UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon declared Guinea eligible to receive assistance from the Peacebuilding Fund in June 2008. PBF`s first allocation amounted to USD 12.6 million, under both PRF and IRF modalities
During the transition period between 2008 and 2010, the Government made a request to be on the agenda of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). The request was reiterated at the beginning of 2011 by the newly elected President, Professor Alpha Conde. The request was approved and Guinea was placed on the agenda of the PBC in February 2011. In order to support the country in the elaboration of a new Priority Plan, a UN-led Technical Mission was deployed to Conakry in May 2011 to facilitate the identification of priorities in the three areas indicated by the Government: Security Sector Reform, Reconciliation and youth and women Employment.
Subsequent to the mission, a second Priority Plan on Peacebuilding has been finalized together with a package of 6 “quick start” projects. Building upon the first phase, the second round of funding will focus on consolidating the democratic aquis of the transition, namely in the area of SSR, peace dividends and creation of youth employment, women’s protection and empowerment and reconciliation
Under the first allocation PBF financed 10 projects covering the following areas:
- To provide rapid support to the Security Sector, PBF has financed a project on “Urgent Support to the Special Security Forces Involved in the Electoral Process (FOSSEPEL)”. The project, approved by PBF within 72 hours of receiving the request, aimed at strengthening the capacities of FOSSEPEL to ensure a peaceful election process, through both logistical support and capacity building on human rights and civic rights. 70% of the budget was spent during the election period and the remaining 30% is currently being reallocated to respond to new post-electoral needs in the same sector (SSR-Military).
- To contribute to the peaceful acceptance of the election’s results, PBF also approved a project on “Post-electoral accompaniment in Guinea” focusing on strengthening equal access to the media and pluralism.
- To help with the economic reintegration of marginalised groups, PBF`s support includes projects targeting the involvement of women and youth in national unity initiatives. In December 2010, PBF approved a UNICEF/WFP project on socio-economic reintegration of children irregularly recruited in the armed forces and children at risk in the area of Guinea Forestiere and around the capital Conakry.
- To support national dialogue and reconciliation, PBF financed a successful project to strengthen international mediation to set up a peaceful environment in view of the organisation of the elections in 2010. The project provided support to ECOWAS`s mission to facilitate dialogue between the Conseil national pour la Démocratie et le développement (CNDD) and the opposition, the Forces vives.
- Concerned with the implementation of SR 1325 and 1820, PBF has supported a project focussing on building the capacity of women to participate in peacebuilding activities, through strengthening the mediation and negotiation skills of the “women’s network for peacebuilding”.
Quarterly reports for each project are available on the MPTF-O Gateway site
