Members of the Integrated DDR Training Group are non-profit institutions with a common interest to develop, share training materials, and conduct courses with focus on DDR. The IDDRTG currently have 20 active members.
For more information on each member, please visit the their respective pages and websites below.
The Integrated DDR Training Group currently have three strategic partners; the United Nations’ Inter-Agency Working Group on DDR (IAWG-DDR), the African Union (AU) and the European Union External Action Service (EEAS). The IDDRTG seek partnerships that are cooperative and mutually beneficial to the IDDRTG. Strategic partners are invited to participate in the IDDRTG Annual General Meetings, but do not have decision making powers.
Any individual or organization willing to support the Group as a Strategic Partner is welcome to convey its intention to the Co-Chairs of the Group for consideration and approval of IDDRTG members during an Annual General Meeting.
The United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) was established in March 2005 by the United Nations Executive Committee on Peace and Security (ECPS), with a mandate to improve the Organization’s performance in the area of DDR. The IAWG was mandated to develop a coherent UN approach to DDR in both peacekeeping and non-peacekeeping environments, which has included for example the development of the Integrated DDR Standards (IDDRS) as the UN guidance on DDR. The IAWG is jointly chaired by the Department of Peace Operations (DPO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is currently composed of 26 UN entities.
It is part of the mission of the UN Inter-Agency Working Group (IAWG) on DDR to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of DDR processes worldwide, including through context-specific DDR trainings. The IAWG on DDR provides assistance, materials and resources for trainings based on the IDDRS to both UN and non-UN DDR practitioners in collaboration with IDDRTG. The IDDRTG often collaborates on the design and implementation of DDR training with the UN Inter-Agency Working Group on DDR.
DDR initiatives are significant for the attainment of peace, security and stability in Africa. In light of this, the AU is working to consolidate the capacity of the African Peace and Security Architecture (APSA) to provide support for DDR efforts in Africa.
The mandate of the AU Commission to support DDR is contained within the 2004 Common Africa Defense and Security Policy (CADSP), and in the 2006 Post Conflict Reconstruction and Development Policy (PCRDP). The APSA Roadmap (2011–2013) specifically stipulates that DDR must: “be integrated into the entire peace process, from the initial peace negotiations through peacekeeping and follow-on peace building activities.”
As part of efforts to build the capacity of APSA, the AU Peace and Security and Political Affairs Department (PAPS)- through its Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) and Security Sector Reform (SSR) Division – has developed a series of Operational Guidance Notes (OGNs) covering several aspects of DDR. These OGNs aim to provide African stakeholders with practical guidance on the planning and implementation of DDR programs.
The European Union External Action Service (EEAS) is the European Union’s diplomatic service. It helps the EU’s foreign affairs chief – the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy – carry out the Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.
A key aspect of the work of the EEAS is its ability to work closely with the foreign and defence ministries of the member states of the EU and the other EU institutions such as the European Commission, Council and Parliament. It also has a strong working relationship with the United Nations and other International Organisations.
As a part of these close international collaborations, and the service’s work on DDR, EEAS has been a strategic partner to the IDDRTG for a number of years. Additionally, the adoption of the EU’s DDR policy in the end of 2021 marks an important step in the EU’s work within the DDR field, with particular impact on the training realm. Once the new policy has been adopted, more information on the EU’s engagement in DDR and the IDDRTG will be available.
