Institute trainer Nina Sughrue in conjunction with the Business Humanitarian Forum, the UN-mandated University for Peace, and the International Rescue Committee, conducted a one-day seminar on public-private partnerships on June 22 in New York City.

Institute trainer Nina Sughrue in conjunction with the Business Humanitarian Forum, the UN-mandated University for Peace, and the International Rescue Committee, conducted a one-day seminar on public-private partnerships on June 22 in New York City. This was the second workshop in a series on this topic; the first one took place in Geneva, Switzerland, September 2006. (click here for first workshop)

The goals of the NYC workshop were to sensitize attendees to the mutual benefits of public-private partnerships in peacebuilding activities, to demonstrate ways in which the public and private sectors can work together in this area, and to discuss techniques to enhance the capabilities of the attendees and their organizations for more effective collaboration. More generally, the partners designed this workshop to emphasize the central role of the private sector in peacebuilding, especially concerning investment and the creation of companies and jobs that allow people to provide for their families and to build sustainable lives in peace. The workshop was attended by representatives from the private sector and business associations, members of the UN community, as well as NGOs and other non-profit organizations.

The workshop began with an overview of the history and literature related to public-private partnerships in peacebuilding. This overview also included a discussion of how such partnerships can operate within a framework of conflict analysis and efforts for peace. This was followed by a session in which participants shared information on their experiences with the challenges and opportunities of cross-sector partnerships. The morning session continued with a concrete, hands-on presentation on practical aspects of partnership building between partners from different sectors, followed by a case study from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

A panel of experts from the private sector, international organizations and an NGO then reflected on their experiences of public-private cooperation, using specific case studies from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, Uganda, Burundi, and Sierra Leone. The sessions were intended to establish a theoretical and practical knowledge base derived from the contributions of the presenters and the participants. The subsequent session, building on that foundation, consisted of a simulation of a latent conflict situation in which public, private, and NGO actors engaged in negotiations related to peacebuilding efforts, followed by a debriefing by the participants on the lessons learned from this role-playing exercise.

Following the feedback received from the event in New York, the project partners are coordinating the next such workshop, to take place in Amman, Jordan in conjunction with the United Nations University. The partners are also considering a web-based e-learning program on this subject for use in remote locations.

For additional information on the workshop see link: http://www.bhforum.org/pdf/Workshop_Report_PPPs_in_Peacebuilding_June_2007.pdf

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