Invest in Africa: An opportunity to explore how to work together

On the occasion of the EU-Africa Summit, which took place in Brussels this week, and in view of the EU’s commitments and efforts to build more synergies between the EU and Africa through the Joint Africa-EU Partnership (JAES), and given the Red Cross Red Crescent’s structure, mandate and capacity, there is a strong case to support a combined approach to effectively working together in addressing global challenges that are of interest to both continents.

Context

In the past ten years the African continent has enjoyed greatly enhanced peace and growing prosperity. Increased democratization and a boom in commodities have combined to boost foreign investment, enhancing prospects for decreasing poverty and making Africa the second fastest growing region in the world. At the same time, these gains are jeopardized by a combination of well-known threats including climate change, food insecurity and youth unemployment that have led to mass migration, civil unrest, radicalism and violence. The front line of this storm follows the belt of the Sahel and affects nearly every country across its swathe, including Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Sudan and South Sudan, as well as Kenya and Somalia. The situation in North Africa is similar with crises on both sides of the Sahara competing for the headlines since 2011.

Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies have a mandate to save lives, to reduce human suffering and the burden of disasters, and to support sustainable development and the eradication of poverty. They see an essential role for civil society in combatting vulnerability to these forces and in strengthening communities to make them more resilient. National Red Cross Red Crescent branches are present in nearly every community, mainly through young volunteers that come from the communities themselves.

In Africa, a large majority of the population is under 25, and this "youth bulge” that has become the subject of great concern for countries both north and south of the Sahara, also presents an opportunity. At the same time, Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies are well positioned to facilitate interactions between communities, local and national policy makers, and other relevant actors such as regional organisations, the UN, civil society organisations and knowledge centres.

Conflict in Africa
Activities in Africa

Co-operation within the Framework of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy (JAES)

Among the eight areas of co-operation included in the JAES, several are congruent with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)’s priorities and mandate, namely:

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• Peace and security;
• democratic governance and human rights;
• climate change and environment, and;
• migration, mobility and employment.

Here are some details on how Red Cross Red Crescent Societies could be involved further in working together within the Framework of the Joint Africa-EU Strategy. Download the complete briefing paper.

Climate change

The Great Green Wall of the Sahara and Sahel Initiative, as defined and promoted by the African Union Commission, provides a framework within which Red Cross Red Crescent volunteers can make significant contributions to climate change adaptation. Through activities extending from tree planting, to broader sustainable land management (SLM) for rural development, the widespread use of volunteers can scale-up promising and remunerative environmental initiatives with a view to mitigating and adapting to climate change, improving livelihoods, and promoting environmental values and practices, supported by public awareness-raising and education.
Interventions in Climate Change Adaptation will focus on tree/shrub planting by youth volunteers and the establishment of tree nurseries.

The social mobilization of communities and local authorities can help build awareness on the conservation of natural resources (e.g. soil erosion control, reforestation, swamp rehabilitation, wildlife protection). The IFRC will investigate the potentials for community compensation utilizing a system of Payments for Environmental Services (PES). Under such a system, payments are provided to landowners in exchange for them managing plots of land that provide an ecological service, so as to promote natural resources management through market-oriented methods.

Food and nutrition security

In recent years, climate change has resulted in food insecurity on a wide scale, with the Red Cross Red Crescent recently responding to large disasters in the Horn of Africa, Sahel and Southern Africa. Based on country consultations in 2012, the IFRC Africa Zone developed the Food Security Initiative 2013-2017. It is a strategic framework based on the following 3 objectives: 1) to carry out community-based food security programmes with 40 African National Societies; 2) to build country-level technical and organisational food security capacity; and 3) to improve coordination and partnership for long-term food-security programming. In order to strengthen the resilience of local communities, activities in the field of Food and Nutrition security are carried out in a multi-sectoral, integrated manner, which also includes education, the empowerment of smallholders (with a particular focus on women), and health and Water and Sanitation activities.

Consistent with the Africa Food Security Initiative described above, interventions will pick from a menu of known strategies, including:

1) The promotion of diversified livelihoods (skills development, entrepreneurship, cash and in kind resource transfers, etc.);
2) community based support activities for specific types of livelihoods;
3) water harvesting and management for smallholder farmers and livestock herders in dry land areas;
4) community based food security situation monitoring, including market monitoring, malnutrition detection and referral, and famine early warning, and;
5) sensitization about food insecurity, malnutrition, and the related health risks, as well as about available information and services.

IFRC Website on Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods
IFRC background publications on Food Security

Food Security in Horn of Africa
Food Security in the Sahel and Southern Africa

Migration

Red Cross Red Crescent activities in Africa will focus on the needs and vulnerabilities of migrants and potential migrants by targeting National Society branches located along migratory trails. The work will aim to sensitise potential migrants about risks, while being careful not to encourage, dissuade or prevent migration.

In addition, the IFRC will support National Societies to assist migrants in their return, again being careful not to contribute to decisions about returns to countries of origin. Migration activities will be linked with other components. For instance, in areas with displaced and refugee populations, local branches will engage in activities aimed at minimising conflicts between displaced and host populations, and promoting a culture of non-violence and peace. Migration will also be linked to recent operations where there has been an emergency response to population movements.

Related documents: Migration in Africa

Promotion of a culture of non-violence and peace

The Youth as Agents of Behavioural Change initiative (YABC), launched in 2008, is the IFRC’s flagship programme for promoting a culture of non-violence and peace, based on peer education and the development of interpersonal behavioural skills such as active listening, non-violent communication and mediation, which enable participants to interact harmoniously. In Africa there are 76 youth peer educators from 18 African National Societies, including 27 advanced peer educators. The IFRC developed manuals and guidelines in Arabic and English for peer educators working in community engagement.

Since 2008, hundreds of beneficiaries have been reached through YABC related follow-up activities connected to volunteer capacity building, and community outreach and integration. YABC uses role-play, simulation, interactive games, visualisation exercises, and artistic platforms, etc. so that participants develop their own position and commitment through critical reflection based on their feelings, life experiences and exchanges with peers. Additionally, where appropriate, the IFRC will strengthen existing community organisations with the potential to help build social cohesion and strengthen social assets.

Youth unemployment

Around half of the total volunteers of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement are young people. Our approach to youth development recognises the importance of peer and non-formal education, as well as innovation as a specific characteristic of young people and the importance of intergenerational approaches to encourage genuine partnerships. The IFRC recognises the importance of building the capacity of young people as key agents for social change and economic development, and further promoting youth volunteering as a way for young people to become aware of the benefits of civic engagement.

During the last Pan Africa Conference held in Addis Ababa in October 2012 under the theme Investing in Africa, African National Red Cross Red Crescent Societies committed themselves to increasing the education, leadership and skills of African youth, and to expanding partnerships with academia, civil society, governments and the private sector in order to create better conditions for young people.

Report Investing in Africa, African solutions to Africa’s challenges, October 2012

Website IFRC in Africa

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