2014 AfP Annual Conference
Exploring New Frontiers in Peacebuilding
Members’ Business Meeting
Friday, May 23, 2014
Executive Summary:
Melanie Greenberg opened the session with an over of AfP, staff and Board of Directors,
highlighting the six new Board Members that have joined in 2014: Stephen Moseley, Richard
O’Neill, Michael Shipler, Hamse Warfa, Alissa Wilson and Craig Zelizer. Discussion initiated
around how to make interoperability happen in order to strive towards Peacebuilding 3.0. It was
suggested that AfP focus on membership, which has grown rapidly over the past several years
and will become increasingly diverse. Furthermore, it is key that we focus on further Board
development which can lead AfP into the next phase.
Melanie then moved on to address AfP’s financials. The conclusion was that we have a long way
to go in terms of investment and impact, as well as our relationship with donors. It is imperative
to think about what we can do as a field to increase capacity and take the next step in proving our
case, using data as a means of influencing policymakers.
Senior Manager for Policy, John Filson, spoke about AfP’s policy work, encompassed largely
within the Policymaker Engagement Program, and through Lisa Schirch’s work as Director of
AfP’s Human Security program. John highlighted the third international conference on
peacebuilding approaches as an impactful event that should be continued. Furthermore, it is
important that we prioritize the Post-2015 agenda and clearly state what our goals are and how
we want to achieve them. We must maximize our collective impact in a coherent way. This may
merit a peacebuilding policy coordination forum or other such opportunity for collective
planning and coordination.
Next, Membership and Outreach Manager, Emily Mallozzi, gave an overview of the
membership, highlighting the thirteen new member organizations since September 2013, and the
overall increase in number and diversity of organizations. The members emphasized the
importance of diversity, and Peter Woodrow commented that even in the room, the current
membership was comprised primarily of Global North members. Melanie Greenberg reminded
us that diversifying means not only looking at race but also paying attention to gender trends as
well. To learn how to better diversify our constituency, we can look to ACR’s experience in
diversifying their membership. Chip Hauss suggested that we reach out to more conservatives.
Craig mentioned that everyone who is a part of AfP needs to be an advocate for it and moreover,
needs to focus on strengthening the other members and learning to rely on one another.
Finally, Kay Guinane, Executive Director of the Charity and Security Network, and her
colleague Nathaniel Turner, gave a presentation on the Humanitarian Assistance Facilitation Act
(HAFA). The Charity and Secuirty Netowkr is an organization dedicated to removing the
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barriers to peacebuilding and humanitarian assistance created by US counterterrorism policy.
HAFA fine tunes counterterrorism laws to ensure essential peacebuilding and humanitarian aid
activities can be carried out in conflict zones around the world. Currently it is illegal for a
peacebuilding organization to engage in many forms of communication with a listed terrorist
organization (such as the Boko Haram, Tamil Tigers, or al Shabaab), even though the programs
they conduct are designed to reduce extremism and violent conflict. HAFA will also permit
humanitarian aid groups to engage in incidental transactions with listed groups that are necessary
to access civilians in need as long as specific safeguards are followed.
AfP Board Member Alissa Wilson of the American Friends Service Committee chimed in as a
member of CSN’s Peacebuilding Working Group, highlighting the need for greater AfP member
participation in the group, which is currently dominated by representatives from the
humanitarian aid community, which often has slightly different priorities. It is important the
more peacebuilding groups become involved in this important legislation to ensure that
peacebuilding principles are incorporated and advocated in the bill.
The meeting concluded with a brief word from Emily Mallozzi that AfP would be sending out an
email to all of the meeting participants incorporating all of the great ideas and suggestions that
have come out of each session at the conference. She also encouraged people to submit their
surveys, and pick up a conference participant list on their way out.
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