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United NationsDepartment of Peacekeeping OperationsOffice of Rule of Law and Security InstitutionsDisarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) Section

The UN Security Council is increasingly mandating peacekeeping operations and special political missions to support Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) processes. To adapt to the evolving contexts in which DDR programmes are sought, peacekeeping operations are increasingly applying Second Generation practices, such as Community Violence Reduction (CVR) efforts, in areas where conflict is ongoing and/or where no ceasefire or peace agreement has been signed. This often makes DDR Officers the first UN staff deployed on the ground with the mandate and expertise to engage directly with armed groups - an engagement that they will maintain throughout the negotiation and implementation phases of a political agreement.

In these contexts, DDR Officers are called upon to provide advice on how to engage with armed groups and ultimately contribute to the attainment of an agreement with them. As members of mediation support teams or mission staff in an advisory role to the SRSG or DSRSGs, DDR Officers are providing insights into the interests and positions of armed groups, drafting DDR provisions of the ceasefire or political agreement and making proposals on the design and implementation of DDR programmes. Their advice has been identified as key to UN Senior Mission leadership in many missions, as they are in a unique position to ensure that implementable and realistic provisions on DDR-related issues are included in the agreement prior to its endorsement by the parties to the conflict.

The role of DDR staff in peace negotiations is a reflection of the conceptual change that the DDR field is undergoing – from implementation to more strategic interventions that start before a peace agreement is reached. New approaches to DDR are aiming at incentivizing members of armed groups to cease violent and illegal activities, through different types of programmes that go beyond a “traditional” DDR approach, including second generation DDR practices, community violence reduction and interim stabilization measures.

What role does DDR play in mediation processes?1

MINUSCA engages members of armed groups in discussions following a conflict between ex-Séléka factions in August 2014 (Photo: MINUSCA)

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Over the past years, the demand for DDR staff in mediation processes, both at senior and working levels has constantly increased.

Examples of operational DDR support to mediation processesWhat role does DDR play in mediation processes?

Mali

The Deputy Chief of the MINUSMA DDR Section was part of the UN mediation support team at the political negotiations in Algiers from July 2014 to May 2015. In this role, he was providing technical expertise in consultation with the senior DDR management team in Bamako to the thematic group discussions on defence and security issues, in particular on cantonment and links to SSR.

Darfur

The Chief of the UNAMID DDR Section is part of the UN/AU Joint Mediation Team mandated to seek a peaceful settlement to the conflict in Darfur. He participated in the Abuja peace talks that led to the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) and the Doha talks that yielded the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (DDPD). In both cases, he advised the joint chief mediator on issues regarding the cessation of hostilities, ceasefire mechanisms and DDR, while also providing technical assistance to the parties such as capacity building and negotiation support.

Joint Commission for the Doha Document for Peace in Darfur (Photo: UNAMID)

MINUSMA organizing a workshop on DDR (Photo: MINUSMA)

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Central African Republic

The Chief of the MINUSCA DDR Section was one of the key experts on the international mediation support team at the Bangui Forum in May 2015, which ended with the signature of a DDR agreement, a milestone in the CAR peace process. The DDR agreement is complemented by the cessation of hostilities agreement signed between the ex-Séléka and anti-Balaka in Brazzaville in July 2014 and negotiated with support from a DDR expert.

Yemen

A DDR expert was deployed to support the UN-led ceasefire negotiations between President Abdurabu Hadi and the Houthi movement’s political faction. The negotiations resulted in the signature of the Peace and National Partnership Agreement in September 2014.

Colombia

Drawing from lessons learned from UN supported DDR and peace processes, the OROLSI DDR Section has briefed Colombian Government officials, including the Defence Minister and the High Commissioner for Peace, on DDR and related issues.

Leaders of armed groups in the Central African agree to end fighting (Photo: MINUSCA)

National Dialogue Conference in Yemen facilitated by the United Nations (Photo: O/SESG for Yemen)

UN representative at the peace talks in Havana (Photo: Mesa de Conversaciones)

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3.1. Direct support through the deployment of experts, who can provide on-site advice to the mediators on strategic and operational implications of modalities to be agreed on with armed groups; secretarial assistance, such as drafting of DDR-related clauses of agreement; and advice on how to negotiate with armed groups in a certain context based on lessons learned from previous engagements.

3.2. Substantive desk-based support for the mediation process, through mappings of armed groups and analyses of their internal dynamics, compositions, as well as best practices from previous agreements, DDR and community violence reduction processes.

The DDR support to mediation processes comprises three types of activities that can be undertaken before, during and after the mediation process:

3.3. Support activities for the parties, which can include capacity building for negotiations through regular meetings and workshops with representatives of armed groups before, during and after the negotiations, to strengthen their ability to clearly formulate positions and interests. The goal is to increase the chances for a successful outcome of the negotiations by advising the parties how to articulate what they hope to achieve in the negotiation, and increasing their buy-in in the process.

Three key areas of DDR support to mediation processes

4As of 1 December 2014, 360 DDR Officers were deployed to peacekeeping and special political missions, with diverse professional profiles and extensive experience negotiating with armed groups in some of the most challenging contexts the United Nations is working in, such as Sudan, Haiti, Côte d’Ivoire and Liberia. Their expertise is also open to missions and offices without a DDR mandate.

In missions with a DDR Section, a DDR Officer may be temporarily seconded to another section or organization, leading the international mediation efforts. This may be the Office of the SRSG, the Office of the DSRSG or the Political Affairs Section. In addition, DDR staff with specific mediation expertise can be deployed on temporary duty from another mission for the duration of the mediation processes.

Missions or offices without a DDR Section can send their request to the DDR Section in the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Office of Rule of Law and Security Institutions, which can assist in identifying DDR staff to be deployed on a temporary or longer-term basis to assist in the mediation process.

How to request DDR support to mediation efforts

Contact:

DDR Section, UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations, OROLSI, New York: Simon Yazgi, Chief, DDR Section: yazgi@un.org Silke Rusch, DDR Officer: rusch@un.org

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Photo: ONUCI

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• Dudouet, Veronique: Demobilisation and Disarmament in Peace Processes, Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre, 2012

• Haspeslagh, Sophie, Yousuf, Zahbia (ed.): Local Engagement with Armed Groups by Conciliation Resources, Accord Insight 2, 2015

• Hottinger, Julian: Engaging Non-state Armed Groups in Disarmament, 2008

• Ong, Kelvin: Managing Fighting Forces, DDR in Peace Processes, USIP, 2012

• Whitfield, Theresa: Engaging with Armed Groups, Dilemmas & Options for Mediators, HD Centre, 2010

• United Nations: Guidance for Effective Mediation, 2012

• United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations: Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration

• United Nations Department of Political Affairs: Mediation Support

Resources

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