斯德哥尔摩国际和平研究所-The-World-Food-Programme-s-Contribution-to-Improving-the-Prospects-for-Peace-in-Iraq_35页_717kb

Summary of the World Food Programme's Contribution to Improving the Prospects for Peace in Iraq

Core Content

This working paper explores the World Food Programme's (WFP) role in contributing to peacebuilding in Iraq. It is part of a broader initiative between WFP and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) to evaluate how WFP's programming can enhance peace prospects and identify potential unintended negative effects. The analysis is based on field research conducted in March 2019, including visits to three internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and one food assistance for assets (FFA) project site, as well as interviews and focus group discussions with WFP staff, beneficiaries, and local partners.

Main Viewpoints

WFP's Added Value

• Operational Reach and Trust: WFP has a strong presence in IDP camps and areas of return, and is seen as a trusted partner by local communities.
• Food as an Entry Point: Food assistance allows WFP to build relationships and trust, which can later be leveraged for more sensitive peacebuilding activities.
• Multi-Level Engagement: WFP operates at national, subnational, community, and household levels, enabling a comprehensive approach to peacebuilding.
• Programmatic Tools: WFP's focus on food security, livelihoods, and resilience provides a foundation for integrating peacebuilding into its programming.

Potential Contributions to Peace

• Building Relationships Among Divided Communities: WFP's work on shared needs can help bridge tribal, sectarian, or political divides.
• Supporting PDS Reform: Improving the Public Distribution System (PDS) can enhance state legitimacy and citizen trust, which are crucial for peace.
• Conflict Sensitivity and Peacebuilding Integration: WFP has the potential to incorporate conflict-sensitive approaches into its programming to prevent conflict escalation and promote stability.

Key Information

Conflict Context

• Drivers of Conflict:
  • Governance and political exclusion have fueled resentment among Sunnis, especially due to poor governance and lack of political representation.
  • Security forces, particularly the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), have been accused of targeting Sunnis, leading to increased support for extremist groups like the Islamic State (IS).
  • The de-Ba'athification programme led to job losses among former regime members, making them more susceptible to IS recruitment.
  • Paramilitary groups such as the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and Popular Mobilization Units (PMU) have emerged as significant actors, often aligned with Iran, and have exerted influence over security and economic spheres.
  • Water scarcity, exacerbated by climate change and upstream dam projects, has the potential to increase tensions and migration, which could destabilize the region.

Food Insecurity and Extremism

• No Direct Link: There is no clear evidence in the literature linking food insecurity to recruitment into extremist or armed groups.
• Sectarian Dynamics: Sectarian tensions are more often a result of political manipulation than inherent religious hatred.
• Economic Factors: High unemployment and lack of economic opportunities, especially among youth, have been cited as key drivers of support for IS and PMF/PMU.

Challenges and Opportunities

Challenges

• Integration of Peace Approaches: WFP's current monitoring systems are not designed to measure peacebuilding outcomes.
• Complexity of Conflict: The conflict in Iraq is both complicated and complex, requiring nuanced approaches to programming and analysis.
• Data Limitations: Surveys are useful for identifying changes but lack depth in explaining the underlying causes.
• Political and Social Barriers: The influence of Iran and the PMF/PMU complicates state authority and creates proxy conflicts.

Opportunities

• Enhanced Partnerships: WFP should form strategic partnerships with local and international actors to better understand and address the political and social dimensions of conflict.
• Contextual Indicators: Developing community-identified indicators can better capture peacebuilding outcomes.
• Expanding Monitoring Tools: Using open-ended methods like focus group discussions (FGDs) and semi-structured interviews can provide deeper insights into changes in attitudes and relationships.
• Supporting Return Processes: WFP can play a role in facilitating the return of IDPs, including those perceived to be affiliated with IS, by working with new partners and flexible funding mechanisms.

Recommendations

• Build New Partnerships: Strengthen collaboration with local and international partners to improve conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding integration.
• Scope Out Return Processes: Explore how WFP can support the return of IDPs, particularly those perceived to be affiliated with IS.
• Leverage PDS Reform: Use WFP's technical support to contribute to broader reforms of the Public Distribution System.
• Revise Measurement Frameworks: Develop new quantitative and qualitative indicators that reflect peacebuilding outcomes and expand monitoring tools to include open-ended methods.

Conclusion

The WFP's programming in Iraq offers a unique opportunity to contribute to peacebuilding by fostering resilience, improving governance, and building trust. However, this requires a more integrated and context-sensitive approach, along with enhanced data collection and measurement methods to better understand and track its impact on peace prospects.