Post-Conflict States Project (Rwanda, Sierra Leone, DRC):
Lessons in Integrity and Statebuilding
Post-Conflict States Project (Rwanda, Sierra Leone, DRC): Lessons in Integrity and Statebuilding
General Description
- Despite decades of armed conflict, institutional collapse, genocide, and systemic corruption, countries like Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have taken varied yet notable steps toward rebuilding trust in public institutions and restoring state functionality.
- This project analyzes successful or emerging post-conflict integrity models, with the aim of extracting applicable lessons for countries currently navigating conflict or entering a transitional phase (such as Yemen, Libya, Sudan, and Syria).
Strategic Objectives:
- Examine the different contexts in which anti-corruption and institutional rebuilding have succeeded post-conflict.
- Translate these lessons into actionable policy tools for Arab and African post-conflict environments.
- Foster collaboration between experts from post-conflict nations and those in active conflict.
- Bridge the concepts of transitional justice and institutional integrity.
Proposed Activities:
Comparative Study:
- ‘Transitional Justice as a Path to Anti-Corruption’
- Analyze the experiences of Rwanda (Gacaca courts), Sierra Leone (Truth & Reconciliation Commission), and DRC.
- Examine how accountability for war crimes influenced the rebuilding of judicial and oversight bodies.
Regional and International Conferences:
- Host a major global forum titled ‘From War to Transparency: Living Experiences in Justice and Statebuilding.’
- Engage experts from Rwanda, Sierra Leone, DRC, and fragile states like Yemen, Libya, and Sudan.
- Include organizations such as UNDP, IACC, UNODC, and ICC.
- Organize satellite events in Tunis, Kampala, and Kuala Lumpur.
Knowledge Booklet (Bilingual: Arabic–English): ‘From War to State:
The Road to Transparency’
- Includes comparative analysis, implementation lessons, and adaptable models for local reformers.
- To be distributed digitally and in print, with future translation into French.
Launch of the Post-Conflict Integrity Network (PCIN):
- A transnational network of researchers and civil society actors.
- Focuses on exchanging policies, advisory services, and replicable models.
- Virtual Training Module
Develop interactive training tools focused on:
• Transitional justice
• Institutional design in post-conflict settings
• Civil society anti-corruption methods beyond official authority.
Expected Outputs (within 1 year):
| Output | Target |
|---|---|
|
Comparative academic study |
Comparative academic study 1 published report |
|
Bilingual booklet |
1 Arabic/English edition |
|
Conferences & workshops |
3 international – 5 local |
|
PCIN network |
Pilot launch with 20 experts |
|
Online training module |
First interactive version launched |
Suggested Strategic Partnerships:
– The Aegis Trust (Rwanda)
– International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ)
– United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
– African Transitional Justice Legacy Fund
– Transparency International – Africa Branch
– Universities: University of Kigali – University of Freetown – University of Nairobi
Contextual Sensitivities:
“The lesson from Rwanda is not in replicating Gacaca courts, but in understanding how institutional trust was rebuilt from the grassroots upward.”
– Models will not be copied blindly but adapted to fit the legal, cultural, and political environments of target countries.
– Local innovation will be prioritized alongside adherence to international norms of accountability and transparency.