Pastoralist News
African Union Pastoralist Policy Framework event |
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The Policy Process
The African Union is working to promote the well-being of Africa's millions of pastoralist people by developing a new policy framework to guide the nations in which pastoralism plays a central part of society and economy. Spread across the Sahel, north, central and east Africa , pastoralist peoples derive their livelihoods from livestock, land and markets. UNOCHA, concerned at the vulnerability of these peoples, is taking a part in bringing the voice of pastoralists into the process.
Sophisticated and capable, pastoralists are responsible for a much of Africa 's enormous livestock production and export. But they suffer greatly from their marginalised position as mobile communities often living far from centres of political and economic power. Their vulnerability to famine and conflict is widely known. Many who misunderstand them consider that they have brought this suffering upon themselves by their way of life. Thus efforts to develop forms of government that work for their mobile lifestyles have been weak and the levels of investment in infrastructure, education, health and other vital services have been lower by far than investments in farming and urban areas for many countries. There is a growing tendency to depend on international emergency aid to solve problems as they arise rather than tackling the root causes of distress. In this way their marginalisation is exacerbated and misunderstanding persists.
This vulnerability to cyclical and repetative crisis and the growing dependency on emergency responses instead of building on the strengths of these unique societies is why UNOCHA is working with the AU to support their mission to promote new approaches. A new African Union policy framework, to be put before a summit of Heads of State in July 2008, will be an instrument to guide national policy-makers and international agency programmes. It will give an advocacy tool to social movements and organisations who are pressing governments for effective change.
The Inception Event
The process will kick off with an inception event between 7-11 July 2007, which sets in motion a unique policy development process. Pastoralist leaders from 12 African countries will come together to consolidate and agree the key policy hindrances that their societies face. They will be joined by experts from the African Union, from governments, academia and the international community to assist them to put the issues into the context of competing or complementary claims. Small farmers are always hungry for more land, big farmers want the best land to irrigate, national parks enclose land for wildlife and tourism, urban populations and their politicians demand the focus of national investment. The talks will be informed by real situations in the countries represented - and are seeing some of the best grazing conditions they have seen for decades, Sudan, Chad and Somalia are suffering terrible conflict. There have been recent elections in Mauritania and Mali. Niger is recovering from a devastating drought.
The result of the deliberations will be a uniquely well thought out set of issues and policy approaches which will be put before pastoralist communities, ministers and experts in a continent-wide consultative process over the next year. Developing a range of visions of a future that sees pastoralists protected from disasters and able to maximise opportunities for wellbeing, and drawing in and consolidating every view about what can and should be done, the new policy framework promises much.
The inception meeting will be held in a pastoralist area of , in the beautiful Shaba National Reserve, a park managed by the local County Council whose revenues are shared with local pastoralist communities. The location illustrates many of the issues faced by pastoralists today: a juxtaposition of poverty and wealth, local and national political struggles, competition for land for pastoralism, farming, tourism and wildlife.
Hosted by the local community, presided over by the African Union International Bureau of Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) and facilitated by UNOCHA's Pastoralist Communication Initiative, the meeting will last for five days. The first two days will be a pre-meeting for the pastoralist leaders only. The participants will be accomodated in well-appointed and secure tented camp, they will meet under the shade of trees, watched by curious elephants and crocodiles, using the traditions of rural African meetings, but using the most modern interpretation technology and facilitation techniques. The main meeting, when the pastoralists and experts come together, will take place in the Shaba Sarova Lodge. The tented camp will remain in operation as a place for evening discussions over barbecues, and for meeting people from the local area. The deliberations will invite people to challenge each other on what is needed and why, and where a policy framework has the ability to make a real difference. The consensus arrived at will form the basis of a continent-wide process of debate and change.