Water For Justice

Lessons learnt from the SADC Standby Force Exercise

The SADC Council of NGOs was invited to participate in the SADC Standby Force Exercise Golfinho which was held in Lohatla in South Africa from 6 – 25 September 2009. The Lesotho Council of NGOs requested TRC a representative to take part in the exercise, who later joined a team of 11 members from other SADC states.

When members of the team arrived in Lohatla they were informed that no communication about their participation had been received. Some members of the Standby Force stated that there was no room for NGOs to participate. Others were of the view that since the representatives of the NGOs had already arrived arrangements had to be made for them to participate. A lot of negotiations were undertaken. Thanks to the intervention of the General of Botman , the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Standby Force exercise Golfinho, the NGOs were allowed to discuss their role with Mr. Mahosi the Head of Civilian Component, a very practical and cordial man.

The activities of the SADC- Council of NGOS is covered in a separate report also attached.

The NGOs as noted in the report worked extremely hard covering all the three sectors and the activities at the Headquarters. Their work was appreciated by all in the sectors as well as at the Headquarters. This note is to draw lessons for future participants of the SADC Council of NGOs in these exercises as well as in actual peacekeeping efforts of the SADC Standby Force.

Lesson 1: The participation of the SADC Council of NGOs must be well planned. In fact the SADC Council of NGO should be part of the planning efforts of the Standby Force as it prepares these exercises as well as the actual peacekeeping efforts.

Lesson 2: There must be improved communication between the SADC – Council of NGOs and the command structure of the Stand by Force. If the communication is through the organ or the SADC Secretariat, the SADC Council of NGOs should ascertain that the communication has actually taken place and copies of any such communication are provided to the Team being deployed.

Lesson 3 The Experience of this mission is that the SADC Council of NGOs should enter the field with its own logistics such as transport and communication. The SADC Standby force shall almost always not be able to have sufficient resources for itself let alone to share with the NGOs. Further efforts should be made to avoid NGOs traveling in military cars. In real situation that would compromise the NGOs, However they could travel in a military convoy but in vehicles clearly marked SADC- Council of NGOs with SADC Flags.

Lesson 4 There is need for the SADC Council of NGOs to deploy an advance mission which will prepare for the deployment of its team.

Lesson 5 After deployment there should be a session to assess and evaluate the mission

CONCLUSION

Despite the many challenges faced in that mission the SADC Council of NGO performed brilliantly. It provided the base for improving its future participation as well as to destroy the negative perceptions some member states have over NGOs. The Standby force was extremely supportive of the NGOs efforts. But by and large there was assistance accorded to the work of the SADC- Council of NGOs deployed in this Exercise Golfinho. It has been noted that the participation of the SADC- Council of NGOs adds value to the efforts of the SADC Stand by Force.