Fragility, Conflict & Violence Note Series Recovery & Peacebuilding Assessments RATIONALE Introduction Conflict and political turmoil generate a broad range of concerns for recovery. Recognizing the capacity constraints faced by governments in countries emerging from conflict and violence, and that international support is typically fragmented and uncoordinated, an RPBA has four primary purposes: (i) to help governments identify, prioritize, and sequence recovery and peacebuilding activities; (ii) to provide an inclusive process to support political dialogue and stakeholder participation; (iii) to coordinate inter- national support through a joint exercise and monitoring system; and (iv) act as a mechanism that can facilitate early coordination of international support behind these activities. An RPBA provides countries and international actors a plan for addressing the many needs that arise from conflict. Where plans already exist, an RPBA can serve as a harmonizing and coordinating tool for these plans. As such, an RPBA serves to coordinate the work of a wide range of local, national, regional, and international actors and governments. By consolidating the work and plans of these actors into an overarching framework for understanding needs and prioritizing interventions, the RPBA brings the variety of recovery and peacebuilding actors “onto the same page,� helping eliminate variations and divergences in recovery efforts. An RPBA can also serve as the basis for reengagement in countries where conflict has stalled or halted international support. It can bring together the many strands of international support—political, security, humanitarian, development—to offer a more coherent plan for engagement. Conflicts present a complex field of needs, actors and interventions. As an adaptable tool, the RPBA furnishes a strategic assessment and prioritization process that is essential for developing a framework of priority actions to which international partners and national authorities commit, and within which they can align their programs and commit funding. FCV NOTES SERIES – JUNE 2018 As part of the 2008 Joint Declaration on Post-Crisis Assessments and Recovery Planning, the World Bank Group (WBG), the United Nations (UN), and the European Union (EU) have committed to work together to support countries to recover from crisis. In the case of conflict-related crises, this commitment is executed via the mechanism of joint Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessments (RPBA). RPBAs support effective and coordinated reengagement in countries that are emerging from conflict or political crisis. RPBAs offer these countries a standardized and internationally sanctioned approach for identifying the underlying causes and impacts of conflict and crisis, and for developing a strategy to prioritizing recovery and peacebuilding activities based on this analysis. RPBAs include both the assessment of needs and the national prioritization and costing of these needs in an accompanying transitional results matrix (TRM). They can be used for various purposes including influencing political actors to inform and give shape to a political process, galvanize policy changes, and build acceptance to conduct work in areas affected by subnational conflict, among others. RPBAs are undertaken by a range of actors, including national and local government representatives; members of the tripartite agreement, the WBG, UN, and the EU; international and national consultants; representatives of other relevant donor and humanitarian organizations; and members of civil society groups. “The Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment is a joint European Union, United Nations and World Bank approach to assessing and addressing recovery and peacebuilding priorities in a country or region in or emerging from a crisis.� The RPBA Process The process of undertaking an RPBA normally starts with a formal request from government. A scoping mission is organized among participating organizations to define and agree on the scope, approach and methodology for the assessment. While the exact methodology depends on the context, RPBAs typically involve conducting a Risk and Resilience Assessment (RRA) to determine the drivers and impact of conflict; developing consensus on recovery priorities; and articulating a strategy for implementing and financing these. It can conclude with a pledging conference to raise funds for recovery and peace-building efforts, with a Mutual Accountability Framework guiding the implementation phase, or inform larger national plans and visions. FCV NOTES SERIES – JUNE 2018 2 | The RPBA methodology is conducted under the Joint support. Declaration on Post-Crisis Assessments and Recovery Planning signed by the WBG, UN, and EU. The partnership Key Lessons Learned is not limited to the three signatories and invitations can be extended to other relevant organizations. For Every context is different, and there is no single best way instance, the RPBA conducted in Mali involved the Islamic to undertake an RPBA. However, a few key lessons stand Development Bank and the African Development Bank. In out. the case of the Central African Republic, the work was National strategic leadership and ownership of the carried out in close collaboration with bilateral donors process is required from the start. To forge consensus on and humanitarian organizations. critical peacebuilding and recovery priorities it is important to build mechanisms for broader engagement RPBAs can be adapted and implemented to various of a range of stakeholders from the outset. contexts, including national and subnational geographic areas depending on the areas where conflict or political RPBAs should span the humanitarian-development- turmoil occurs. RPBAs have been requested in response peace nexus. Humanitarian, security and political actors to both national conflict (Central African Republic, normally play important roles in the immediate Myanmar) and subnational conflicts (northern Mali, aftermath of conflict, and the strategy should integrate northeast Nigeria, eastern Ukraine). They can be carried and build synergies across the different community. How out quickly in response to urgent needs, or accompany to facilitate implementation should receive early complex peace processes over time. attention, and emphasis should be placed on reaching a good understanding of existing actors and projects that RPBAs have also been carried out following national can support the RPBA’s recommendations. elections and transitions, in response to violent insurgencies, and to help revise national policy Seek clarity on roles and responsibilities. Partnership frameworks for dealing with underlying causes of conflict does not mean that everyone does everything. The EU, and violence. UN and WBG bring different comparative advantages to the table, and the scoping mission should highlight how RPBAs are led by the national government. The WBG, UN, the work could be organized to draw on these EU, and other relevant international and humanitarian differences. organizations provide technical, analytical, and financial P h o t o C Focus on implementation. In addition to identifying a set February of 2017, and was led by the Government of of priorities and sequencing these over time, the RPBA Cameroon with assistance from experts from the should recommend specific institutional arrangements European Union, the United Nations, and the World Bank required to ensure coordination, financing, and Group. implementation of these priorities. A study of lessons At the launch of the assessment, Cameroon faced learned from previous experiences has been conducted multiple challenges: from internal fragility, and a volatile by the tripartite organizations, and is available here. sub-region, to external pressures related to Boko Haram, and conflict in neighboring Central African Republic Institutional structures and resources available (CAR). In addition, a deteriorating economic landscape, climate-related events, and the continued lack of access The Partnership between the EU, UN and WBG is to basic social services had increased food insecurity and managed by a High-Level Advisory Group (HLAG), which disease epidemics. The 2014 drop in oil prices had meets regularly to take stock of ongoing and potential compounded the nation’s macroeconomic crisis, collaboration. Day-to-day collaboration is coordinated by resulting in lower growth rates, and requiring increased a virtual secretariat, which develops guidance, conducts government spending to address the security challenges trainings, and supports the organization of RPBAs, and counter the impact of social services challenges. including scoping missions. Acknowledging that a concerted effort was required to address both structural deficiencies and the direct impact Inside the WBG, the following resources are available: of crises, the Government of Cameroon requested the assistance of the European Union, the United Nations, • An RPBA Core Team (within the FCV Group) can be and the World Bank Group to develop a Recovery and called on to organize scoping missions following a Peace Consolidation (RPC) Strategy for the Northern and request. The team helps resolve roadblocks or East regions of Cameroon. The strategy aimed to combine challenges arising from relations with the partners recovery and development interventions and promote a and with the national government during the more efficient national and international engagement in process. response to the subnational crisis. • The RPBA Support Facility (P162630) provides seed The RPC process focused on the four most affected financing for the scoping stage, and can co-finance regions of Cameroon (Far North, North, Adamawa, and RPBAs once a decision has been made to proceed. East), as they were particularly marginalized and affected • The Global Leads and Experts Team (GLET) comprises by both the impact of crises and pre-existing structural individuals with substantial experience with RPBAs vulnerabilities. The RPC process recognized that reducing and broader conflict engagement. GLET members the risk of instability in the concerned regions and in hold both general and specific technical expertise, other parts of the country, required action at the local, and can assist in the leadership of the RPBA and the national, and international levels. conduct of its various components. It is maintained The RPC process complemented and promoted other by the FCV CCSA. ongoing efforts by the government and international • The OLC RPBA course introduces the RPBA approach, partners to address major development challenges, and and familiarizes participants with RPBA responded to the humanitarian situation in the target methodology, its key aspects and core principles, and regions. Finally, the RPC was developed to align with the dynamics of the process. The course is available budget support programs being developed between the to both World Bank and external experts, and can be government and different partners, and with other key accessed here. ongoing reforms, such as the process of decentralization. • Regular in-person RPBA trainings familiarize staff Central African Republic (2016) [English] working in conflict-affected with the methodology The newly elected Government of CAR requested and build necessary institutional relationships to technical support from the EU, UN and WBG to carry out engage in RPBAs. an RPBA in May 2016. A scoping mission was immediately launched, identifying the prioritization framework of the Recent RPBAs RPBA, its scope and approach. The assessment was carried out over a three-month period, resulting in a Cameroon (2017) [French | English] National Recovery and Peacebuilding Plan that was adapted by the Government and the National Assembly The assessment in Cameroon was launched in the FCV NOTES SERIES – JUNE 2018 4 | and presented for financing during an international Mali (2015) [English] conference in November 2016. The assessment included The Mission d’Evaluation Conjointe (MIEC), in northern detailed recommendations for the implementation and Mali was launched in July 2015, and covered the impact financing mechanisms that would be required, which allowed for the negotiation of a Mutual Accountability of the conflict in the country’s northern region. Framework, design of a monitoring system, and the Significant and unaddressed grievances in the north of establishment of a Secretariat charged with supporting the country had led to severe conflict gripping the region the implementation ahead of the donor’s conference. since 2012. The Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation The RPBA identified urgent needs at $120 per capita, signed by the national government and major armed groups in May 2015, established a joint vision for peace more than twice the actual aid provided in 2012 and and prosperity. It called for the international includes measures aimed at strengthening security, supporting political reconciliation and inclusion and community’s involvement, and requested the African boosting economic recovery. The government adapted Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the World Bank conduct a Joint Assessment Mission in the RPBA as their national plan for recovery and northern Mali to identify immediate recovery and longer- peacebuilding, which was presented at the international donor conference for financing in Brussels in November term development needs and priorities. 2016. The MIEC responded to this request from the international community, and identified needs and → Press Release: World Bank Commits $500 Million to priorities, as well as related costs, to ensure a rapid Help Rebuild the Central African Republic recovery, address poverty and promote development for → Feature Story: The Central African Republic: Breaking these regions to reach the same level of development as the Cycle of Fragility and Conflict the rest of the country within the next 15 years. It also included a review of implementation, financing and Nigeria (2015-2016) [English] monitoring mechanisms required to ensure Under the Nigerian government’s leadership, the WBG, implementation in the high risk operational environment. the United Nations, and EU carried out an RPBA to assess Ukraine (2015) [English | Ukrainian] the needs of the nearly 15 million people in the country’s north-eastern region impacted by Boko Haram violence. In mid-2014, the government of Ukraine requested This included extensive data collection, dialogue and technical assistance and financial support from the stakeholder consultation. The assessment highlighted international community to assess and plan priority three strategic areas of intervention: peacebuilding, recovery and peace building efforts in the conflict- stability and social cohesion; infrastructure and social affected regions of eastern Ukraine. services; and economic recovery. Following a joint EU, UN, and WBG scoping mission to The Government of Nigeria incorporated the findings of Ukraine that took place from September 29 to October 3, the RPBA into its master plan for the North East, the 2014, the mission assessed the county’s recovery and Buhari Plan. In addition, the RPBA transitioned into the peacebuilding needs. The Eastern Ukraine RPBA was North-East Nigeria Recovery and Stabilization Program, launched in October 2014 as a two-stage process. which operationalizes the findings of the RPBA, Considering the continuing conflict, an initial rapid translating it into an effective implementation strategy assessment was done covering areas under government for recovery and peace building across social, economic control. The rapid assessment provides an analytical and and infrastructure recovery, restoration and programmatic baseline for recovery efforts, identifies reconstruction. The program includes an institutional urgent interventions, and provides a basis for scaling up framework for implementation, coordination, quality the responses as needs evolve on the ground. As a result assurance and monitoring and evaluation of the recovery of the RPBA a specialized government agency was program, as well as a plan to mobilize funding. established to implement identified priorities. → Blog: When help can’t wait: stabilization and . recovery in North-East Nigeria For more information, visit us at: https://fcv/ Contact: Asbjorn Haland Wee, Senior Operations Officer, GTFSA FCV Notes are produced by the FCV Group to provide guidance and resources to Bank staff on how to engage in fragile environments. FCV Notes Contact: Caroline Vagneron, Senior Operations Officer, GTFSA P h o t o C