10.3 |
Reconstruction: oil, commercial interests, debt relief, asylum and
stabilisation policy
945.
Ms Margaret
Aldred, Deputy Head of the Overseas and Defence
Secretariat
(OD Sec) in
the Cabinet Office, sent an interim report to departments on 24
July.
946.
Ms Aldred
explained the background to the Review:
“The UK’s
current civil effect capability has developed without a clear
long-term
strategy,
and more specific guidance is required on what our capability goals
should
be. Our
assessment is that existing mechanisms do not provide confidence
that
current
activity is effective (in terms of the skills and experience of the
personnel
deployed)
or sustainable (in terms of our ability to maintain current
commitments
indefinitely).
Moreover, there is no robust basis on which we could calculate
our
“standby”
or “total” capacity – of civil servants, police or
contractors/consultants.
If we are
to make real progress then we need to agree broad policy
objectives
for the
capability around which we can design effective structures (or
improve
existing ones).”
947.
The interim
report proposed definitions of “stabilisation” and “civil effect”
to define
the scope
of the review:
“‘Stabilisation’ is
support to places emerging from violent conflict in:
{{preventing or
reducing violence;
{{protecting
people and key institutions;
{{promoting
political processes which lead to greater stability;
and
{{preparing for
longer-term development and non-violent politics.
‘Civil
effect’ is
activity to build public confidence and support for an enduring
peace
and focuses
on the ‘survival functions’ of a state:
{{public
order and the rule of law;
{{basic
public services; and
{{economic
stability.
For
success, an integrated effort – bringing together the efforts of
civilian agencies
(including
multilateral), military and local partners – is
required.”
948.
The interim
report proposed a capability that would:
•
support
joint civil-military stabilisation operations with at least 100
civilians and
50 police
continuously deployed;
•
make a
further contribution of up to 100 civilians and 100 police to a
wider range
of
multilateral deployments;
•
identify at
least 1,000 personnel as a “UK Civilian Standby Capability”;
and
•
incorporate
a “Stabilisation Volunteer Network” able to draw on a wider
range
of volunteers
than existing mechanisms.
517