EPES Mandala Consulting, the Founders and all its staff and team members, present their deepest commiserations and most heartfelt condolences to the people of Haiti whose capital city and nation have been devastated by the January 2010 earthquake.

We present our deepest sympathy also to our friends and colleagues in all the United Nations agencies in Haiti, whose operations and staff members have been shattered by the catastrophe.

One of our Haitian colleagues reports that her parents and her 102-year-old grandmother have been spared, but they are living in the street because the walls of the family house are too badly cracked to be safe… although the roof is still in place because it is built on pillars. Meanwhile all around them are neighbours and friends crying over lost children, parents and loved ones.

With more than one million people said to be without shelter, we offer our thoughts and prayers to the victims ; and while emergency relief is not an area of our special expertise, we will see in the coming weeks  what practical help we may be able to offer to the people of Haiti.

Our Brussels team will participate on the 5th and 6th of October at an EU workshop on the smuggling of small arms and light weapons. In partnership with the group IBF, we are advising the EU on tackling small arms trafficking and organised crime. The recent spate of assassinations in Guinea Bissau are directly related to mafia groups smuggling cocaine across West Africa and into Europe: the attorney general's life was threatened after she tried to tackle drug smuggling, the navy commander was arrested for drug-related activities, the army head was assassinated and then soldiers stormed the presidential palace and killed the head of state.

The Validation Workshop will bring together a number of experts from five continents, and the debate will assist the managers of the EU's Instrument for Stability (IfS) to identify key areas (both geographical and thematic) where the inter-regional fund of the IfS can make a measurable contribution to counter the trafficking of small arms and address the increased globalisation of organised crime.

 

Within this framework, Dr Poulton was in West Africa for the EU in July 2009. Here is a photo taken at a dinner with Dr Hallassy SIDIBE, expert in decentralisation and conflict resolution and Dr Mamadou KANTE who leads a USAID project in participative governance in Mali.

 

During September the Managing Partners of EPES Mandala Consulting Ltd visited the Arab Republic of Syria, where they met with peace makers and recruited new consultants to the EPES Mandala team. Among the most interesting people in this hospitable country was a distinguished ecumenical peacemaker, Mar Gregorios Yohannes Ibrahim, Metropolitan of Aleppo in the Syriac Orthodox Church - one of the oldest of the Christian churches. 

We believe there is value in adding spiritual expertise to our existing specialist knowledge in security sector reform, disarmament, small arms and terrorism, organized crime, conflict transformation, human rights, child protection and other areas in which we work. This conviction is shown in our name: "mandala' is a Buddhist prayer circle that symbolises harmony, and hints that our approach to sustainable development differs from the traditional Western Cartesian models.

 

Overall objective

The overall objective of this contract is as follows: Provide expert technical assistance to the Government of Mozambique Intra-Ministerial Working Group and appointed partners, such as representatives of civil society and international organizations in :

1) The mapping and consultation process, both in Mozambique and the SADC region, prior to the conference;

2) Providing expert technical assistance in the preparation of contents for the planned high level Regional Conference on Child Trafficking in Southern Africa;

3) Accompanying the Government of Mozambique’s Intra-Ministerial Working Group in the period leading up to the conference as well as the post-conference period.

Purpose

The overall purpose of this contract is to provide the necessary technical expertise and support to the Government of Mozambique’s Intra-Ministerial Working Group in the preparation of the high level Regional Conference on Child Trafficking. This includes a consultation process in the country and SADC region; as well as the development and production of content for the regional conference; and the necessary follow-up, post-conference.

EPES Mandala Consulting provided technical support for the SADC Conference on Trafficking in Persons.

European Commission –EC-, deeply concerned over the negative consequences and suffering caused by trafficking of children and recognizing that the Southern Africa Countries are highly vulnerable to trafficking as a result of war, poverty and inequality, decided to support the government of Mozambique to host a regional conference on Child Trafficking since 2007.

After a couple of occasions in which Conference were cancelled, EC Mozambique contracted EPES Mandala to provide the necessary technical expertise and support to the Government of Mozambique’s Intra-Ministerial Working Group and appointed partners in the preparation of a High-Level Regional Conference on Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and Children in Southern Africa.

EPES Mandala technical experts Lucy Lainfiesta and Melissa Steward worked behing scenes with the assistance of Denise Molica, the team leader, Valentina de Bernardi, the EC Delegation focal point for the conference, and Barbara Kerstiens, Head of the Social and Humanitarian Affairs Section, providing critical technical support for the organization and the content of the Conference. The assistance focused in ensuring that key stakeholders were consulted and content of the Conference was harmonized with the protocol of Palermo, the EU integrated approach to combat trafficking (Three Ps – Prevention, protection and prosecution) and other international and regional tools and initiatives.

The Conference was successfully held in Maputo on May 26-28, 2009 under the leadership of the SADC Secretariat, and gathered over 200 experts, representatives from governments, NGOs, International Organizations, EU Member States, local authorities and civil society associations. The first two days were dedicated to develop a final draft of the 10 years regional plan of action on combating human trafficking especially women and children and the annotated agenda to be discussed and adopted during the Ministerial Conference carried out the third day.

The Conference ended with the adoption of the 10 YEAR SADC STRATEGIC PLAN OF ACTION ON COMBATING TRAFFICKING IN PERSONS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN by the Ministries or Official delegates from Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The plan and the RECORD OF SADC MINISTERIAL MEETING ON TRAFFICKING, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND CHILDREN demonstrate the political will of SADC States member to combat trafficking in persons, and set out their commitments to implement cooperative actions to enhance their capacity to address critical issues related with trafficking in persons and hopefully will reduce the number of cases of this criminal acts.

This Conference raised awareness of government of SADC and other regional stakeholders, in regards to Trafficking in Persons, especially women and children in the region; and strengthened their commitment to implement the protocol to prevent, suppress and punish trafficking in persons, especially women and children. The conference also provided a forum for discussion between Governments of Southern Africa, NGOs, Civil Society and International Organizations, which can be the foundation for future collaboration and further discussions.

Mission: “Children at Risk Programme Final Evaluation Mission”

Consultant: Ghassan Rubeiz

Overall Objective

The overall objective of the Children at Risk Programme is twofold:

a) The poverty among vulnerable children is reduced and their social development is thus improved.

b) The capacity of the NGOs to contribute effectively to social development is enhanced.

Specific Objective

In line with the priority areas as defined in the Country Strategy Paper (CSP) and National Indicative Programme (NIP) 2002-2004, the specific objective of the Children at risk programme is:

a) The living conditions and the prospects of social reintegration of five groups of economically vulnerable and socially marginalized children are improved.

b) Girl’s access to education is facilitated.

c) The NGO sector is strengthened.

d) The relevant authorities (MISA’s NGO department) and the NGO sector cooperate closer.

Ghassan Rubeiz, an expert within EPES Mandala reports :

This spring, I was in a team assigned to Egypt to evaluate an extensive, externally funded, child welfare program. Evaluation involved extensive visits to five groups of projects which served Children at Risk: FGM, girl schools in remote areas, services to children with disability, projects with street children and with working children. A three-member team spent seven weeks in the study of documents, field visits, interviews and discussions with program implementers, experts, officials and funding personnel.

I was particularly interested in projects of disability. Of the many disabled children I visited, one story stands out. A twelve-year old boy had never left his dwelling. His small room had no windows; his mother, who was ashamed for having him, took care of him in secret. The father had abandoned the family. There is progress in this family. The social worker is pleased that the boy is now going on trips with school children. The next therapeutic step is for the mother to accept to walk with her child in his wheelchair through the neighborhood. As she receives support and education through the project she is now proud to have him.

 

Flavio Conti, joined EPES Mandala in February 2009 as Management and Marketing Officer. He holds a Masters in International Relations and European Studies at the College of Europe. He has long worked with NGOs dealing with sustainable development in Africa and is now working to expand our business towards EC funded projects and programmes.
He is responsible for Framework contracts (lots 7: ‘Culture, Governance and Home Affairs’ and 13: Humanitarian Aid, Crisis Management and Post-Crisis Assistance).







Katerina Jelissejeva, has joined EPES Mandala in June 2009 in order to help us in identifying and maximizing our contract opportunities within our areas of expertise. She will also maintain and develop the relationships with our partners, and help the Marketing Officer to open a strategic number of new partnerships with the EC and EC-related consulting firms. At last she will help maintaining and expanding our expert database and review expert resumes. We wish her welcome and good luck in her new functions.






Do come and visit us at:
Rue des Trois Arbres 16b, 1180 Bruxelles
fax: + 32 2 332 32 39 tel: +32 2 880 91 60

Catherine Mariano is in Nairobi, again working with UNDP Somalia (in a follow-up assignment to our 2007 Somali Peace Conference). Catherine is helping to find ways to implement the Djibouti Peace Accord, to promote peace and facilitate negotiation with the UNDP team. The news broadcasts tell us, however, that there are repeated dissentions between Somali politicians and between the titular President and his Prime Minister. A political solution is the only solution. Unless Somalis can find a compromise, there is not much the UN or anyone else can do, and the problem of piracy will continue along the coastline of this failed state.

The end of the year approaches and this is the moment when the management would like to wish everyone peace and happiness in 2009. The whole world could do with some peace and happiness.

Tore Rose is in Myanmar (Burma to the old-fashioned) working with the UN on post-hurricane relief efforts. This makes a change from security issues, but the problems are similar and the human cost in misery is no less.

General Henny van der Graaf continues to advise senior Somali political figures on security issues related to the search for new state structures in Somalia, while Ibrahim ag Youssouf pursues the search for peace in Darfur wearing the hat of the African Union.


An interesting new publication has been launched in Vienna by UNCRI

We have an article in the first issue:
“Curbing Illegal Brokering in the Arms Trade: Challenges and Opportunities”
by Valerie Yankey-Wayne and Robin Edward Poulton, in Freedom From Fear,
UNCRI, Vienna, October 2008 p8-11.

New bids for European Union Framework Contracts were submitted mid-October and we are very hopeful that one or more of the Consortia of which we are members will win a Framework Contract for the next five years.

Meanwhile Dr Andria Wisler has started her new position in Georgetown University, teaching peace studies and conflict resolution. We send her our warmest congratulations. Andria is the Editor of our Lessons Learned Series and is envisaging the creation of our Conflict Transformation Essays. When she has her teaching under control, Andria would be delighted to receive input from members of our team, or from future members !

Colonel Michel Sallé and Dr RE Poulton completed a massive evaluation of the ECOWAS West African small arms programme ECOSAP. Col Sallé is a Centrafrican diplomat, former Interior Minister of the CAR and currently Counsellor for Security and Terrorism Affairs at the Presidency, with ministerial rank. Michel was able to obtain leave of absence and to join Robin for an evaluation by two independent and complementary small arms specialists - they became friends in 2002 when the latter worked on a disarmament plan for Guinea Bissau at a moment when Michel was Senior Military Advisor to UNOGBIS.

One happy spin-off of this mission was that they found the time to get back in contact with David Stephens, now retired, who was Special Representative of the UNSG in Bissau in 2002. The front page of the website shows a picture of REP and MS in Bissau in 2002, with the leadership of the National Commission for small arms control: André Paolo Nhanca, Executive Secretary and Dr Mario Cissokho, Political Advisor.

Catherine Leila Poulton (Robin and Michelle's daughter) started a new contract in Damascus caring for Iraqi refugee women and girls. She is now working as advisor to the UN HCR, as a specialist on gender-based violence.

Catherine Leila Poulton, one of our Founders currently working with International Rescue Committee fighting gender-based violence in Central Africa, presents a paper at an international conference in Uganda on Gender-Based Sexual Violence.

Dr Andria Wisler, one of our founders and a graduate of the European Peace University, received her Doctorate from Columbia University in New York. Andria deserves our warmest congratulations. September 2008 she will begin teaching in the Justice and Peace Studies program at Georgetown University, and will become the Editor for the EPES Mandala series of Lessons Learned from the Field, a collection of 'occasional papers' written by EPES Mandala or external experts.

Dr RE Poulton presented the results of Afghanistan’s DDR programme to the UN Department of Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO) in New York. Dr Poulton led the DDR Evaluation Team, and his report was presented to UNDP Kabul on 7 September 2007.

Dr Michelle Ecloat Poulton joins EPES Mandala to develop new areas of specialty concerning child soldiers, child protection, human rights and gender equality.

Peace Price for EPES consultant Kare Lode

Annual Report

Annual Report

Press release by David de Beer on the progress with small arms disarmament in Cambodia ( www.eu-asac.org )

Sander Francken is an expert in security issues and has made a number of films about security issues such as drugs, arms and money laundering. Sander's new film DEALING AND WHEELING IN SMALL ARMS was released in theatres in the Netherlands on 4 January 2007. From now on it is available worldwide for theatrical distribution, television broadcast, peace days, conferences and meetings and other events. As Sander tells us, "So far my experience with a number previews is that a screening of the film offers enough aspects, themes and - most important - motivation for audiences to have extensive discussions on the global issue of small arms and even to organize a complete conference of the issue." To see a 2 minute trailer of the film and find out more about it (such as how you can bring it to your event), see the film website.

A group of EPES Mandala founders met together in Brussels in December on the occasion of a major European experts' meeting on small arms disarmament.

Among a group of distinguished experts contributing papers to recommendations commissioned by the European Parliament, Dennis Brennan presented a paper on the legal aspects of small arms collection and disposal, and Robin-Edward Poulton contributed a paper on the role of civil society organizations in small arms collection.

Dr Poulton's paper can be read online at the Roundtable/For Comment page. It is entitled "Civil Society is an indispensable partner for weapons collection and DDRRR within the UN Programme of Action".

UNIDIR Geneva and SIPRI Stockholm co-organized, on 7-8 December, a conference in Brussels titled "Strengthening European Action on Non-proliferation and Disarmament".

At this conference, UNIDIR presented the preliminary results from its projet "European Action on Small Arms, Light Weapons and Explosive Remnants of War". SIPRI presented the findings from its project "Reinforcing EU Cooperative Threat Reduction Programmes: Community Action in Support of the European Union Strategy Against the Proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction".

Both research projects are part of a dual pilot study initiated by the European Parliament and financed by the European Commission and the United Kingdom which holds the Presidency of the EU until 31 December 2005.

en Francais

LES FONDATEURS de l'EPES Mandala se sont retrouves a Bruxelles en decembre 2005 a l'occasion de la presentation au Parlement europeen des recommendations d'un groupe d'experts distingues. Maitre Dennis BRENNAN a propose un papier sur les aspects legaux de la destruction des armes legeres. Robin Poulton a contribue une etude sur le role des organisations de la societe civile pour la collecte des armes legeres.

Vous pouvez adresser à Robin-Edward Poulton vos commentaires sur son article intitule "Civil Society is an indispensable partner for weapons collection and DDRRR within the UN Programme of Action". Cet article est disponible en ligne sur la page Debats/Vos reactions de www.unidir.org.

Les 7 et 8 decembre 2005, l'UNIDIR Geneve et SIPRI Stockholm ont organise a Bruxelles une conference intitulee "Renforcer l'action europeenne sur la non-proliferation et le desarmement".

Lors de cette conference, l'UNIDIR a presente les resultats preliminaires de son projet "L'action europeenne sur les armes legeres, les armes de petit calibre et les residus de guerre explosifs". SIPRI a presente les resultats de son projet "Renforcer les programmes europeens de reduction des menaces par la cooperation : l'action de la Communaute pour soutenir la Strategie de l'Union europeenne contre la proliferation des armes de destruction massive". Les deux projets font partie d'une etude pilote engagee par le Parlement europeen et financee par la Commission europeenne et le Royaume-Uni, qui occupera jusqu'au 31 decembre 2005 le siege de la Presidence de l'UE .

link to gallery

The Small Arms Survey has just published a new book titled Armed and Aimless: Armed Groups, Guns, and Human Security in the ECOWAS Region. The book provides detailed information on more than 35 armed groups that have destabilized West Africa since 1998, and explores important related themes through 6 field-based case study chapters. EPES Mandala staff were expert reviewers for the book.

On 26 April 2005 the National Assembly approved the Law of the Management of Weapons, Explosives and Ammunition (create link) which had been submitted for discussion in February 2005. In an accompanying letter, Prime Minister Hun Sen had urged the National Assembly to adopt the law as a matter of urgency. Since 2000 EU ASAC has been co-operating with the Cambodian Government to strengthen the legal framework for small arms management. EU ASACÕs Project Manager, David de Beer, congratulated the Royal Cambodian Government on having taken this important step to strengthen the legal framework controlling weapons management and promised EU ASAC support in having the law implemented. On 12 May 2005 the Law was also approved by the Senate and is now awaiting signature by the King before coming into force.

Read the Report (48K PDF file)

Read the Report (360K PDF file)

Registered in London UK and Richmond Virginia, EPES Mandala is keen to improve peace and prosperity through the arts and education as well as consulting and weapon destruction. An exhibition on Mali was sponsored in Newport News during the Spring on 2005 and another is scheduled in Richmond for the Fall.

Go to webpage

Founder of Millennium Solidarity Geneva Group, Dr Zeki Ergas is the Geneva coordinator of the worldwide G-CAP (Global Call to Action against Poverty) - Make Poverty History - White Band Days - Campaign whose purpose is to eradicate extreme poverty in the world by 2025.

Go to webpage

An EPES Mandala team Dr RE Poulton and Mr Patrick Anderson carried out an analysis for UNDP Liberia January-April 2005 of prospects for peace and working with community-based organisations.

Go to webpage (Analyst of Liberia newspaper report)

Read Final Report

Monrovia, 18 March 2005 - As part of a global CSO Champion Initiative, UNDP in partnership with the University of Liberia hosted a free and open public forum on the role of civil society in peace, reconciliation and development in Liberia. Two UNDP resource persons, Dr. Robin Edward Poulton and Mr. Patrick Anderson, led the discussions, which took place in the University of Liberia's Main Auditorium...

http://www.undp.org/

First United Nations Conference on the problem of Small Arms and Light weapons in all their Aspects, New York – our founders were the stars of a film Fighting Weapons for Development made by Sander Francken and presented by the Dutch and Cambodian governments, presenting the success and rationale for exchanging illegal weapons for community development projects in post-war Cambodia. 9th July became International Weapon Destruction Day – a day that we remember every year and that we try to celebrate by destroying weapons and/or surplus ammunition in one of the countries where we are working.

Après la dissolution, le 27 mars 1996, des mouvements armés, la renaissance du nord du Mali dépend de la capacité de la société civile à créer une ambiance de paix, de l'intégration réussie des combattants dans l'armée régulière et de la relance du développement économique à l'aide de projets proches de la population. Go to webpage (Le Monde diplomatique)