Get To Know US

1.     INTRODUCTION

Pan African Consulting Agency (PACA) is a research and consulting agency focusing on policy implementation on the challenges associated with Civil-Military relations, Peace Support, Human Security and Democracy in Africa.

                              

Through research outputs the agency aims to assist clients in understanding the African environment and role players in order to gain a competitive edge.

 

While Africa is seen as a continent with great potential and opportunities after independence, certain continental regions have remained areas of fragile achievements and persistent dangers of state collapse and weak administrations. They have in recent decades been marred by civil war, weakening of civil-military relations and conflict.  Conflicts in the continental regions have not only set states against states, and communities against communities but in some cases, government against their own communities which have also resulted in political turbulence and human tragedy; such as massive deaths, mass populations displacements as well as egregious human rights violations with an direct negative impact on economic development.

 

Most conflicts emanate from poor governance characterized by oppressive regimes, militarization of politics and electoral processes, undermining of constitutional order, corruption, inequitable distribution and competition for resources (natural, social and economic).  Although these conflicts have primarily been within the boundaries of a single state, they have tended to spill into the neighbouring countries, as most boundaries remain porous and peripheral communities’ straddle across borders. Most governments don’t exercise tight control on their frontiers. This sometimes emanates from unilateral actions or suspicions of a neighbouring state supporting rebel factions or terrorist groups. These have resulted in the mass displacement of people, proliferation of small arms and weapons, smuggling, human and drug trafficking and depleting of natural resource without contributing to sustainable development.

 

Because of the volatility of these conflicts, it is often very hard to intervene with certainty or to employ pre-emptive measures to deal with the situations for the protection of the people. Due to the interconnected nature of conflicts, change has always been too fast as instability in one country has always impacted negatively on its neighbours. As a result, these conflicts can no longer be looked at nor studied in isolation.

 

It is also imperative to note that the conflict regions in African have to a considerable degree gone through democratic transitions born out of mediation efforts resulting from peace initiatives orchestrated by regional African institutions such as AU, IGAD, EAC, and SADC. Countries in the regions have now committed themselves to the promotion of sustainable development, security, peace, good governance and democracy.

 

As a result, various economic and political forces in these countries are now advocating for economic and political integration through the various regional frame works and modalities. The resulting defence pacts and protocols are directed at preventing unilateral actions. It is PACA’s strategic view that under these frameworks, African Leaders, their Parliaments and state organs in the various regions need to be sustainable engaged at both regional, national and community levels to strengthen support and promote economic growth, peace building and security oversight on a more sustainable basis.

 

Therefore, PACA have set-up structures to track opportunities, security and conflict dynamics as they unfold and to regularly provide updates on emerging concerns, and the likely impact on the economic, security and stability of the given countries and their neighbours. PACA will also be responsible to link and support the capacity building efforts of various Parliamentary oversight committees in the respective countries.

 

PACA will also offer strategic advice to leaders in their regional forms in order to contribute to the resolution and transformation of these conflicts.

 

PACA therefore positions itself to make a realistic and positive contribution towards the agenda of the African Union and other regional structures.

 

2.     MISSION

Seek to bring about an equitable, peaceful, stable, prosperous and democratic African continent, characterised by balanced civil military affairs in relation to Peace Support and Human Security. Creating a better Africa and contribute to a better and safer Africa in a better world.

 

3.     AIM AND OBJECTIVE

Africa is a continent with a wide range natural resources and investment opportunity, but political and economic under achievements, civil-military disparity and social upheavals are considered the biggest stumbling blocks to the continent being a preferred destination of investment to exploit its natural resources. Social strife, political instability, weak governments and open conflict are some of the factors that discourage investment both from within and outside the continent. Limited inter-continental investment relations between African economies exist because of concerns related to the safety and profitability of ventures where opportunities exist.

 

Despite progress being made in the last few years limited intra-continental relations, political stability, economic predictability and social cohesion are still a mystery to investors. Investors remain sceptical of measure to manage the myriad of risk even in relatively stabilizing countries due to the regional instability systems that impact on the politics, economies, security and social aspects of neighbouring countries. 

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The relevance of information is considered key in the choice of steering Africa to a peaceful environment in which the entire population will enjoy a positive civil – military relationship with regards to all forms of human security.

Most countries on the continent are currently in or will be in a state of reforming how they deal with the political, civil-military, economical, security and investment environments.  This means that the legislative, policy, regulation and enforcement frameworks can be beneficial to those risk takers who are informed and can influence various processes. 

 

4.     CONSULTING AGENDA

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5.     METHODOLOGY

PACA’s research methodology involves

Research – the agency conducts qualitative and quantitative research activities undertaken by various core stakeholders and via affiliated likeminded organizations and government institutions.

Policy development – through research the agency will advise clients on policy related developments that can impact on their ventures.

 

Advocacy – the agency assists clients in order to influence perceptions regarding their various strategic ventures.

Capacity Building – to assist Civil Society and Parliamentary Oversight Committees to understand the dimensions of national security management.  

Seminars - host Seminars and Workshops designed to enhance practitioner skills for targeted audiences.

 

6.     PROJECT GOAL

The overall goal of the project is to contribute towards sustainable development, peace and stability in order to achieve economic development and to ensure Africa as a global player.

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7.     TARGET GROUPS

• Governments in the region

• Donor agency’s

• Business community

• Governmental and non-governmental organisations

• International community,

• Peace and conflict practitioners

 

8.     INSTITUTIONAL ORGANISATION

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A plain definition of civil–military relations is one that relates to the interaction between the armed forces and the rest of society. Therefore, PACA has identified civil–military relations as military security policy, which together with internal and situational/regional security policies as an aspect of national security policy working at both the operational and institutional levels. Military and civilian security policy’s role is in minimising or neutralising “efforts to weaken or destroy the nation by armed forces operating outside its institutional and territorial confines”.

Civil–military relations are situated at the operational level, where it is also a dominant component. By definition, the operational level provides the immediate means to meet security threats. The church as a religious organization is an important role player in the Civil-Military theatre.

 

The key objectives are the following: facilitate engagement for cooperation on defence issues, canvass national opinion on regional defence engagement, foster trans-national defence cooperation in African through dialogue and understanding the influence of military policy on political strategic directions.

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CENTRE FOR PEACE SUPPORT

The Centre for Peace Support embracing the Peace Support Programme will be too involved the total complex activities of human emergencies. As peace support activities are multifunctional operations in which impartial military activities are designed to create a secure environment and to facilitate the efforts of the civilian elements of the mission to create a self-sustaining peace process. Peace Support may include peacekeeping and peace enforcement, as well as conflict prevention, peace-making, peace building, peace enforcement and humanitarian operations.

To achieve this, CPS will focus on conducting research on issues pertaining to political, economic, social, military, security and environmental developments and co-operation on the African continent.

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CENTRE FOR HUMAN SECURITY

PACA research field with regard to Human security will follow the emerging paradigm for understanding global vulnerabilities whose proponents challenge the traditional notion of national security by arguing that the proper referent for security should be a balance of the security of the state versus security of the individual. Human security holds that a people-centered view of security is necessary for national, regional and global stability.

Therefore PACA’s understanding of human security will be a multi-disciplinary understanding of security involving a number of research fields, including development issues, international relations, strategic studies, and human rights.

PACA’s interaction will be aimed to understand what does security means for each individual community and to advice decision makers to formulate good policies.

Based on the above, CHS research fields will include the following.  Firstly, that human security places human rights above all else. Second, the local population must consider a state’s political institutions legitimate. Third, human security operations must work with international organizations, create and enforce common rules, and focus on coordination. Fourth, human security approaches must be bottom-up and decisions must be made in coordination with the local population. Finally, modern conflict does not follow borders thus they must be examined at the regional, rather than the state level.

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9.     ACTIVITIES

In pursuit of the agency’s methodology the following activities will be undertaken:

Field Research Studies – travel to chosen countries to consolidate existing relationship and conduct needs assessment.

Conferences and Advocacy – organize gatherings of academics, policy makers, stakeholders and protagonists from countries and themes of interest.  This will also entail engaging the media and other audiences advocating a Pan Africanist positions on pressing country, regional and continental issues.

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Research Publication – publish research findings on visited countries with the aim to develop country programmes.

Due to the interconnected nature of the geo-politics of the continent/region, the various conflicts, can no longer be looked at and addressed by leaders in isolation and therefore PACA will address the various issues as follows;

• Setup structure to ensure rapid action, preparedness, to find timely consensus by leaders and their parliaments.

• To provide support on an on-going basis with regular security analysis of trends, patterns and occurrences of emerging civil-military matters, socio-economic, security, economic and political activities in the region.

 

This will enable Parliamentary Oversight Committees to demand of their governments, policy statements, timely actions, regional and intercontinental collaborative measures to resolve these problems. This support to Parliamentary Oversight Committees will be vital since most governments in the region don’t usually make much information available to empower oversight bodies such as parliaments to demand of them accountability.

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PACA’s briefs will be of immense value to business communities, diplomats, international actors accredited to these countries, since they do not always have an independent, informative and comprehensive insight into the emerging trends, patterns and occurrences as they are usually treated to a more official version of what the countries of their accreditation want them to know.

Efforts must also be made to empower the middle level government officials in key ministries such as economic development, defence, foreign affairs, Internal and or home affairs, president and prime minister’s offices, police, academia and civil society actors by organizing routine briefing and brain storming sessions on topical issues and unfolding threats in the region.

This will serve to create a climate of free discussion and consensus building on a none-attribution basis. 

This will be of great value since there is usually no regular forum that brings these categories of decision makers to confidently exchange views and information on topical issues and occurrences in the region. This will help them build an in-depth analysis that goes beyond the usual daily media scans and the confidential one-to-one discussions they sometimes hold. These are issues they are expected to write official briefs on for their superiors. In this way, PACA will therefore be able to indirectly influence the decision making and consensus building across government departments.

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The Program Managers of the Civil-Military, Peace Support and Human Security centres will have a direct responsibility with regard to the strategic briefings and quiet lobbying sessions with individual Heads of State and Governments on unfolding threats and regional conflict dynamics. The Program Managers will also assist the Heads of State enrich their perspectives on occurrences, policy choices and implications beyond what their respective security agencies have given them.  This is because, some national security services usually tend to interpret and analyse the occurrences, events and trends according to their national interest and not necessarily in relation to broader regional and international dynamics. But their heads of state and governments are expected to adopt a holistic approach to conflict resolution and problem solving in the regional summits and international foras. 

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There is therefore a need for the Program Manager Peace Support and Human Security to undertake a thorough and regular research and strategic analysis on many dimensions of identifying growth opportunities, the unfolding conflicts and security situations in the region. Once the researches and policy briefing papers are completed, this analysis and strategic advice would be timely availed to the several regional decision makers which can be used as a complementary input for sustainable development, conflict prevention and resolution.

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10.   KEY ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY OF IMPLEMENTATION

-     To undertake Regional Security Assessments on topical issues and occurrences in the various regions of Africa to influence decision making and conflict resolution in the regions;

-     To enable identified parliamentary oversight committees’ demand of their governments, policy statements, timely actions and regional collaborative measures to resolve security threats in the region;

-     To enable other oversight committees to take action of development opportunities to create an economic growth for an enhanced Africa.

-     To share, on an on-going basis, an in-depth, independent and comprehensive analysis and insights relating to the emerging trends, patterns and occurrences in the region with diplomatic core and international actors;  

-     To empower middle level government officials in key ministries such as economic development, defence, foreign affairs, Internal and or home affairs, president and prime minister’s offices, police,  academia and civil society actors through organizing routine briefing and brain storming sessions on topical issues and unfolding threats in the region;

-     To undertake strategic briefings and quiet lobbying sessions with individual Heads of state and Governments on unfolding threats and regional conflict dynamics so as to assist them enrich their perspectives on occurrences, policy choices and implications beyond what their respective security agencies have given them;

-     To establish and maintain a comprehensive data base of trends, patterns and occurrences of emerging socio-economic, civil-military and political conflicts. 

-     To manage the production of PACA publications and to ensure that briefings will be timelessly.

-     To ensure proper capacity building of local and international actors/institutions.

 

11.   APPROACHES

-           Regular and detailed situational analysis and technical reports and policy briefing papers.

-           Advocacy and quiet lobbying

-           Creation of emergency response capacity

 

12.   KEY OUTPUTS

-           Review papers on conflict communication strategy to guide national and regional peace initiatives.

-           Research and print information and communicate all materials data for the different target groups.

-           Policy papers to governments, donor agencies, governmental and non-governmental Organisations and the civil society.

-        African map room with a security information system updated in collaboration with our partner Agencies in the various regions.

-           Public lectures on different aspects of conflicts, security and development in the region.

-           Modules produced to train personnel working with CBO’s and NGO’s in both conflict and post conflict areas in disaster management, emergency response mechanisms, conflict resolution peace building and reconciliation, good governance

 

13.   OPERATIONAL STRATEGY

Current PACA access via direct membership and Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) exists with various organizations.

The operational plan will also cater for an investment vehicle which is seeking Sovereign Government Bonds in order to raise development funds. This forms part of the consulting model structure and will be able to gain access to the financial strategic development plans of a country.

Product Range;

• Raw strategic reports

• Topical reports

• Early warning reports

 

14.   TIME FRAME

The time frame will depend on cooperation agreements

 

15.   FUNDING

Funding is an important element.  The main departure point of the model relied on the provision that the “client” will provide the necessary finances to facilitate the operations. 

 

16.   CONCLUSION

PACA’s structuring clearly addresses the need to deal with the critical issues of Africa’s national interest in order to create a better Africa and contributing to a better and safer Africa in a better world.

PACA is therefore well positioned to contribute to;

• Promote national priorities

• Enhance solidarity and partnership relations

• Influence debates and decisions

• Participate in Peace Support debates and developments

• Facilitate and promote the objectives of the African Union via conferences and workshops

• Advocate Millennium Development Goals

• Contribute to Peace Missions

• Participate in regional and continental Post Conflict Reconstruction

• Address barriers in intra-regional trade

• Influence negotiations regarding SADC, EAC, COMESA and inter

• Address the barriers to regional political integration

• Assist Africa countries in order to fulfil its treaty obligations

• Influence debates and decisions through promotion of Africa’s positions

• Ensuring access to renewable and sustainable source of water and energy

• Promote human development and human security

• To determine the interaction between military and political strategic objectives

• Provide Early Warning

 

                                           Thank you