Background: Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa

The Tana High-Level Forum on Security in Africa (THLF) is an independent initiative of the Institute for Peace and Security Studies (IPSS) of Addis Ababa University and eminent African personalities, including the late Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi. The Forum responds to the Tripoli Declaration of August 2009 that calls for “African-centered solutions” and designates peace and security as a collective “intellectual challenge”. The Forum is intended to inform the gathering of concerned African decision-makers, peace and security stakeholders’ groups, and their larger constituencies to an open and frank discussion of security issues and challenges faced by the continent.

African peace and security issues are usually discussed in the formal meetings of appropriate institutional frameworks at the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities/Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) and national levels. To complement the valuable work being accomplished by these official decision-making bodies and their formal mechanisms, the Forum aims at:

-        Providing opportunities to decision making leaders and institutions to exchange experiences and insights on peace and security issues among themselves with a view to taking home inspirational and practical lessons;

-        Giving opportunities to political decision-makers to interact and consult with a broad-based African constituency as well with key global actors;

-        Contributing to a substantive Africa open debate on peace and security issues of critical strategic importance to the continent and its regional institutions.

-        Communicating with and listening to “profound African voices on the ground” on various dimensions and components of peace and security on the continent, thus facilitating an inclusive dialogue among government and other African security stakeholder groups.

-        Sensitizing and mobilizing other stakeholders, actors and the overall African opinion for more extensive ownership of Africa-led solutions on peace and security.

It is expected that, through the implementation of such a broad mission, the conference will result in:

-        The conceptualization of peace and security matters from an African perspective. In that endeavour, substantial attention will be given to the emerging body of African-grown approaches to peace and security challenges and prospects.

-        Building a broad-based and robust constituency for peace and security by establishing inclusive platforms for dialogue, networking and exchange of information between policymakers, researchers and practitioners. To sustain such a platform, a cross-section of leaders from different sectors will be called upon to act as champions to build an African voice for both the African and global security agendas.

-        Progressively engaging Africa in the strategic and proactive management of peace and security on the continent. Key to that effort will be developing foresight capacities throughout relevant African organizations in public, private and civil society sectors. Equally important will be the development of strategic planning capacities and skills for the operationalization of national, sub-regional and continental long-term visions.

-        The Forum also allows building trust among key players who would often only meet in settings mediated by diplomatic protocol. Altogether, it shall enable African leaders to develop and implement adequate and proactive initiatives to manage peace and security on the continent.

The State of Peace and Security in Africa Report

The State of Peace and Security Report on Africa (SPSA) is expected to provide a concise but compelling overview and analysis of the most salient conflict trends and approaches for intervention. Conflicts in their despicable form are often abrupt and disruptive, their causes multidimensional, interlinked and frequently transnational. There is a need, therefore, for an equally dynamic and correspondingly complex methodology that addresses it.

Against this background, the primary objective of the SPSA Report is to review the nature and evolution of peace and security prospects and threats on the continent and how key institutions, including the AU and RECs, are responding to these threats. Therefore, the report offers a nuanced understanding of the efforts and responses designed to manage complex peace and security challenges on the continent. The report will situate the selected theme of the year, “Managing Security Threats: Building Resilience for the Africa We Want”, within the broader context of conflict trends on the continent and offer an in-depth analysis of the issues surrounding it.

Scope of the Consultancy:

In line with the above, IPSS seeks to hire a consultant or a consortium (team of two) to perform the following tasks:

§  Highlight the changing trends in conflicts, particularly in terms of national, continental, and global configurations.

§  Outline the major factors or drivers of insecurity and violence and their consequences in African countries.

§  Examine the cross-cutting trends of various extant security and structural predicaments of the year 2020 to mid-2021 (considering previous SPSA report, i.e., 2020) - such as terrorism, inequality and marginalization, gender and youth issues, contested regime transitions, environmental stresses, forced migration, trafficking in persons and drugs, small arms trade, money laundering, illicit funds, infectious diseases including COVID-19 and sexual and gender-based violence - in different parts of the continent.

§  Discuss peace initiatives and actors that have emerged and continued over the last year and prospects by analyzing the responses by African continental and regional institutions and non-governmental actors to these security prospects and threats – for example, unilateral, bilateral and multilateral peace initiatives.

§  Provide an overview of the AU/United Nations' (UN) security cooperation on addressing and mitigating the continent’s peace and security agenda.

§  Interrogate challenges to African-led peace and security ownership in general and financing and reforming the AU and provide reflections on the merger of the Political Affairs Department and the Peace and Security Council of the AU (now PAPS). Particular attention should focus on examining the synergies and complementarities of the African Governance Architecture (AGA) and the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) in addressing and managing security challenges on the continent.

§  As a highlight of the report, a case study on the AGA/APSA synergies regarding peace and security trends on the continent should be detailed.

§  Provide recommendations on the way forward.

Specific Requirements and Reporting:

§  Ensure that advisory services rendered are in accordance with IPSS consultancy guidelines;

§  On reporting requirements, the consultant or lead consultant in the case of a consortium will report verbally and via email on a needs/activity basis in English to IPSS detailing the progress made regarding the consultancy’s objectives, services provided, and resources used.

§  In addition to the SPSA Report[1], the consultant/consortium should provide a four-page executive summary suitable for consideration by the members of the Tana Technical Committee and the Board.

§  The report will be written in close coordination with the Head of Secretariat, Tana Forum.

Qualifications:

To achieve the specified objectives, IPSS expects the selected pool of consultants to have the following qualifications and expertise:

§  PhD degree or equivalent in a relevant discipline, e.g., International Relations, Development, Economics, Public Policy, Peace and Conflict Studies or Social Sciences.

§  Ability to support analytical policy research and proven exposure to academic and policy research environments.

§  Proven interest in peace and security in Africa.

§  More than ten (10) years of experience in researching African peace and security issues.

§  Possesses research skills and professional data collection and analysis.

§  Experience in writing Academic and Policy papers/reports.

§  Excellent command of English is required. In addition, good working knowledge of French is desirable.

Duration of Contract:

A duration of two months from the day of the contract. For the services offered, the consultant/consortium shall be paid a lump sum amount.

Place of Assignment:

Home-based with no travel obligations.

Expressions of interest

Expressions of interest should provide relevant information on the following:

•           Brief background information that captures an understanding of the scope of the work;

•           Aims and objectives of the study;

•           A suggested approach that outlines the interpretation of the scope of work and articulates the approach to the study;

•           A recent writing sample on a related subject;

•           A sample bibliography;

•           Recent relevant experience;

•           Profile of the researcher or organization;

•           Financial offer;

•           Detailed timeline;

•           Contact details.

Submission:

A soft copy of the report shall be submitted to the Head of Secretariat, Tana Forum. The Head of Secretariat, Tana Forum is responsible for approving the report.