Assessments
Analysis and plan creation phase
During this phase all the primary and secondary information is analysed to determine the possible options for the national plan of action. This analysis is done jointly by key government officials, local civil society and the Mapping Team, and will typically take about two weeks of intensive assessment and discussion. This helps to ensure complete local ownership and that the prescribed courses of action and the resource allocation are reflective of the existing realities. During the analysis phase the following factors and issues must be identified and critically assessed:
- The factors fuelling the supply and demand for SALW within the country and the region.
- The resources and current legislation and regulations that exist to deal with the small arms problem.
- The possible courses of action and options for the national plan of action to manage, resolve and prevent the manifestation of the small arms problem.
- The additional structures, resources, capacity, controls and initiatives that need to be developed to lead to the sustainable resolution of the small arms problem in the target country.
When undertaking this analysis, the different levels of engagement and action must be considered at the international; sub-regional; national; provincial; and local levels. The analysis of collected information (which includes supply factors, demand factors, facilitating factors, inhibiting factors, resources, and resource needs) is evaluated against objectives and needs (who, what, where, when, why, which resources).
The result of this analysis is the development of a national plan of action that has the full ownership of the national government and civil society, and has emerged from a comprehensive assessment of the small arms situation in the country.
The structure of the national plan itself is dependent on the needs of each country. However experience in Tanzania and other countries that have been mapped in this way (Namibia, Botswana, Uganda and Kenya) suggest that the establishment of the structures and infrastructure upon which implementation of practical projects can be based is a likely priority for the first year. Capacity building of the implementing agencies and civil society will also be a likely priority during the first and second years of implementation.
Within each country the focus of projects will vary depending upon the needs that have been identified. Each plan will combine initiatives to address a number of arms control, security and societal and developmental issues. During the creation of the National Action Plan the different types of projects that are needed (for instance, the establishment and development of a central firearms registry, further research on the dynamics of conflict in a particular region (province) or the establishment of alternative sources of income to the manufacture or trafficking of arms) will be identified. Priorities will also be determined and the mechanics of how and when these projects will be activated will also be decided.
Within this process of need identification and prioritisation, a key factor will be the level of resources available and the consequent need for capacity building and the securing of additional resources. The provision of local resources (government, civil society and private sector) is important to increase local ownership and ensure sustainability. Part of this process of resource identification will involve examining how existing resources can be used more efficiently or where resources can be re-routed to support the implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP). From the results of this internal audit of resources it is possible to identify the extent of external support that needs to be generated and in what areas and when this support needs to be accessed.
At this point the National Focal Point (NFP) in conjunction with facilitators from the non-governmental arena such as SaferAfrica will then work to assist the government with the identification of external sources from in-country and overseas donors. In this regard, the ongoing engagement and consultation with the donor community (governments and international organisations and agencies) is an important way of ensuring that sustained support can be secured. One of the primary goals of this consultation with donors is to identify projects that can fit into an integrated structure of donor support and into the existing priorities and programmes of donor agencies. While external support will be vital to the full and effective implementation of a NAP, in most countries, the prioritisation of projects and the identification and allocation of existing resources means that in the short term significant progress can still be made without substantial external support. For instance, the creation of a national firearms policy and the review and harmonisation of firearms legislation can be undertaken on a tight budget.
The end product of the analysis and plan development phase is a comprehensive NAP, usually covering a three to five year period, that is based upon a careful identification of needs and resources, out of which a realistic budget and priorities for action are drawn. Once the analysis and internal consultation has been completed and a NAP agreed, the plan will then be forwarded by the NFP to senior government structures for approval. In order to ensure full political support for implementation, the NAP is usually approved by the Cabinet. Upon approval implementation can then begin.
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