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ICT4Peace: An International Process for Crisis Information Management
    

Introduction

ICT4Peace aims to facilitate improved, effective and sustained communication between peoples, communities and stakeholders involved in conflict prevention, mediation and peace building through better understanding of and enhanced application of Information Communications Technology (ICT) including Media. It particularly look also at the role if ICT in crisis management, which is defined, for the purposes of this process, as civilian and/or military intervention in a crisis that may be violent or non-violent, with the intention of preventing a further escalation of the crisis and facilitating its resolution. This definition again covers conflict prevention, peace mediation, peace-keeping and peace-building activities as well as natural disaster management and response and humanitarian operations of the international community. In bridging the fragmentation between peoples and various organisations and activities during different crisis phases, ICT4Peace aims to facilitate a holistic, cohesive and collaborative mechanisms directly in line with Paragraph 36 of the WSIS Tunis Declaration .

Paragraph 36 was introduced to the diplomatic negotiations in 2004 by Daniel Stauffacher, Chairman of the ICT4Peace Foundation, and former Swiss Ambassador to the World Summit on the Information Society (2003 in Geneva and 2005 in Tunis), on behalf of the Swiss and Tunisian Governments for its adoption as part of the WSIS Tunis Commitment in 2005.

The ICT4Peace Foundation was subsequently established in spring 2006 to raise awareness about the Tunis Commitment and promote its practical realization in all stages of crisis management. The ICT4Peace Foundation focuses on Original research and Policy development; Advocacy on key issues; Advisory Services and Training; Targeted networking. It also looks at, inter alia:

  1. Raising awareness about the contribution and potential of ICT in crisis management
  2. Fostering the exchange of best practices in the field of ICT for crisis management
  3. Contributing to the establishment of broad principles derived from operational best practices, help integrate them into UN and multi-stake-holder processes and make ICT part of UN and global multi-stake-holder  evaluation exercises.
  4. Develop and implement ICT4Peace Training Modules for Integrated and multi-stakeholder Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding Missions.
GAID
 
In October 2006, the ICT4Peace Foundation was invited to a partnership with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) and the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID) as the focal point for overseeing and promoting the spirit of Paragraph 36 of the WSIS Tunis Declaration.  
 

The Role of ICT in Preventing, Responding to and Recovering from Conflict

The first order of the ICT4Peace Foundation, was the publication of a groundbreaking book on the practice and theory of ICT in the conflict cycle and  peace building. In-depth research on the role of ICT and information management in preventing, responding to and recovering from conflict resulted in the publication in 2005 of The Role of ICT in Preventing, Responding to and Recovering from Conflict , by the UN ICT Task Force Series. The first part of the report reviews the origins of ICT for Peace in the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society, and the role that ICT might play in the broader field of conflict management. The second part showcases many examples of how ICT is being used before, during, and after conflicts. The conclusion and recommendations highlight both the challenges and opportunities for development in ICT for Peace (ICT4Peace), with the aim of raising awareness and building coherence in this important sphere of activity.  The United Nations has called attention to the close link between peace and development and many initiatives from within and outside of the UN system are identified in the book.

This was followed up in 2007 by an online wiki based inventorisation of ICT4Peace initiatives by the ICT4Peace Foundation. This wiki already indexes over 100 examples of the use of ICT in crisis management, mitigation, prevention and post-conflict recovery, including many examples from the UN and global civil society.

Strategy and activities from 2007 to 2010

  • Enhance the performance of the international community in crisis information management through ICT
Objective: To enhance the competency and professionalism of the international community in crisis management through improved integrated and multi-stakeholder Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding missions as well as interagency interoperability and information sharing supported by practical collaborative frameworks and ICT tools.
  • Development of training templates for ICT, media and communications in conflict management.
  1. Cooperation with the Cairo Regional Center for Training on Conflict Resolution & Peacekeeping in Africa (CCCPA)  
  2. Cooperation with the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Center (KAIPTC)
ICT4Peace Wiki
  • Policy Outreach, awareness creation, networking in the field of ICT4Peace


The ICT4Peace International Policy Advisory Board
The ICT4Peace International Policy Advisory Board, which is chaired by former President Martti Ahtisaari, was continuously enlarged with eminent and high level experts and practicioners.

 

Key activities and programmes carried out to date:


Publications:

 

Partners:

Crisis Management Initiative UN DESA GAID interpeace ISCRAMOCHA InfoShare, Colombo, Sri Lanka

 For more information, please contact Daniel Stauffacher, Chairman, ICT4Peace Foundation danielstauffacher@ict4peace.org  
 
 
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