Dr. McCandless has participated in and presented papers in numerous high-level policy forums and discussions in May, across areas of peacebuilding, statebuilding and security and development. These have included:
– The International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding: Abidjan, Ivory Coast (May 21-25)
– OECD-DAC International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF), meeting on the achievements of Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goal (PSG) 1: on inclusive and legitimate politics (May 19)
– Stockholm Forum on Security and Development (May 12-13).
– United Nations and SDG Goal 16, Vienna (May 6-7)
International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding
From May 21-25 week she participated in International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) / “New Deal” meetings in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Dr. McCandless serves in this high-level policy dialogue as a civil society political representative. Specifically, she is a member of the Implementation Working Group – responsible for technical reflection upon, and the development of guidance for, the New Deal process. On May 22 she co-facilitated a workshop of this meeting reflecting upon the New Deal “instruments” – including country led: Fragility Assessments, national Planning process, political Compacts, and political dialogue – their linkages, and how these instruments together are “adding up” to achieving the goals of New Deal – enhanced progress of peacebuilding and statebuilding, buttressed by new forms of aid delivery. She also led the drafting the key background paper for this workshop.
In the Steering Group meeting, comprised of senior political representatives of the Dialogue responsible for steering the Dialogue, she presented findings from a 5-country civil society report on Ebola, in a session on Ebola and the New Deal. The report, received with strong appreciation by Co-Chairs of the Dialogue (Development Ministers from Sierra Leone and Sweden) and members of the Dialogue more widely, can be found here.
OECD-DAC International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF)
Connected with her work (above) Dr. McCandless was invited to present on behalf of civil society engaged in the IDPS process, at the OECD-DAC, INCAF meeting of donors on the topic of “The International Dialogue and Progress PSG 1 – Legitimate and Inclusive Politics.” INCAF is made up of the international aid donor country representatives associated with the OECD-DAC, focused on conflict and fragility.
The meeting was reflecting on the achievement of Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goal (PSG) 1, which is focused on how governments are addressing issues of inclusivity, and increasing their legitimacy with their populations, through political settlements and transition processes. She is currently working on several academic and policy publications that engage this topic.
Stockholm Forum on Security and Development
Dr. McCandless attended the Stockholm Forum on Security and Development, focused on “Promoting Sustainable Peace,” May 12-13.
In this forum, she was invited to moderate a Roundtable of experts on “The Future of Peace Operations,” and was interviewed on Swedish radio on this topic. This annual event is hosted by the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Stockholm International Peace Institute (SIPRI), bringing together key stakeholder experts involved in global peace processes, with a view to influencing upcoming policy agendas.
United Nations and SDG Goal 16
The week prior, Dr. McCandless participated in a workshop of the UN’s “Virtual Network of Stakeholders for the development of Indicators, on Peaceful Societies, Justice and Institutions for Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16” in Vienna, Austria, 6-7 May 2015. This network of specialist scholars and practitioners met to take stock of thinking for indicators to measure goal 16 – on “peaceful societies, justice and institutions,” aimed at supporting the United Nations efforts around the development of indicators for the SDGs.
