The International Capacity Research Initiative (ICRI)
ICRI is a joint research project of Norwegian Institute for International Affairs (NUPI); the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS); and the UN Peacebuilding Support Office, with support from the UN Development Programme.
The project will look closer at the Regional Capacity Enhancement Initiative (RCEI) which involves 200 Civil Service Support Officers (CSSOs) seconded from Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to South Sudan in an innovative twinning and mentoring scheme. They are coming from executive posts in their respective ministries and are matched with civil servants in similar posts in Juba and all 15 states in South Sudan.
So far, this initiative seems to be promising, particularly as it is strongly owned by its South Sudanese counterparts, and seems to establish lasting and sustainable capacity. Initial field work was conducted in 2011, and further field work is scheduled for October-November 2012. The research team is planning to share findings with policymakers in Juba and elsewhere in the period from December 2012 to March 2013.
NUPI’s contribution to ICRI is supported by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NOREF. This work has been undertaken under the auspices of the Training for Peace Programme.