Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation facts for kids
The Office for Conflict, Stabilisation and Mediation (OCSM) is a special team within the UK government. It used to be called the Stabilisation Unit. This team works with different parts of the government to help stop conflicts around the world. It also tries to make conflicts less intense when they happen. The OCSM is part of the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). It gets its guidance from the National Security Council.
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What the OCSM Does
The OCSM helps countries that are struggling or are just coming out of a conflict. In these situations, it's really important for international groups, the military, and regular people to work together. The OCSM helps make that happen.
The OCSM was created in 2007. It took over from an older group called the Post-Conflict Reconstruction Unit. The OCSM works closely with similar groups in other countries. For example, it works with the Stabilization and Reconstruction Task Force in Canada. It also works with the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations in the United States.
Since 2015, the OCSM has received its money from the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund. The National Security Council guides its work. Before 2015, it was controlled by three different government departments. These were the FCO, the DFID, and the MOD. In February 2022, the Stabilisation Unit joined with parts of the former Department for International Development and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, they formed the OCSM.
Helping Countries in Crisis
The OCSM has several important goals:
- To stop violent conflicts from starting or to keep them from getting worse.
- To keep people, important places, and key organizations safe.
- To help political talks that can lead to more stable countries.
- To prepare for long-term development and fix the root causes of conflict.
Where the OCSM Has Helped
The OCSM has given advice or help to many places facing big problems. Here are some examples:
- Afghanistan: The OCSM helped with different issues in Helmand province.
- Democratic Republic of Congo: An OCSM advisor has been working with a UN mission there since 2008.
- Haiti: The OCSM helped prisons in Haiti after the terrible earthquake.
- Iraq: The OCSM helped a team in Basra rebuild police forces.
- Sudan: The OCSM helped local groups get involved in solving problems. Four experts worked in Darfur.
- Kosovo, Moldova, Somalia, Yemen, and Pakistan: The OCSM helped create plans to assist these countries.
Who Works for the OCSM
The OCSM hires people who work for the government, known as civil servants. These people join a special group called the Civil Service Stabilisation Cadre (CSSC).
The OCSM also hires people who are not civil servants. This group is called the UK Civilian Stabilisation Group (CSG), and it started in 2010. The OCSM keeps a group of civilian experts ready to go. These experts can be sent to other countries to help build peace and security.
