BACKGROUND

In many ways, it is the research department that distinguishes the KAIPTC from other peace support training centres in Africa. The creation of this department will provide the link which has hitherto been missing – between conceptual thinking and analysis, and the development of appropriate training at the operational level. 

The name “Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department” reflects an African approach to peace and security as articulated in the Cairo Declaration of 1993 and the subsequent creation of the OAU Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution. Similarly, at the ECOWAS summit of December 1999, agreement was reached on a Protocol for the Establishment of a Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, Peace and Security.

While the name of the research department may be cumbersome, it does provide a broad mandate for research into the full spectrum of multidimensional peace support – from peacemaking to peacekeeping and post-conflict peacebuilding. On the other hand, the potential breadth of the research agenda presents a constant challenge of relevance, and must therefore be tempered by the reality of available human and material resources.  

VISION

To become the pivotal department of KAIPTC; guiding the development of meaningful training courses and educational seminars, whilst also locating the KAIPTC at the centre of West African peace support studies through policy-relevant research and wider dissemination efforts.

MISSION

The mission of the CPMRD is to:

• conduct and facilitate research into and analysis of the principles and practice of  international and regional conflict prevention, management and resolution;
• in order to enhance (West) African contributions to peacemaking, peacekeeping  and peace-building;
• through education and training activities at KAIPTC that are informed by sound policy and doctrine and that meet real regional needs. 

OBJECTIVES

The CPMRD will pursue this mission through: 

• Investigating and analysing the causes and course of conflicts in West Africa and  generating policy options for more effective conflict prevention and resolution;
• Establishing and maintaining a network of researchers, trainers and practitioners engaged in areas of conflict prevention, management and resolution in West Africa.
• Providing a forum for analysis and documentation of emergent lessons from ongoing peace processes;
• Initiating processes to identify clear civilian and military training needs, and engaging in collaborative approaches to meeting these needs;
• Presenting and publishing research findings that are meaningful to policymakers, trainers and practitioners; and
• Providing appropriate and relevant advice and support to course development and presentation by the other departments of the KAIPTC.  

RESEARCH

The research agenda of the CPMRD will evolve over the coming months, with the clarification of ECOWAS priorities and the appointment of additional researchers to the Department. During the start-up phase, however, it is envisaged that the Department will focus on:

• Ongoing processes of peace implementation in Liberia , Côte d' Ivoire and Sierra Leone;
• Cross-border sources/causes of conflict and means of regional conflict resolution in West Africa;
• Managing natural resources (especially oil) to reduce conflict potential in West  Africa;
   Managing cultural diversity in peace processes (including culture and custom vs international norms and instruments);
• The youth factor in [West] African conflicts and peace processes;
• The ‘art' of peacemaking in regional context;
• Comparative DDR experiences and lessons
• Transitions from peacekeeping to peace-building/ transfer of authority
• Human rights, civilian protection and military doctrine for PSO
• Methods of alternative dispute resolution;
• Legal and administrative frameworks in war to peace transitions;
• Trends in the employment and training of civilians for peace missions in West Africa ; and
• Reduction of violence against women and children in West Africa , gender in peacekeeping, trafficking.
• Comparative electoral systems  

In addition to in-house research and writing, the CPMRD welcomes engagement in collaborative research projects with African and international partners.

KAIPTC INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME

Background

The Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC) is a Ghanaian-led regional centre of excellence for peacekeeping training and education. KAIPTC is supported by a number of countries, including the Federal Republic of Germany, and its main “clients” are the Economic Community of West African States, the African Union, and the United Nations. The Centre has a broad research agenda. Past and current work has focused, amongst others, on on-going peace processes and lessons from past peacekeeping operations; regional sources of conflict and experiences in post-conflict peacebuilding; regional conflict prevention strategies; and lessons from DDR experiences.
The Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department (CPMRD) is one of three departments at the Centre. It conducts and facilitates research into the principles and practice of international and regional conflict prevention, management and resolution, in order to enhance African contributions to peacemaking, peacekeeping and peace-building. The Department also engages with (sub-)regional organizations at policy level and provides a forum for analysis and documentation of emerging lessons from ongoing peace processes; generates research findings in support of ongoing policy development for enhancing peace and security in Africa; and contributes to the development of meaningful training and educational courses, seminars and workshops at KAIPTC.
KAIPTC offers internships to graduates and post-graduates from the West African region and abroad. West African Interns benefit from the GTZ sponsored programme, while those from abroad are required to provide for their own subsistence needs while working at KAIPTC.
Interns work under the supervision and guidance of the Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution Department (CPMRD), where they will perform a variety of duties ranging from conducting research and developing training materials to producing documents for publication. Internships are usually three to twelve months in duration, depending on the assignment and the availability of resources. Internships are voluntary, unpaid positions. The goal of the internship programme is to provide interns with an opportunity to learn from the various areas of expertise offered by KAIPTC's staff, as well as the various research projects of the CPMRD. These projects are subject to change based on the work programme of the CPMRD, but an appropriate match will be found that will both challenge and effectively utilize the capabilities that the intern brings to the Centre. Decisions on all internship placements are based on the expertise and personal interests of the intern, as revealed in and derived from resumes, with a view to the mutual benefit of both KAIPTC and the intern.

Benefits to interns

Interns derive many benefits from their work at KAIPTC. Interns at KAIPTC enjoy flexibility. Work at KAIPTC affords interns the opportunity to explore research topics related to their interests and expertise. KAIPTC provides interns with a work station, computer, and access to internet and shared files on the Centre's public domain for the duration of their internship. Interns have access to KAIPTC's Electronic Library, which provides ready access to a variety of sources on conflict resolution and other peace and security related issues, with a particular focus on the African context. KAIPTC will assist in the furtherance of the intern's personal study through the provision of contacts and/or networks where possible. KAIPTC encourages and appreciates the contributions of interns' initiative, creativity, and resourcefulness at all stages of the programme design and development. KAIPTC will provide the intern with a report or letter of reference, as well as a certificate of service, upon the successful completion of the internship. In most instances, interns at KAIPTC will be placed within the CPMRD. However, they are not isolated within the CPMRD. If they wish, a rotational programme can be designed which can lead to service in the Peacekeeping Studies and/or Training departments. Service with KAIPTC will involve both administrative and research tasks.

KAIPTC advisor

For the purpose of providing a comprehensive training experience, each intern will be assigned to a member of the KAIPTC staff who will act as an advisor for that intern. The advisor will co-ordinate the intern's work, supervise efforts, ensure productive use of time, and provide guidance and feedback to the intern.

KAIPTC–GTZ Graduate Internship Programme

Promising young scholars who have recently graduated from any of the ECOWAS countries are now invited to contribute to the CPMRD research agenda by applying for a six-month research internship at KAIPTC. Initially, the scheme will provide for two (2) appointments at any given time. This graduate internship programme is sponsored by a project of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) as part of a broader effort to enhance local and regional expertise at KAIPTC. Successful applicants will receive a stipend that is sufficient to cover travel, medical insurance and basic living expenses for the duration of the placement.

Objectives of the GTZ-sponsored Graduate Internship Programme

The objectives of this programme are three-fold:

1. To provide outstanding young West African graduates with the opportunity to gain relevant work experience, whilst enhancing their professional skills and acquiring practical expertise in the realm of applied policy research on peace and security matters ;
2. To attract to KAIPTC motivated, talented and capable  candidates who, after completing the graduate internship programme, will join a pool of KAIPTC research collaborators and potential training facilitators in the ECOWAS region;
3. To reinforce the institutional network and partnership between GTZ, KAIPTC, and regional universities.

Application Procedure

Applications should be sent via e-mail to Andrews.Atta-Asamoah@kaiptc.org. The letter of application should be accompanied by a CV or resume, and clearly state proposed dates for the internship, as well as specific research interests to be pursued during this period and enclose a writing sample.