Frequently Asked Questions
What does an RPBA seek to achieve?
Conflict, particularly if it is prolonged, generates a broad range of concerns for recovery. As national, regional and international actors struggle to address these concerns, the absence of a standardized process for assessing needs and planning recovery can lead to confused and conflicting recovery initiatives. In the worst case, without the benefit of an overarching framework for understanding recovery needs, individual interventions can hamper each other’s works, and leave affected populations underserved.
Preventing such a situation requires harmonizing and maximizing the efficacy of their many interventions through an agreement on the principles, priorities and plan for recovery. This strategic assessment and prioritization process is essential to provide a framework for priority actions to which international partners and national authorities commit, and within which they align their programs and commit their funding.
Countries seeking to implement recovery and peacebuilding often face this daunting first step of assessing, planning and prioritizing their interventions. The RPBA provides an internationally accepted process for this purpose.
A RPBA has three primary purposes:
- to help governments identify, prioritize and sequence recovery and peacebuilding activities;
- to provide an inclusive process to support political dialogue and participation of stakeholders, and
- to coordinate international support through a joint exercise and monitoring system
When is an RPBA needed?
Not all conflicts require a coordinate response by EU, UN and WBG. Pertinent considerations include the scope of the conflict, the projected trajectory of violence, the commitment of key parties to the conflict to find a lasting solution to end the crisis, and the support that might be required from international partners. Localized and small-scale crises may not warrant an RPBA, and might be better served by other types of engagements. In contrast, complex crises that are largely unaddressed, would naturally benefit from the harmonized and coordinated approach of an RPBA.
An RPBA is undertaken when a joint approach to assessing and addressing recovery and peacebuilding requirements respond to a specific demand, e.g. when there is a clear national demand or international case for it. Furthermore, an RPBA is undertaken when it is evident that it will add value to the recovery and peacebuilding process by providing a unified framework, and clearly identified priorities.
What are the outputs and outcomes of an RPBA?
The RPBA process produces a strategic recovery and peacebuilding plan through a set of priorities that typically cover political, security, social and economic sectors. It also produces implementation and financing recommendations to implement these priorities. More broadly, an RPBA ensures consistency in planning and coordination across humanitarian, development, political and security outcomes.
What is the origin of RPBAs?
The RPBA methodology evolved from the Post Conflict Needs Assessment (PCNA) methodology. Introduced in 2003, the methodology was employed in a variety of types of conflict in more than ten countries emerging from conflict. The commitment to undertake PCNAs was enshrined in the 2008 Joint Declaration on Crisis and Post-Crisis Recovery Planning and Assessment, which formally commits the three partners to work together on planning and implementing support to countries suffering from crisis.
To learn from these experiences, a tripartite review was conducted in 2015. This review took stock of these experiences, and offered insights into the process, methodology and approach to such assessments in response to conflict. It offered valuable insights into the rationale behind joint assessments in conflict-contexts, and put forward recommendations for how the assessment methodology and partnership between the three organizations can be further strengthened to support effective recovery and peacebuilding.
This review served as the basis of the evolution of the methodology from Post Conflict Needs Assessment to Recovery and Peacebuilding Assessment.
The current RPBA methodology represents a commitment for the UN, the EU, and the WBG to work together to support national ownership of the recovery and peacebuilding process, and to help coordinate the international response in support of national priorities.
Watch the video below to learn more.