member States to harmonize their policies and interventions related to resilience strengthening across the borders. 6. CROSS-BORDER MACRO-CLUSTERS IN IGAD-REGION In order to initiate cross-border cooperation on the ground and to ensure that investments are coordinated and sustainable, it is essential to have a clear political commitment and a formal agreement between the countries to be considered for investments and cross-border cooperation. The following three cross-border “Macro-Clusters” are already identified as initial common intervention areas for cross-border cooperation (final denominations of the clusters need to be reviewed and commonly agreed): Cluster 1: Before known under the denomination of “Karamoja – Cluster”. The cluster comprises the following political-administrative units: At the Ethiopian Side: The Woredas Bero and Surma in Bench Maji and Dasenech (Kuraz) and Gnangatom in South Omo At the Kenyan Side: The Counties of Turkana, West Pokot, Samburu and Trans Nzoia At the South Sudanese Side: Kapoeta, Budi County, Ikwoto County, Naia, and Naurus in Eastern Equatioria State At the Ugandan Side: The Districts Kaabong, Moroto, Amuda, Nakapiripirit, Napa, Abim and Kotido in Karamoja-Region. 7 Cluster 2: Before known under the denomination of “Somali – Cluster”. The cluster comprises the following political-administrative units: At the Ethiopian Side: The Woreda Moyale (Liben) in Somali-Region and the Woredas Moyale (Borena), Dillo, Dire, Miyo in Oromia At the Kenyan Side: The counties of Marsabit (Moyale, Borena), Mandera and Wajir At the Somalia Side: geographic coverage to be defined Cluster 3: Before known under the denomination of “Dikhil – Cluster”. The cluster comprises the following political-administrative units: At the Djiboutian side: The District of Dikhil with its prefecture and its sub-prefectures As Eyla and Yoboki; At the Ethiopian side: The Woredas Afambo, Aysaita, Elidar in the Afar-Region, and the Woreda Ayisha in Somali-Region At the Somalia side: geographic coverage to be defined (Please find map in ANNEX 1) Remarks: For the identification of resilience investment sites, cross-border micro-clusters need to be defined within the selected macro-clusters. Different geographic layers like cross-border watersheds, river basins, pastoral routes, pastoralist’s livelihood zones or other bio-physical, topographic, social, ethnical or economic criteria will be commonly defined and mapped through GIS/RS-technologies and participatory spatial analysis. The identified micro-clusters serve to operationalize and precise specific investment sites of projects and programs within the macro-cluster. If there is a need to extend the geographic areas for cross-border cooperation within IDDRSI implementation, clusters could be increased by incorporating additional political-administrative units or by defining new cross-border clusters. Clusters are not necessarily spatial areas with precisely defined boundaries, but areas with shared physical, cultural, ethnical and economical characteristics. Both macro- and micro clusters are in this sense open geographic spaces inter-connected with other territorial clusters and embedded in the broader landscape. The political-administrative units and their jurisdiction with which the chosen geographic layers of a cluster or micro-cluster overlap must be involved to assume their governance mandate. 8 7. THE PROCESS OF STRENGTHENING CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION WITHIN THE CLUSTERS In order to facilitate mutually beneficial cross-border cooperation and cross-border investments, the process will be structured through the following tasks (tasks could be undertaken either simultaneously or subsequent to one another within a specific timeframe): Task 1: Establish an IGAD Cluster Coordination Unit and provide IGAD – Services Purpose: Facilitate the cross-border cooperation process, strengthen stakeholders and provide sector-specific IGAD-Services Main activities: • • • • Identify demands for support and capacity development based on approved projects and programs; Develop proposals for service provision within agreed cross-border cooperation areas in the cluster; Provide IGAD services to the cluster through IGAD’s Divisions (DAE, DEISD, DPS) and IGADSpecialized Centres (ICPAC, ICPALD, CEWARN, IRRAP, ISSP) according to their mandates; Inter-link the regional IGAD Platform Coordination Unit’s programming, knowledge management and capacity development instruments to the cluster; Remarks: A crucial aspect of cross-border cluster-based investments is the facilitation of dialogue among the parties involved across the borders. The main role of IGAD will be in ensuring facilitation of dialogues at all levels and the provision of sector-specific services for regional policy development and technical performance enhancement in the cluster through its Divisions in the Secretariat and its Specialized Centres. The IGAD Cluster Coordination Unit (ICCU) is a decentralized Unit of the Regional Platform Coordination Unit (PCU) and will facilitate these dialogues, provide the mentioned management tools and channel the required sector-specific IGAD – services. The IDDRSI Country Coordinators will facilitate the linkages between the PCU, National IDDRSI Focal Points and the ICCU. (please find graphic overview of the tasks in ANNEX 2, Composition of the Cluster Coordination Unit in ANNEX 3 and IGAD-Services within IDDRSI in ANNEX 4 ) 9 Task 2: Stakeholder and resilience investment mapping to foster coordination, participation, and identify the institutional landscape in the cluster (Who is doing What and Where? - 3-W-Mapping) Purposes: • • • • • Have a detailed overview of the stakeholders and their functions and tasks in the cluster Know the geographic coverage of resilience investments (projects and programs) and their thematic areas (PIAs) Identify the thematic and geographic gaps, which need to be filled through new investments and resource mobilization to improve investments coverage in the Cluster; Have an instrument for multi-stakeholder involvement and coordination Have an instrument for program/project portfolio management Remarks: An analysis will be undertaken to understand the position of each stakeholder (national and local government, NGO/CSOs, private sector, communities, etc.) including the various vulnerable target groups, with a view to associating them to a participative dialogue based on a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of the various stakeholders. Representatives of these stakeholders at regional, national and local levels should be able to represent and articulate the interests and mandates of their groups. They will work across the borders. Involvement of IGAD and national government officials in these dialogues is important to enable local decision-making processes and to resolve political and/or administrative bottlenecks that may arise. Facilitators at local level (e.g. peace committees) could be from public or private sector, or a community leader able to make room for communication respecting the specific circumstances of the situation, but also allowing the voices of those to be heard that are not always present in planning and decision making processes. To give formal and informal institutions a voice is crucial. 10 Task 3: Start to implement approved projects and identify other urgent interventions in the Cluster Purposes: • • • Start harmonized implementation of approved projects/programs at cluster–level; Know the urgencies and priorities of the people, local governments and institutions in the Cluster; Have first inputs for priority investments in the Cluster Main activities: • • • Start implementation of approved projects and programs (e.g. RPLRP, DLRSP, Regional Resilience Fund, etc.) in a harmonized way and across the borders; Convene rapid participative assessment meetings with relevant stakeholder groups to assess priorities for short and long-term term resilience investments and programs; Elaborate project and program proposals to increase resilience investments and for resource mobilization; Task 4: Identify thematic areas for cross-border cooperation and decide on institutional arrangements across the borders Purpose: Have strong and sustainable institutional arrangements for agreed cross-border cooperation areas and investments Main activities: • • Assess through a SWOT – Analysis in which thematic and geographic areas cross-border cooperation is indispensable or has a comparative advantage (e.g. Water Management, Range Land Management, Veterinary Services, trade, infrastructure, value chain and corridor development, protected areas, education, health etc.) Explore with national and local authorities and other stakeholders the options and select the right format for institutional arrangements across the borders (e.g. MoU, crossborder commission, Cluster Development Board (CDB) / Steering Committee among others) Remarks: In some areas there are pre-existing cross-border committees or commissions that can help to bring authorities and people together and serve as a long-term mechanism to make cross-border cooperation sustainable. 11 SWOT Analysis: Analyzing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) in a cluster will be conducted on two levels: that of the community (stakeholders) and that of professionals and local government officials with data and expertise in the field relevant to specified component within the cluster. This will allow for in-depth consideration of the independent views of each group but also how their synergies may provide for win-win, win-lose or lose-lose situations. The analysis should also carefully identify the opportunities and problems that a cross-border approach could potentially raise. A focus on conflict management and peace building (PIA 6) should always be integrated as well as the potential to reinforce the capacities of stakeholders on a local, national and regional level. Task 5: Support local administrations across the borders in planning, supervision and M&E Purpose: Strengthen local administration’s governance skills through learning by doing Main activities: • • • • • Agree with the national level to which extent mandates and competencies on cross-border cooperation are given to the decentralized and local administrations; Bring the local administrations from the involved neighbouring countries together for joint cross-border planning and investment workshops; Guarantee the necessary capacity building on cross-border cooperation; Draw up lessons learned, best practices and guidelines for replication in other border regions; Establish peer groups to supervise and monitor the implementation of the agreed crossborder plans Task 6: Involve and support CSO/NGO and the private sector Purpose: Have a participatory and inclusive development approach Main activities: • • Based on the identified CSO/NGO and private sector present in the Cluster (through the 3 W exercise) convene consultation meetings and agree on how CSO/NGOs and private sector could improve their involvement in the development process of the cluster; Guarantee the necessary capacity building and enabling environment for improved participation of CSO/NGOs and the private sector 12 Task 7: Start spatial analysis and spatial planning through GIS/RS and participatory approaches to identify micro-clusters and long term investment sites Purposes: Have defined micro-clusters and clear investment sites for resilience strenghthening Main activities: • • • • Map and analyze natural resources, infrastructure, services, conflicts and identify agroecological, pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihood zones within the macro-cluster; Break down the “macro-cluster” into smaller geographic areas to identify “micro clusters” based on agreed organizational, socio-economic and environmental criteria; Initiate sectoral and spatial planning exercises at macro and micro level and along the thematic PIAs of the CPPs and RPP by mapping and modeling areas of pastoral grazing, agro-pastoral production, mining, protected areas, urban settlements, etc.) Work out indicative maps to illustrate findings of the spatial planning exercises and for further decision making Remarks: The mapping exercise will be undertaken in close coordination with national and local government officials and target groups (participatory mapping). Firstly, it would draw on existing mapping resources to develop a set of baseline regional maps of geophysical and physical fixed assets (e.g., livestock corridors, water infrastructure, market infrastructure, precipitation patterns, rangeland/soil type) as well as social institutions (e.g., conflict, disease outbreaks, condition of water points, mortality, community organizations, tribe borders, NRM institutions). Macro and micro cluster-specific mapping should be undertaken in order to understand the usage of space and the challenges specific to the context. This will be done by indicating the targeted livestock corridors and sub-national areas where each of the PIAs could be focused across the participating countries. Furthermore, socio-cultural mapping would be undertaken, which would rely heavily on participatory community mapping exercises. As mentioned both macro and micro clusters are open geographic spaces inter-connected and interacting with other territorial clusters or embedded in broader landscapes. 13 Task 8: Start strategic planning and the elaboration of “bankable” cluster investment plans (CIPs) and treat the cluster as “one region” Purpose: Have a common long term strategic resilience and development approach with bankable cluster investment plans at macro and micro cluster level Main activities: • • • • • Prepare first base line document based on desk studies; using the previous assessment and the indicative maps and findings of the spatial planning exercise; Prepare and organize the strategic planning and consultation process involving the key actors of the cluster and national level; Elaborate a first draft of the Integrated Cluster Resilience and Development Strategy (ICRDS) Elaborate Cluster Investments Plans (CIPs) at macro and micro-cluster for discussion and approval by the local and national governments (e.g. Cluster Development Board, crossborder commission or Steering committee - tbd). Continue to elaborate “bankable” projects and programs within the CIPs for further resource mobilization (consider priorities and urgencies of task 3); Remarks: Cluster Investment Plans (CIP) are the main backbone to implement the Integrated Cluster Resilience and Development Strategy (ICRDS). Cluster Investment Plans (CIP) could be composed by specific sectoral or multi-sectoral projects and programs within the macro or micro cluster. Cluster Investment Plans are spatially interconnected to broader landscapes and administratively embedded into political administrative units in both sides of the border. The mapping exercise and facilitation of dialogue would be instrumental in the development of Cluster Investment Plans (CIPs). Investments may be identified as either land-based, market-stimulating, basic service-oriented, or geared to develop and strengthen institutional capacities. Gender, conflict prevention and disaster risk reduction need to be considered in all Cluster Investment Plans, projects and programs as cross-cutting issues. Agree on Desired Results: In order to collaborate and mobilize in an effective manner, it is important to come to an agreement regarding the specific outputs and impacts desired from a cross-border investment. These can be impacts resulting directly from the investments made or through synergies and linkages established with other ongoing projects or initiatives. Negotiate Roadmap: Setting realistic deadlines that include risks and mitigation measures is imperative to avoid inertia and maintain confidence of stakeholders. 14 Evaluate Progress: The evaluation of progress should seek to make sure that projects are sustained and self-maintained and deliver the expected impact. A participatory evaluation process based on indicators developed through the agreement and consensus of the communities is critical. This would require both quantitative and qualitative assessments. IGAD proposed to use for that purpose the tools of Di Monitoring and IGADInfo. Task 9: Apply unified management tools provided by IGAD to manage cross-border Cluster Investment Plans (CIPs) and their programs and projects Purpose: Have an Unified Management System in the cluster Main Components: • • • • • • Di Monitoring for M&E of projects and programs and their specific result-frameworks; IGADInfo (in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the post-2015 agenda of the United Nations) for impact assessment and based on IDDRSI - Result framework; Geo-Data base; GIS/RS for spatial analysis and spatial planning; 3 W and tailor-made profile launcher for project/program portfolio management; Existing and new funding mechansims (e.g. CEWARN-Rapid Response Fund, IGAD-FAO Partnership Community Trust Fund, among others, etc) for fund management in the cluster; Document Management System (DMS) for a web-storage, user-friendly access to studies, assessments, best practices and lessons learned for replication and scaling up. Remarks: All management tools and systems should be adapted to the specific circumstances of the Cluster. Management tools should be linked to the national Member States’ and to the IGAD’s regional management systems. IGAD is mandated by the Steering Committe of the Regional Platform for Drought Resilience and Sustainability to establish a Unified Knowledge Mangement System in the IGAD-Region. This Management System requires to be horizontal and vertical interconnceted at the regional, national and sub-national levels. By using the proposed management tools at the cluster level and expending them to other sub-national areas, systems and sub-systems could be integrated subsequently to achieve a coherent overall management of IDDRSI in the whole IGAD-Region. 15 Task 10: Develop and implement an institutional capacity development plan Purpose: Develop and strengthen individual management skills and institutional capacities of local administrations, local CSOs and NGOs within the cluster aiming at sustainable cross-border cooperation Main activities: • • • Assess the capacity needs of different stakeholders; Develop curricula, training modules and materials for each management tool mentioned in task 9 Organize and implement the training and capacity development process Remarks: Whenever possible the capacity development and training process should be structured through a cascade system together with the national and IGAD levels 8. RISKS, FRAGILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY Risks and fragility: As the indicated cross-border areas are often characterized by institutional fragility (e.g. political instability, environmental hazards such as drought, food insecurity, market volatility, and social friction), and as investments change the nature of the available resources (natural, social, human) and consequently the socio-economic interests around them, the risks of implementing cross-border investments cannot be ignored. There is always the risk of fueling rather than easing conflict across borders. Such circumstances, while they cannot be predicted, need to be well considered in advance and during the implantation process. This relates for example to issues such as who finances the maintenance of a market space, a veterinary service, and who collects the VAT, where is the value added and on which side of the border? Who accrues these benefits and how can they be distributed in a fair manner? Furthermore, by engaging a wide range of stakeholders across political borders, decision-making processes can be easily delayed or stalled when interests, opinions, or priorities differ. These internal and external risks and particularly measures to mitigate them must be carefully considered and discussed among stakeholders in advance and during the implementation process. Planning, flexibility, periodic reassessment, and continuous dialogue can help prevent some of these internal risks. But to accommodate external risks, such as the sudden onset of drought, spread of an invasive disease epidemic and market failure, it may be necessary -for example- to reassess timetables or change meeting locations. The mechanisms in place to sustain the impact of cross-border investments should be flexible and frequently updated in order to prevent, anticipate, absorb, and respond to disasters. Sustainability: The sustainability of, or the self-perpetuation, improvement, mainstreaming, and scaling-up of institutions for cross-border dialogue, land-based projects, market development, basic service provision, and capacity building should be a cross-cutting and underlying theme in any cluster investment plan. 16 The sustainability of these cluster institutions will be dependant to a large extend on the sustainability of the investments made. Ensuring that mechanisms are in place to maintain cluster approach-based investments is integral. An example of such a mechanism would be to collect a small fee at a water point for savings in order to rehabilitate the well every few years when necessary. Such planning would allow for the continued usage of the water point for example without the need for further inputs. This time-component is possible to include in the results framework where the quality of these changes can also be monitored. 9. BUDGET FOR THE CLUSTER APPROACH Expenses for facilitation and IGAD sector-specific services would be covered by IGAD using resources from Member States’ Contributions (core budget) and committed Development Partners’ financial and technical support. Countries involved will bear the costs of social mobilization including travel of national and local stakeholders in order to be able to participate in cluster cooperation and investment processes. The IGAD cluster coordination unit could be established with seconded qualified program officers from involved Member States and/or hired professionals. Budgets from both IGAD and the Member States will need to make provisions for this. 17 ANNEX 1: IGAD – CROSS-BORDER CLUSTERS 18 ANNEX 2: TASKS TO STRENGTHEN CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION WITHIN THE CLUSTERS Spatial analysis and spatial planning CSO/NGO and private sector participation cross-border cooperation areas & institutional arrangements Cluster Investment Plans (CIP) IGAD Cluster Coordination Unit & IGADServices harmonized project implementation Unified Management tools and systems Institutional capacity development plan Support local administrati ons across the borders Stakeholder and resilience investment mapping 19 ANNEX 3: COMPOSITION AND FUNCTIONS OF THE IGAD CLUSTER COORDINATION UNIT Core Functions of the IGAD Cluster Coordination Unit (ICCU) • • • • The IGAD Cluster Coordination Unit (ICCU) is a decentralized Unit of the Regional Platform Coordination Unit (PCU) for the cross-border macro-cluster. The ICCU will facilitate cross-border dialogues and decision making, and provide management support in the field of programming, knowledge management, institutional arrangements and capacity development. The ICCU will channel the required sector-specific IGAD – services from IGAD’s Divisions and IGAD’s Specialized Centers. IDDRSI Country Coordinators will facilitate the linkages between the PCU, IDDRSI National Focal Points, and the ICCU. 20 ANNEX 4: IGAD-SERVICES WITHIN IDDRSI 21
© Copyright 2024