The Peace Centre in partnership with the Ministry of Internal Affairs’ Conflict Early Warning and Early Response system (CEWERU) convened a two day feedback meeting from 10th- 11th March with the National Steering Committee to share early warning reports from the Peace Committees in Kotido, Yumbe and Adjumani and discuss effective and early response to prevent and mitigate conflicts in Uganda. The feedback meeting will be used in laying of strategies and actions for reduction of conflict and violence in Uganda.
The Peace Centre and CEWERU presented the early warning reports and response progress for feedback by national level stakeholders. To support linkages and cross-learning, state and non-state actors working on conflict prevention, peace and security also shared early warning signals, mitigation measures, key learnings and best practices.
The meeting targeted thirty participants from CEWERU, Office of the President, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Local Government (MLG),Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), National Women Council (NWC), NGOs including Centre for Conflict Resolution (CECORE), Centre for Basic Research (CBR), Uganda Joint Christian Council (UJCC),Participants from Arua, Kassanda, Kapelebyong, Yumbe, Kotido and Adjumani and development partners including UN Women, UNDP and DGF.
The discussion focused on progress made by CEWERU and peace mediators. The participants shared the issues that still affect the existence of peace as the need for complete disarmament, incorporation of livelihood training to provide a chance for youth to access other sources of income, a need policy makers to be part of the national steering committee, and sustainability structures to be incorporated into the district levels for a longer project life.
The meeting also discussed how important and urgent it is to work on the peace policy so as to give a context of avoiding, handling and dealing with crisis and post life. The feedback meeting was then closed by Florence Kirabira from CEWERU who expressed her gratitude to the participants and the Peace Centre and promised that the issues discussed would be looked at by CEWERU.
