Global Consultative Roundtables on the Responsibility to Protect: West African Perspectives

GLOBAL CONSULTATIVE ROUNDTABLES ON THE RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT: WEST AFRICAN PERSPECTIVES

The Accra Roundtable: July 30–31, 2008

agenda

Day 1

OPENING SESSION

Chair: Prof. Adebayo Olukoshi, WACSI Board Chair

9.00 – 9.30 Welcome Address:Ms. Thelma Ekiyor, Executive Director, WACSI, Accra, Ghana

Mr. William Pace, Executive Director, WFM, New York, USA

9.30 – 10.00:Keynote Address

ECOWAS Commission:Mrs. Sintiki Ugbe,Director of Gender, Youth, Sport, CSO, Employment, Drug Control, Abuja, Nigeria

10.00-10.15Goodwill Message

Government of Ghana:Mrs. Kutsoati, Director of Social Welfare, Ministry of Manpower, Youth and Employment, Accra, Ghana

10.15–10.35Tea/Coffee

SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE NORM

Chair: Nana Asantewaa Afadzinu, OSIWA

10.35-11.05“Introduction tothe Norm: Origins oftheResponsibility toProtect”

Presented by:Mrs. Sapna Chhatpar, Program Associate, R2PCivil Society, WFM, New York, USA

11.05-11.35“Three Years after The Summit: the Struggle to make R2P a Reality”

Presented by: Nicole Deller, Director of Programmes, Global Centre on R2P, New York, USA

11.35-12.05“Responsibility to Protect inAfrica: An Analysis ofAU’s Peace and Security Architecture”

Presented by: Dr. Kwesi Anning, Head of CPRMD of the KAIPTC, Accra, Ghana

Discussions

SESSION 2:RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IN WEST AFRICA

Chair: Commandant General Attipoe, Commandant of the KAIPTC, Accra, Ghana

12.05-12.25“The Regional Responsibility to Prevent: An AnalysisoftheECOWAS Conflict Prevention Framework”

Presented by:Ms Thelma Ekiyor, WACSI, Accra, Ghana

12.25-12.50“Building a Regional Stand byForce”:

Presented by:Major-General Carl Coleman, ASDR, Accra, Ghana

12.50-1.20“Ghana National Architecture for Peace”

Presented by: Mr. P.K. Opoku-Mensah, Executive Secretary, National Peace Council

Discussions

1.20– 2.10 Lunch

SESSION 3: REVIEW OF EXISTING CIVIL SOCIETY INITIATIVES ON R2P RELATED ISSUES IN WEST AFRICA

Chair: Mrs. Sintiki Ugbe, Director of Gender, Youth, Sport, CSO, Employment, Drug Control at the ECOWAS Commission, Abuja, Nigeria

2.10-2.40“Engendering Peace and Security in West Africa”

Presented By: Mama Koite Doumbia, Executive Director, FEMNET, Mali

2.40-3.10“Protecting Human Rights in West Africa”

Presented By:Prof. Ken Attafuah, JHRI, Accra, Ghana

3.10-3.40“Civil Society andConflict Early Warning andResponse”

Presented By:Mr. Murtala Touray, WANEP, Accra, Ghana

3.40-4.10“Promoting Citizens Participation in Fighting Corruption”

Presented By:Mr. Voke Ighorodje, CDD West Africa, Abuja, Nigeria

4.10–4.30Tea/Coffee

4.30-5.00“Promoting the Role of Civil Society in Security, Democracy and Good Governance”

Presented By:Dr. Zabadi,the West African Network on Security and Democratic Governance

5.00-5.30“Strengthening Linkages between ECOWAS and Civil Society on the Protection of Civilians”

Presented By:Prof. Oumar Ndongo, General Secretary, WACSOF, Abuja, Nigeria

Day 2

SESSION 4: GROUP WORK ON BUILDING AN R2P COALITION IN THE REGION

Chair: Dr. Rose Mensah Kutin, Executive Director, Abantu for Development, Accra, Ghana

9.00-9.15Recap by Rapporteur: George Osei-Bimpeh, WACSI

9.15-9.30Introduction to Group Work: Voke Ighorodje, CDD West Africa

9.30-10.15Group Work

Facilitators: Voke Ighorodje (CDD West Africa, Nigeria)

Rosalie Lo Ndiaye (FAS, Senegal)

Key Questions:

What are the challenges of promoting and advocating R2P in the sub region and region?

How can we overcome these challenges?

What are some activities we can push at the national, sub-regional and regional levels on R2P?

10.15– 10.30 Tea/Coffee

10.30– 11.00: Plenary presentation of group work

11.00–12.00: Formulation of work plan

SESSION 5: BUILDING A GLOBAL COALITION

Chair: Ms. Thelma Ekiyor, Executive Director, WACSI, Accra, Ghana

12.00-12.30Background of Global Coalition

Presented by: Mr. William Pace (Executive Director, WFM, New York, USA)

12.30-1.00Input on a draft workplan for building a global coalition (developed by the consultative group and circulated in advance) including the following elements;

• Purpose and function of a global coalition
• Coalition structure and governance
• Priorities for a global coalition and priorities within the region

Facilitator:Mr. William Pace (Executive Director, WFM, New York, USA)

1.00–2:00Lunch

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