Asia-Pacific Regional Initiative

Civil-Military

Peace Operations

Seminar- Game

 

 

 

Move 1

 

 

 

 

 

 

14-18 April 2003

United Nations University

Tokyo, Japan

 

 

 

Hosted by the Government of Japan

Co-Sponsored by the United Nations

and

The United States Pacific Command

Executed by the Center of Excellence

in

Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance

 

MOVE 1

IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES

 

 

Introduction

 

1.  The central presentations provided earlier in the day highlighted the fact that today numerous challenges face all the agencies of the international community attempting to resolve complex emergencies generated by modern conflict. The major issues that must be handled are typically complicated, multidimensional, and interrelated. Effective and efficient resolution of key challenges is clearly dependent on a coordinated, holistic approach being taken from the outset by all the partners involved in the process.

 

2.     Typically the agencies provided by the international community to resolve modern complex emergencies are multifunctional and multinational in nature and do not have extensive experience working with each other. In order for this disparate group to work together successfully to resolve the complex emergencies, it is essential that the individual efforts of each partner are properly coordinated with the efforts of all the other agencies involved. How this can be achieved is one of the greatest challenges facing modern peacekeepers today – it is as great a challenge for the military partner as it is for his/her civilian counterparts.

 

Current Situation

Preparation for Tindoro Operations

 

3.     As you have heard during today’s initial review, hosted by the Government of Japan, the pace at which the international community is reacting to the current conflict in Tindoro has quickened appreciably.

 

a.     The SRSG is continuing the negotiations with the parties to the conflict – Samagaland representatives and regional Nations in Adelaide – and believes that the scope of the disaster has brought them to the point where they will agree to a cease fire and the deployment of an MNF to stabilize the situation.

 

b.     The military HQ on which the MNF will be generated will gather in Adelaide next week to initiate planning and the transformation from a national HQ (Rabenneste) into a multinational coalition is underway. At least minimal representation of all Troop Contributing Nations (TCNs) has now been established in the embryonic MNF HQ.

 

c.      The humanitarian agencies previously working in Tindoro have regrouped in Adelaide and the staffs are being augmented to start the preparations for the return to Tindoro. Additional NGOs and government donor groups including USAID are also augmenting the humanitarian effort.

 

d.     ICRC has maintained a presence in Tindoro and is reporting that the humanitarian situation is desperate; in particular the medical structures are no longer capable of supporting the general population.  In addition, a small number of local NGOs continue to provide limited assistance.

 

Requirement – Move 1

 

4.  Based on the game scenario you have been provided and your own personal experience, work in your assigned groups to develop a presentation for the senior leadership which will provide an overview of the key humanitarian and civil-military coordination/cooperation issues that will impact the planning process - before the United Nations mission and the MNF deploys to the area of operations.

 

5.  Having received the guidance from senior leadership each participant should be prepared to present their personal views on these issues and indicate how they would see these issues being resolved.

 

Discussion

 

6.  At the outset of the discussion period an opportunity will be provided for seminar participants to clarify any point arising from the central presentations.

 

7.  The discussion period is intended to be wide-ranging in nature in order to provide an opportunity for all participants to fully explore any relevant issue from all phases/stages of preparing for and employment in the UN mission and the UN-sanctioned MNF task force from their organizational perspective.

 

8.  To assist the discussion a proposed template has been provided which may assist in capturing the material discussed. It includes:

 

a.     The issue;

b.     Responsible organizations;

c.      Scope of the issue;

d.     Recommendations;

 

9.  At the end of the discussion groups are to be prepared to brief the key leadership of the mission on their issues and recommendations. The oral presentation is to take no more than 10 minutes to deliver.