3) Effective strategic communications in an insecure and fluid environment, such as
Somalia, requires an expeditionary mindset and a willingness to take risks, including
to generate and support media access in difficult circumstances.
4) Knowledge and understanding of local conflict dynamics are critical for planning and
execution of the strategic communication campaign. The need for expertise about
local conflict dynamics means that IST-like operations probably need a predominantly
local team in order to ensure sustainable success.
Implications.
Failure to provide sufficient strategic communication capabilities from the outset, to have the
mission’s leadership involved in guiding the strategic communications campaign, to get the
message and the messengers out in insecure environments, and to incorporate local exper-
tise into the strategic communications activities could result in inappropriate, insufficient,
and inconsistent messaging – to the detriment of whole strategic communications campaign
and the mission itself.
Event Description.
This lesson is based on the following article: Williams, P. D. 2018 Strategic Communications
for Peace Operations: The African Union’s Information War Against al-Shabaab. Stability:
International Journal of Security & Development, 7(1): 3, pp. 1–17, DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5334/sta.606
Additional Information.
Additional observations, insights, and lessons on strategic communication can be found in
“Strategic Communication / Messaging in Peace & Stability Operations,” SOLLIMS Sampler,
by David Mosinski, PKSOI, November 2016.
E. Mediation for Enhancing Peace Operations and Addressing
Grievances (Lesson #2646)
Observation.
Dialogue and mediation have made a positive impact in Mali and Nigeria, in spite of
prolonged periods of insecurity for local communities and for MINUSMA/Mali peace-
keepers. Although mediation efforts have not yet resolved the conflicts, the ceasefire talks
have helped in preventing outbreak of major violent conflict.
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