A Whole-of-Government Approach To Prevent, Resolve, and Transform Conflict

 
“Our Reconstruction and Stabilization Office must be able to help a failed state to exercise responsible sovereignty and to prevent its territory from becoming a source of global instability.” – Secretary Rice, January 18, 2006
 

The United States is committed to helping countries prevent or emerge from conflict.  With nearly half of recovering countries falling back into conflict within a few years, the need for concerted international attention is compelling, and the threat that inaction poses for international security is ever-present.  In 2004, the President launched the Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization to harness the full breadth of U.S. skills and resources to transform conflict. 
 
Mandate
The National Security Strategy charges S/CRS with integrating all relevant U.S. resources and assets in conducting reconstruction and stabilization operations.  The Coordinator, Ambassador John Herbst, supports the Secretary of State in her role under the December 2005 Presidential Directive as the government-wide lead for conflict management efforts.
 
Transformational Diplomacy–Tipping the Balance Towards Peace
Focused, collaborative planning, underpinned by an operational arm, helps us better understand conflict; and ultimately better direct diplomatic, development, and when necessary, military resources, to manage conflict and its consequences.  S/CRS serves as a U.S. conduit to:

• Promote consensus across the government on the drivers of conflict.
• Apply the wide range of U.S. expertise and resources at the right time in the right way.

Partnerships for Prevention and Recovery
The U.S. strongly supports international efforts to foster cooperation and interoperability to increase the collective impact of peacebuilding.  S/CRS consults regularly with bilateral partners, United Nations, NATO, and EU.  S/CRS also facilitates dialogue among NGOs, civilians and the military to define humanitarian space and cooperation, and works with NGOs to share expertise on early warning, assessment and prevention activities, and security sector matters.
 
Ensuring Integrated Response–Process Matters
Conflict transformation starts with civilian-led planning that identifies the sources of conflict and instability; sets forth an overarching U.S. goal; and provides a common blueprint from which program planning can flow.  S/CRS provides support for conflict assessment, strategic planning, sectoral expertise, lessons learned, and metrics and evaluation. 
 
Applying the principles for strategic planning: Haiti and Sudan; Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba; Scenario-based planning for a range of states at risk of increased conflict.
 
Building Civilian Capacity
Human Resources

• Established team of State Department first responders to complement capacity in other U.S. agencies.  (Seven trained members already on-board and being deployed; 250 Standby Corps volunteers.)
• Building cadre of civilian planners to facilitate joined up civilian, military, and international planning.
• Civilian Reserve of quickly deployable specialists in development to address such needs as rule of law and security.
• Inventoried contracts and rosters to avoid contracting delays in a crisis, and assure requirements (manpower, equipment and program support funds) are met.
• Management of Planning and Deployment through mechanisms to strengthen civil-military coordination.
   
  Professional Development through training courses and participation in civil-military exercises.  Looking to share training opportunities with U.S. and international partners.

Deploying Civilian Expertise
Examples of field support provided as we build capacity:

• Sudan:  Security sector expertise to support Abuja peace talks; Supplemental Embassy staffing to assist with growing responsibilities.
• Haiti:  Election monitoring; Co-chaired interagency team to propose programmatic responses to entrenched conflict.
• Afghanistan:  Interagency assessment of Provincial Reconstruction Teams.
• Chad:  Conflict assessment to support Embassy planning.