Training for good governance & civil-military relations : impact assessment of the Office of Transition Initiatives/Nigeria program

The assessment covers a period ending 4/00. The good governance program stimulated an enabling environment for 10,300 elected officials and their constituents. The conflict resolution module was especially appropriate in preparing leaders at all levels for conflict mediation and resolution. For its part, the civil-military relations program facilitated the transfer of governance from military to civilian rule; it was the right application at the right time. The two programs have progressed significantly towards the expected results, which contribute to OTI"s goal of "Nigeria"s democratic transformation advanced through rapid, pivotal, catalytic interventions." Lessons learned are as follows: (1) Good governance. (a) There is a need to include women in similar training programs. (b) Training in conflict resolution is clearly useful in dealing with conflict in transition situations. (c) The informal relationships that the training developed among elected officials before taking office provided an excellent enabling environment for good governance. (2) The civil-military relations program. (a) A program to enhance civil-military relations where the transfer from military to civilian rule is urgent requires a timely, highly visible jump-start. Results that are readily visible and directly reduce the potential for repeating the past military record may be critical in a transition such as Nigeria is making. (b) The absence of a government commitment to adequately fund the continuing needs of the transition could mitigate against long-term results. Continued commitment to the transition by a government, especially the defense ministry, is imperative. (c) Balancing hands-on, people-oriented information and more sophisticated, technical concepts was appropriate for the civil-military program, as was the use of senior retired U.S. military officers and the provision of TA in such areas as budgetary oversight and action plan preparation. (d) The need for considerable emphasis on a military orientation to training and TA does not mean that the activities must be implemented in a military style. A more participatory, adult learning orientation contrasts with the military orientation. (e) Implementation by OTI of "rapid, pivotal, and catalytic interventions" to improve civil-military relations in an unstable political environment can be highly effective. When such interventions do not include strategies for the host country to continue addressing these relations in a transition process that remains tenuous, there may be a cost. (3) Program results and OTI reporting. (a) The availability of a country strategic plan was essential for this assessment. This strategy shaped the framework for the methodology, as well as for all of the questions identified for the interview guides. It also strongly shaped data analysis. (b) Because this strategic plan had only recently been completed, however, statements of expected results were lacking, so that "proxy" results had to be developed to guide the assessment.