Bureau for Policy and Program Coordination
Center for Development, Information and Evaluation
Performance Measurement and Evaluation Division
Contract #AEP-C-00-99-00034-00
Linking Complex Emergency Response 
and Transition Initiative (CERTI): 
Assessment
Heather S. McHugh
Rose Steinbock
March 2, 2001
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ASSESSMENT BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................ 3
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW OF CERTI .............................................................................................................. 4
SECTION 2: CERTI OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY ................................................................................... 6
SECTION 3: AFR/SD RESULTS FRAMEWORK.......................................................................................... 15
SECTION 4: ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACT ............................................................................................ 19
SECTION 5: CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................................... 26
ANNEX A: SCOPE OF WORK........................................................................................................................ 27
ANNEX B: LIST OF CERTI CONTACTS ...................................................................................................... 28
ANNEX C: SURVEY QUESTIONS ................................................................................................................. 32
ANNEX D: LIST OF DOCUMENTS REVIEWED ......................................................................................... 34
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ASSESSMENT BACKGROUND
PURPOSE
The USAID Africa Bureau began funding the Linking Complex Emergency Response and 
Transition Initiative (CERTI) in 1999. The stated purpose of CERTI is to provide analytic and 
strategic support to improve policies, programs, and strategies related to human security in 
conflict, crisis, and transition settings. Additionally, CERTI will support leadership within the 
Africa Bureau’s Office of Sustainable Development (AFR/SD) in identifying good practices and 
developing policy and programming tools. CERTI is a two-year, two-phased initiative now in its 
second year. 
In order to ensure that CERTI activities and products are appropriately and strategically focused 
and useful to field offices and implementing partner agencies, USAID planned an external 
assessment during the first year of the agreement. To conduct this assessment, the AFR/SD 
requested technical assistance from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) through the USAID Policy 
and Program Coordination Bureau’s contract vehicle, Integrated Managing for Results (IMR). 
The purposes of this PwC assessment are to 1) provide USAID with guidance on how to improve 
the activity, and 2) to identify aspects of the program for follow-on activities during the second 
year of implementation. Additionally, the assessment will review the technical usefulness and 
strategic relevance of completed and/or forthcoming CERTI products. (See Annex A for the 
Assessment Scope of Work).
METHODOLOGY
The PwC assessment team consisted of a social scientist with a background in USAID 
approaches to conflict management and complex emergencies, and a social scientist with a 
background in development economics and quality testing of internet and intranet websites. The 
two-person team conducted a three-week desk-study of CERTI and its partners throughout 
January and February 2001. Additionally, the assessment team observed CERTI assistance to 
USAID/Angola during a three-week field visit. This assessment is based on the following 
information sources:
1. Interviews of CERTI staff and consortium members;
2. Interviews of CERTI workshop, conference, and meeting participants;
3. Interviews of USAID staff in the Africa Bureau and related offices;
4. An email survey of randomly selected CERTI contacts;
5. A review of the CERTI web site (http://www.certi.org/default.htm.); and
6. A review of CERTI documents, including tools developed by CERTI consortium members 
(see Annex E).
The PwC team collected two types of data in order to assess program impact. First, interviews 
with CERTI staff (in Washington, D.C. and Louisiana), USAID staff (AFR/SD, AFR/DP, and 
others), consortium members, and other CERTI-connected individuals were conducted. These 
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interviews provided background on CERTI activities and objectives, as well as impressions of 
CERTI products. The list of people interviewed can be found in Annex B. 
Second, the team collected data from African field offices and indigenous organizations. Over 
30 randomly selected individuals in Africa with direct experience with CERTI received an email 
questionnaire. The purpose of the email survey was to evaluate the purpose and value of CERTI 
tools, products and other resources from the perspective of those that have attended CERTI 
events and use CERTI resources. The list of people surveyed can be found in Annex B. Annex 
C contains the email survey questions.
The assessment team focused its efforts on: objectives and strategies employed by CERTI; 
dissemination and information actions; the links between CERTI and the AFR/SD strategic plan; 
and interviews with potential and actual users in order to get their feedback on the content of 
products and methodologies developed by CERTI.
SECTION 1: OVERVIEW OF CERTI
Prior to the development of the USAID Bureau for Africa’s Strategic Objective to “Improve 
Policies, Strategies, and Programs for Preventing, Mitigating, and Transitioning out of Crisis,” 
the Bureau had funded a few “disparate” activities in order to develop an appropriate conceptual 
framework for dealing with crisis in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). After the approval of the 
bureau’s Office of Sustainable Development (AFR/SD) Strategic Plan (FY 1998 – 2003) and a 
new Agency policy on “linking relief and development,” a new cooperative agreement was 
awarded to Tulane University. Building on the experience of the earlier grants, this award 
sought to combine two distinct activities into single agreement. One component of this 
agreement established a “state-of-the-art” consortium of other academic and operational 
organizations. This consortium officially became known as the Linking Complex Emergency 
Response and Transition Initiative (CERTI).1
 The other component established a program that 
focuses on conflict and conflict prevention (known as CCP).
According to the cooperative agreement program description, the CERTI objective is to:
ß Provide analytic and strategic support to improve policies, programs, and strategies related to 
human security in conflict, crisis, and transition settings.
 
1
 AFR/SD notes two subtly different definitions of “complex emergency”: 1) Natural or man-made disaster with 
economic, social and political dimensions. A humanitarian crisis in a country, region, or society where there is a 
total or considerable breakdown of authority resulting from internal or external conflict, requiring an international 
response that extends beyond the mandate or capacity of any single agency and/or the ongoing UN country program. 
(UNDHA 1995: http://www.reliefweb.int/library/mcda/refman/glossary.html); and 2) Natural or man-made disaster 
with economic, social and political dimensions. A profound social crisis in which a large number of people die and 
suffer from war, disease, hunger, and displacement owing to man-made and natural disasters, while some others 
may benefit from it. Four factors can be measured: the fatalities from violence; the mortality of children under five 
years of age; the percentage of underweight children under five; and the number of external refugees and internally 
displaced persons. (Väyrynen, 1998; cited by Schmid 1998: http://www.fewer.org/pubs/thes/htm)
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ß Support AFR/SD leadership in identifying good practices and developing policy and 
programming tools.
CERTI is implemented by Tulane University’s Payson Center for International Development and 
Technology Transfer in partnership with various “consortium”2
 members including the Johns 
Hopkins University, George Washington University, Harvard University, the Civil-Military 
Alliance, the International Center for Migration and Health in Geneva and the University of 
Maryland. 
The cooperative agreement specifies the delivery of the following CERTI products:
ß A document that provides policy and program guidelines for specific African sub-regions for 
the use of the CERTI framework in strategic planning.
ß A prototype for a vulnerability analysis and Geographic Information System (GIS) that 
integrates a network of information activities, including those being supported under each of 
the other SO10/22 Intermediate Results and international initiatives. This will include a 
component to explore the emergence of new tools for vulnerability analysis, including 
applications of remote sensing, modeling of migration and resettlement patterns, and the use 
of text processing analytical tools. Several informal meetings will be conducted and a 
workshop with the National Science Foundation and the RAND Corporation is planned with 
the expected outcome being a “good practice white paper series” on the application of 
information tools.
ß Policy framework studies and policy briefings on key issues to be identified jointly by SO 
10/22 and the program management team (two policy studies will be conducted yearly). 
Topics will include: the rationale for and lessons learned in utilizing “health as a bridge to 
peace,” including specific recommendations at the sub-regional level; lessons learned in the 
assessment and management of the psychosocial aspects of crisis in Africa; and capacities 
and roles of regional institutions.
ß Support capacity strengthening of African regional institutions.
ß Perform an assessment of the capabilities of regional institutions to support human security 
related SO 10/223
 policies and programs, in collaboration with UN partners.
ß Undertake a training needs assessment.
ß Develop a regional training strategy, in collaboration with UN partners, including the 
development of curricula and training tools.
ß Implement one consensus forum in Africa during each year of the agreement with co￾sponsorship by at least one key UN agency.
ß Strengthen capacities of implementing agencies through the development of assessment, 
programming and monitoring/evaluation methods for crisis/transition settings.
 
2
 Within the CERTI project, the term “consortium” is used in an informal way to indicate a fluid sub-grant 
relationship with other entities, and not in the formal sense where USAID has contracted assistance from a specified 
set of partners. Tulane University, with the agreement of USAID, determines what and when other entities should 
join the “consortium.”
3
 At the beginning of the cooperative agreement, AFR/SD’s Strategic Plan listed the Strategic Objective for “Crisis 
Prevention, Mitigation, and Transitions” (CPMT) as number 10. Later, the Africa Bureau changed the numbering of 
all of its strategic objectives and the name of this particular objective. CPMT became “Crisis Prevention, 
Mitigation, and Recovery” (CMR), and the strategic objective became number 22. In this report, the Strategic 
Objective for CMR will be referred to as SO 10/22. 
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ß Undertake pilot studies to validate methods and tools developed by the program. One 
country will be identified in year one, and upon the availability of the funds and success of 
Tulane’s activities, other countries will be identified in the subsequent years.
SECTION 2: CERTI OBJECTIVES AND STRATEGY
OBJECTIVE(S)
A review of CERTI documents and statements by CERTI-associated individuals reveals that 
there are a wide variety of opinions about the initiative’s objective. 
According to AFR/SD’s Results Framework and Tulane University statements, the purpose of 
CERTI is to directly support AFR/SD’s Strategic Objective 10/22 “Improved Policies, 
Strategies, and Programs for Preventing, Mitigating, and Transitioning out of Crisis.” This 
includes the identification and dissemination of “best practices” in policies, programs, and 
strategies related to crisis prevention, mitigation, transition, and recovery. 
As stated by the CERTI website (both versions 1 and 2),4
 CERTI has two major objectives: (1) 
to establish broad-based international consensus on best practices during and following complex 
emergencies (CEs); and (2) to strengthen the capacity of various implementing organizations 
which provide public health interventions in crisis and post-crisis contexts. 
Also according to Tulane University statements, the CERTI “initiative responds to the 
increasing demand and need for linking relief with development programming in SSA. Every 
country in SSA has felt the effects of conflict-related crises which have occurred either internally 
or in neighboring countries. As this situation is relatively recent, there currently is no consensus 
on best practices nor requisite competencies or necessary skills that equip implementing agencies 
to manage the health of populations as they transition in and out of crisis.”
Various consortium members and other interested parties have noted that:
“CERTI helps USAID staff understand conflict and how complex emergencies develop. 
It helps them understand what is going on in order to improve response” (CERTI 
consortium member).
“CERTI’s purpose isn’t clear to me – but this problem is inherent in the way the Africa 
Bureau functions” (CERTI user).
“CERTI’s objective is to marshal resources across USAID to respond to complex 
emergencies” (CERTI workshop participant).
 
4
 During the course of this evaluation, the initial CERTI website was taken down in January 2001 and modified. 
The first website is referred to in this report as “version 1” and the updated website is “version 2.”
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“To strengthen the capacity of organizations and institutions to understand and 
appropriately respond to help communities during the Post Crisis Re-adjustment phase” 
(CERTI partner in Africa).
CERTI’s purpose is to design an early warning system for conflict prevention and 
response” (CERTI partner).
Additional comments from individuals surveyed by the assessment team demonstrate that there 
is considerable confusion about the differences between the CERTI objective and the CCP 
objective. Previously AFR/SD supported two different funding mechanisms for the SO 10/22 
precursor to the CERTI program and Intermediate Result 4 program titled “Country and Sub￾Regional Conflict Prevention and Resolution Improved”5
 (CCP). The current cooperative 
agreement for both programs states that these two programs were combined in an attempt to 
build on the earlier efforts by bringing these two programs together in order to “complement and 
strengthen” the development of strategies, policies, and programs for SO 10/22. Because Tulane 
University implements two disparate programs that encompass (to a large degree) shared 
objectives, the confusion about the differences between CERTI and CCP is understandable.
CERTI STRATEGY
Tulane University has designed a two-phased strategy for CERTI. The first phase of the 
program began with initial funding from AFR/SD in September 1999 and ended in 
November/December 2000. This phase focused on developing strategic and analytical “tools”6
for AFR/SD, USAID field offices in Africa, and regional institutions. The second phase started 
in late 2000 and will end in late 2001, and will emphasize field-testing those tools, and providing 
technical assistance and expertise to field offices and USAID/Washington. No additional tools 
will be developed during the second phase.
The Consortium
An integral component of the CERTI strategy is the use of the “consortium” as a “pool of 
expertise” and a method of building a “broad-based consensus on important strategies and tools 
for achieving human security in the African context.”7
 Through previous USAID-funded 
programs, Tulane and USAID identified a cadre of proven experts from academia, implementing 
partners, international organizations, and others with reputations in related technical areas. 
Initially CERTI and USAID staff met with these experts in crisis, prevention, mitigation, 
transition, and recovery to discuss potential sub-grant activities. Later, all possible sub-grantees 
were invited to a March 2000 meeting, where all the proposals were tabled for discussion, and 
priorities were established for the CERTI program. CERTI then directly funded the 
“consortium” members. 
 
5
 This program is more recently identified as Conflict and Conflict Prevention in the FY”2000 SD R4 Review 
Wrapup Presentations,” and will be referred to as CCP in this report.
6
 The tools developed by CERTI includes manuals, policy papers, systems, indicator lists, workshops, websites, and 
more.
7
 William E. Bertrand. July 14, 1999. “Unsolicited Proposal submitted by Tulane University’s Payson Center for 
International Development and Technology Transfer and its partner institutions.”
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Information and Dissemination 
During the first year of CERTI activities, dissemination was not a primary component of its 
strategy. Despite this, CERTI developed a website in order to help manage the products and 
activities of its geographically widespread sub-grantees and other partners. The website, 
however, was subsequently distributed to conference and workshop participants in a CD-ROM 
format, and the site was registered on popular search engines such as Yahoo! and Altavista. 
Because dissemination was not a focus of the CERTI strategy, the target audiences for the 
website or the CD-ROM was not clearly defined in the first year.
As stated in the cooperative agreement, CERTI also planned a variety of workshops and 
meetings in both the US and in Africa. This strategy provided an opportunity to vet products as 
they were being developed, identify potential consortium members and activities, inform target 
audiences of the CERTI program and accomplishments, and disseminate information to potential 
users.
Findings
1) The CERTI objective is diffused
A review of the cooperative agreement for CERTI demonstrates that the objective articulated by 
USAID encompasses a broad range of possibilities. Decomposing the stated objective reveals 
that CERTI will:
Focus on conflict, crisis, and transition environments in sub-Saharan Africa 
– including recovery, as implied by the change in the SO language;
Provide analytic, strategic, and leadership support to 
AFR/SD, field offices, partners, international and regional 
institutions; 
Result in improved policies, programs,
strategies, and practices; and
Use “human security”
as the frame of 
reference.
This inverted pyramid is a graphic representation of the stated objective for CERTI. At its point, 
“human security” seems to narrow this objective to a specific concept. As defined by a CERTI 
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partner, human security is “an underlying condition for sustainable human development. It 
results from the social, psychological, economic, and political aspects of human life that in times 
of acute crisis or chronic deprivation protect the survival of individuals, support individual and 
group capacities to attain minimally adequate standards of living, and promote constructive 
group attachment and continuity through time. The key measurable components of human 
security can be summarized as: a sustainable sense of home; constructive social and family 
networks; and an acceptance of the past and a positive grasp of the future.”8
 
However, even the concept of human security fails to narrow the scope of the initiative’s 
objective because its definition is likewise far-reaching, and could be interpreted to encompass 
all possible types of USAID responses and sectors. The cooperative agreement for CERTI, 
therefore, does not provide sufficient guidance on the goals and objectives AFR/SD expects from 
the initiative. 
The insertion of “public health” in the taxonomy of the CERTI objective obscures matters 
further. Health is an important component of the “human security” framework used by CERTI 
to define the program’s parameters. The prominence of health issues within CERTI is, 
nevertheless, reasonable since health has been a particular focus of relief work, and because 
many of the consortium members and management staff at CERTI come from health-related 
backgrounds. Furthermore, the initial CERTI funding was health-related,9
 which may have 
advanced health as a priority focus area for the initiative’s efforts. As a result, rather than having 
“human security” serve as the framework for the initiative, health has become the de facto 
framework for CERTI. 
“People see CERTI’s focus in the areas where they themselves are focused” (CERTI 
staff).
As a result of the variety of opinion within and outside of CERTI, the initiative’s objective can 
be (and has been) interpreted to cover all sub-Saharan African countries, address a universe of 
relevant topics, and provide a range of assistance and tools to a variety of users. On the positive 
side, the broad and fluid nature of the CERTI objective has allowed partners and staff the room 
to explore new focus areas; to fill unanticipated gaps in knowledge and responses; and follow 
relevant novel developments in crisis management. 
“CERTI brings together major universities and new thinking on emergency relief and 
health development” (CERTI partner).
Indeed, other transition programs funded by USAID and other donors have similarly broad 
objectives, which the donors believe to be operationally relevant in order to respond to the 
dynamic nature of transitions. Thus, the broad objective has allowed CERTI staff and 
consortium partners to pursue a myriad of focus areas and provide platforms for state-of-the-art 
thinking about crisis. In some ways, this strategy was appropriate, given the nature of complex 
emergencies in Africa and the gaps that exist in donor understanding of how to respond to such 
crisis. 
 
8
 Jennifer Leaning, M.D., S.M.H. and Sam Arie, “Human Security in Crisis and Transition: A Background 
Document of Definition and Application, Working Draft,” submitted September 2000, prepared for USAID/Tulane 
CERTI. 
9
 According to the CERTI Chief of Party at Tulane University.
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2) Target users and audiences are unclear
The haziness that exists about the CERTI objective has resulted in an approach of marketing or 
targeting a multitude of potential users – including policy-makers, practitioners, managers, 
Africans, USAID-staff, other donors, PVOs, NGOs, regional institutions, other US government 
agencies, and more. Again, this may have been an appropriate approach at the beginning of the 
initiative, in order to explore all options and establish a cadre of active CERTI partners and 
increase the pool of potential users. Such an approach has magnified the uncertainty about the 
CERTI objective and resulted in some degree of frustration as it has become apparent that the 
initiative can not be all things to all people.
CERTI is “very confusing and you can’t tell what it’s about” (Survey respondent).
3) Too many deliverables and types of products
One result of targeting a large universe of potential users is that there are widely different needs 
among these users. CERTI has responded by producing policy papers, manuals, guidance, 
bibliographies, research papers, case studies, and more in order to meet those needs. This lack of 
consensus on the identity of the priority users of CERTI products, and the types of products that 
would be most relevant, has resulted in the watering down of CERTI achievements and 
confusion about the utility of the materials.
“The CERTI products are very different from each other” (Survey respondent).
On the other hand, many practitioners and academics have found the variety of CERTI topics 
and products to be useful. 
“CERTI provides a wide variety of resources on a host of issues pertinent to transitions –
not just on one topic” (Survey respondent)
4) Mixed perspectives on quality of products
The lack of consensus on the CERTI objective has contributed to mixed opinions on the quality 
of the tools and assistance provided. This inconsistency of opinion has had significant 
ramifications on the initiative’s potential impact and results. Some of the tools produced by 
CERTI partners have already been identified as being state-of-the-art and cutting edge by the 
individuals questioned during this assessment. Other tools have been considered less significant, 
as they have been seen as only slight modifications of existing methodologies and/or established 
guidance. 
Because CERTI’s purpose is to “design an early warning system for conflict prevention 
and response,” the survey respondent does not use CERTI tools because he does “not 
believe an early warning mechanism can be developed.”
The determination of the quality of CERTI products has often depended on whether the 
assessment respondent was a development expert, or a relief expert, or a sector expert. For 
example, some of the tools related to rapid assessment procedures (RAP) have proven to be 
disappointing to potential development-focused users within USAID. And CERTI management 
believe that they should have thought this deliverable through better. But when other experts 
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were asked to assess the value of RAP, they found that the tool is very leading edge – for 
humanitarian-focused users. This suggests that CERTI has successfully identified gaps in relief 
assistance programs and methodologies, and filled those gaps with relevant products from other 
sectors.
“This is exactly the type of material I tried for years to get OFDA [USAID’s Office of 
Foreign Disaster Assistance] to adopt – RAP would be a critical addition to USAID’s 
relief tool-kit” (Independent consultant and former OFDA staff member).
Similarly, users with a field-based implementation background have judged some CERTI 
products as being “too theoretical” and not practical or relevant. But other CERTI users find 
those products to be of greater value for making policy decisions or for training activities. 
On respondent “uses all CERTI materials as either reference materials or as materials to 
be handed out and used in training activities” (CERTI partner organization).
5) The CERTI implementation team responds quickly to changing needs
Despite the relative newness of CERTI, Tulane and AFR/SD managers have been quick to 
respond to suggestions for change and improvement from users and audiences, as well as to 
improved understanding of its own limitations and capacities. This has resulted in strategic 
shifts in how CERTI operates, including the identification of new topics and audiences for its 
products. For example, originally CERTI managers identified the international community as 
the target audience for developing a consensus on best practices. Over time and in consultation 
with AFR/SD, the focus was shifted to USAID as the target audience. CERTI’s Spring 1999 
workshop served to notify consortium members and other interested parties of this shift.
6) The CERTI approach allows appropriate flexibility within the complex emergency sector.
The consortium itself also provides CERTI with the flexibility to respond to new opportunities 
for research and policy development for the often dynamic complex emergency sector. 
Throughout the first phase of the CERTI program flexibility was demonstrated as new gaps in 
the knowledge and practice of responding to complex emergencies were identified, and sub￾grants were modified to add relevant partners.
7) CERTI products are “invisible” to the rest of UASID staff and thus expectations are not 
adequately communicated or met. 
An additional problem with CERTI is that its work plan not well known at USAID. This has 
raised expectations for products that have not been delivered, and resulted in some degree of 
disappointment with those products that CERTI has delivered. This lack of communication of 
the CERTI work plan and strategic focus has undermined the definite progress that has been 
made in a relatively short period of time. Indeed, communication between CERTI and other SO 
10/22 programs and staff, and between CERTI and the Africa Bureau, needs to be improved 
before initiating phase two of the program. To a certain degree, the information sharing that 
takes place between CERTI and other USAID bureaus, other US government agencies, and other 
institutions seems much better than intra-bureau communications.
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8) The program descriptions in the cooperative agreement for both CERTI and CCP contain a 
great deal of overlap. 
As stated earlier, AFR/SD supports two different programs under one cooperative agreement 
with Tulane University. CERTI is identified as “component one” and CCP as “component two.” 
The stated rational for combining these activities under one agreement is to “complement and 
strengthen” the development of strategies, policies, and programs for SO 10/22.
Theoretically, both CERTI and CCP are focused on conflict in sub-Saharan Africa. It could be 
argued that there is a sequential or timeline difference between the two programs -- the CCP 
program is focused on preventing conflict; whereas CERTI is more focused on post-conflict 
recovery processes. But because many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are conflict prone, the 
distinction between post-conflict and conflict prevention is often nebulous and, in many cases, 
operationally meaningless. 
Consistent with the overlap in the program descriptions, there is also overlap between CERTI 
and CCP activities and products. These include: identifying good practices and policy and 
programming tools; the development of vulnerability analysis/early warning systems; providing 
analytic support and training on emerging issues; and supporting workshops in Africa on similar 
topics. 
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Although uniting each component in one cooperative agreement was clearly an attempt to 
simplify AFR/SD’s management processes, this has been complicated by the fact that within 
AFR/SD each component has a different Cognizant Technical Officer (CTO). At the same time, 
Tulane has been managing both CERTI and CCP together from the start – particularly because of 
the overlap between the program’s technical areas. It quickly became apparent to Tulane that 
CERTI and CCP should be an integrated activity.10 The assessment team strongly agrees with 
this suggestion.
“The two components under the Agreement are highly interrelated, and thus keeping 
them separate actually inhibited program progress and efficiency [during the first phase 
of CERTI]. They have now been integrated internal to Tulane University’s management 
and we suggest implementation of joint monthly management meetings between various 
Tuland and USAID personnel.” (“Tulane Consortium on Conflicts and Complex 
Emergencies – Annual Report 2000,” December 2000, page. 19).
Tulane and AFR/SD have already taken advantage of the synergies between the two programs by 
conducting joint meetings, and plan to unite research efforts in the future. For example, the 
HIV/AIDS and gender meeting planned in Africa in March 2001, where prevention, 
demobilization, and gender will come together to discuss implications in post-conflict settings. 
An additional strategy now in the planning stages at CERTI is to link its vulnerability analysis to 
CCP’s early warning efforts, as well as to other AFR/SD early warning efforts such as FEWS 
and ELGA. This linking not only fits within the overall objective of CERTI, but it will help SO 
10/22 achieve its goals more effectively.
Recommendations
1) Redefine the framework for CERTI. The competition between the theoretical “human 
security” and de facto “health” frameworks for CERTI is a problem that needs to be rectified 
before the next phase of the initiative is completed. The impact of CERTI will be 
undermined if the framework for the initiative remains unclear. The PwC assessment team 
recommends that health be adopted as the official framework for CERTI because: 
· This has been the operating framework for most CERTI consortia members and staff 
during the first phase of the initiative;
· As indicated later in this assessment report, the general consensus among CERTI users 
and observers is that most of the “state-of-the-art” tools developed by CERTI are health￾related;
· This will maximize the impact of the initiative, by reducing uncertainties and confusion 
by channeling all activities and resources into a focused effort; and 
· Africa’s future will rely, now more than ever, on innovative health programs and tools.
 
10 Statement by CERTI staff members.
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2) Narrow the strategic focus of CERTI to a few priority areas during phase two, 
specifically to those tools and products that are considered by most CERTI-related advisers 
as “state-of-the-art.” Some of these tools have been identified by the assessment team in 
partnership with consortium members, USAID staff, and others include: 
· Materials on HIV/AIDs and vulnerable populations (including demobilized ex￾combatants and women);
· Psycho-social effects of conflict-related trauma; and 
· Health as a bridge to peace. 
This would allow for better targeted field-testing, modification, and dissemination of select 
tools. Such a targeted and prioritized effort would improve the impact of CERTI – in the 
field and in policy-making circles.
This tightened focus would also match the health overlay that already exists within CERTI, 
and would link CERTI more specifically to other programs within AFR/SD’s SO 10/22. The 
health focus would also clarify the distinctions between the CERTI activities and the related 
CCP effort, while maintaining the links between the two related programs. 
Many of the other materials and tools already produced by CERTI (such as the RAP, the 
distance learning effort, and the virtual library) could continue to be a part of second phase of 
CERTI on a demand-driven basis for technical assistance. For example, USAID field offices 
and/or African regional institutions may request CERTI assistance to fine-tune or adapt these 
“secondary” products to specific needs. This would be a good strategy for testing the 
relevance of these other materials, while allowing CERTI to channel most of its resources 
into the priority health efforts for the remainder of the activity.
3) Narrow the target users for CERTI products to a few priority customers. In effect, the 
second phase of the CERTI strategy infers this narrowing of the users – to USAID field 
offices. Targeting mission staff will allow Tulane and AFR/SD to field test key products, 
ensure that the materials are relevant and useful, and pinpoint future possible follow-on 
activities.
However, narrowing of target users has significant implications for CERTI activities, 
including:
· Information and dissemination of CERTI products would have to focus on fewer 
audiences and events (for example, the website’s focus could shift to a more USAID￾specific site);
· Training needs assessment would shift to USAID field office needs;
· Support to African regional institutions would now need to be conducted in concert with 
USAID field office support; and
· Other activities listed in the original cooperative agreement would have to be re-focused.
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A facilitated discussion between CERTI and AFR/SD would help to narrow the target 
users and activities down to a manageable number, thereby improving the chances for 
CERTI (and therefore USAID) to have a significant impact in sub-Saharan Africa.
Tulane University has already stated that during the second phase of CERTI, it will focus on 
taking the approaches and tools to “transitional country missions.”11 Likewise, it has also 
committed to using existing institutional communications resources within AFR/SD (such as 
the Mitchell Group) to enhance the dissemination of CERTI resources and communications 
with USAID field offices.12
4) Increase the communication between CERTI and CCP management within AFR/SD. 
Because of the significant overlap between CERTI and CCP objectives and activities, and 
because of gaps in information sharing within AFR/SD, these two programs need to be 
integrated better within the Africa Bureau. 
5) Create a succinct (one-page) promotional description of CERTI products, purpose and 
audience and distribute it to all known members of the program’s community. Update the 
webpage to reflect the consensus about the new focused CERTI mission and priority tools.
Option 1: Provide additional management support to accomplish program goals. This idea 
was recommended by CERTI staff, and is already being implemented through the hiring of a “.6 
time program manager to provide administrative as well as technical support to the team.”13
 
However, it is the opinion of the assessment team that this will still require extraordinary effort 
by CERTI staff in order to meet expectations. Instead, the team suggests following 
recommendations 1 – 3 in order to maximize AFR/SD investment in the initiative.
SECTION 3: AFR/SD RESULTS FRAMEWORK
In order to determine the impact of CERTI’s first year of operation, the initiative’s relationship 
to the USAID AFR/SD results framework needs to be understood. Not only is CERTI directly 
linked to this results framework for Africa Bureau management purposes, but its achievements 
are reported through the AFR/SD’s Results Review and Resources Request (R4) each year. 
This results package is part of AFR/SD's strategic objective (SO) 10/22: Improved Policies, 
Strategies, and Programs for Preventing, Mitigating, and Transitioning out of Crisis. 
According to AFR/SD’s web page on strategic objectives:
“Achieving sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa requires new approaches 
that recognize the complex inter-relationships of relief and development activities and of 
 
11 “Tulane Consortium on Conflicts and Complex Emergencies – Annual Report 2000, “ December 2000, page 19.
12 Ibid.
13 Ibid.
CERTI Assessment
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the many actors in a country who affect those activities. The new conceptual framework 
of linking relief and development through crisis prevention, mitigation and recovery 
(otherwise known as crisis management) provides a strategy for decreasing the 
incidence, severity and duration of these crises (whether they are caused by plagues, 
pestilence, famine, or conflict) across the relief-to-development continuum. This crisis 
management paradigm shift implies moving from compartmentalized to multi￾disciplinary problem-oriented approaches, consistent with modern management doctrine. 
Effective crisis prevention, mitigation and recovery management will be concerned with 
problem solving throughout the entire problem life cycle (i.e., of conflict, infectious 
diseases) as opposed to specific stages in the life cycle (e.g., disaster response, 
development). Crisis prevention, mitigation and transition will require more effective 
analyses of cross-cutting determinants of Sub-Saharan African crises. 
“In support of this new paradigm, Strategic Objective 10[/22] focuses on improving 
Bureau policies, strategies and programs for preventing, mitigating and transitioning out 
of crisis. AFR/SD's strategic approach will be to develop a comprehensive regional 
strategy and best practices for crisis prevention, mitigation and transition while 
concurrently providing practical guidance and strategic support to select USAID African 
Missions engaged in related activities.”14
Accordingly, CERTI provides support at the SO level by “addressing the cross-cutting issues 
surrounding the problems of conflict and complex emergencies in sub-Saharan Africa.”15
 
Through CERTI, broad frameworks are being “operationalized” to provide a policy analysis tool 
for AFR/SD/CMR that permits the identification and prioritization of strategies for accelerating 
transitions from crisis to sustainable development. “The CERTI Consortium is also addressing 
the broader problem of conflict and complex emergencies, including the recovery and transition 
phases.”16
Findings
1) The relationship between CERTI and other SO 10/22 programs assumed by AFR/SD is not 
operationalized.
The rationale for placing CERTI within the AFR/SD/CMR framework at the SO level 
seems to be due to the fact that CERTI cuts across all the IRs. There are two 
justifications for this, according to USAID strategic planning guidance: (1) that CERTI 
measures the achievement of the CMR SO itself, or (2) that CERTI is a critical and 
causal link between the IRs and the achievement of the SO. Both justifications imply 
some degree of a hierarchical relationship between CERTI and the IRs. 
 
14 See “Relationship to Office Strategic Plan” at http://www.afr-sd.org/sos/SO10/SO10EPID.htm.
15 See “CERTI’s Relation to USAID's Strategic Objective 10” at 
http://www.certi.org/about/certi_relate_to_so10.htm.
16 Ibid.
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IR 10.2 Improved
Environment-ally
Sound and
Effective
Management of
Grasshoppers,
Locusts and
Other Emergency
Outbreak Pests
in Target Areas
USAID/AFR/SD’s Strategy
for Crisis Prevention,
Mitigation and Recovery
SO10:
Improve Policies, Strategies, and Programs for
Preventing, Mitigating,
and Transitioning Out of Crisis
CERTI
IR 10.3
Improved
Famine
Prevention,
Drought
Preparedness
and
Response
Planning
IR 10.4
Country and
Sub-regional
Conflict
Prevention
and
Resolution
Improved
IR 10.1
Promote
Country and
Sub-regional
Policies and
Strategies for
Epidemic
Preparedness
and Response
CERTI Assessment
Page 18 of 46
Recommendations
1) One approach to executing this correlation within the plan is to develop indicators that 
demonstrate how CERTI is helping all the IRs and/or SO achieve results. This could 
include developing indicators that measure achievement in (1) improved famine preparedness 
and responses; (2) promoting country and sub-regional policies and strategies for epidemic 
preparedness and response, (3) improved management of emergency pests in targeted areas, 
and (4) conflict prevention and resolution improved.
Given the already broad mandate of CERTI, placing it at the SO level risks diluting its impact 
even further.
2) Instead, since it can be argued that all the programs included in AFR/SD/CMR are critical 
and causally linked to the achievement of the SO, it seems reasonable to move CERTI to 
the IR level. This would improve the awareness of the program’s impact, as it would more 
easily fit within the R4 and other reporting systems currently in use within the Africa Bureau. 
It would also reduce the implication that CERTI is a higher-level program than the existing 
IRs. And, it could improve the links between CERTI and the other IR activities. Finally, this 
would improve the CERTI performance indicators by grounding them to the activity and not 
to the entire SO. This would require developing indicators that might measure achievement 
in (1) development of state-of-the-art best practices; (2) providing technical assistance to 
USAID field offices; (3) linking results to other AFR/SD/SMR IRs; and (4) improved policy 
guidance within AFR/SD. 
There are two options for moving CERTI to the IR-level within the CMR results framework: 
· A new IR is created for the program (IR5) because the results of the program and the 
indicators are significantly different (although related) to the other IRs, particularly in the 
health area.
· Merge CERTI and CCP into one IR because both are part of the same cooperative 
agreement with Tulane University, and because there is significant overlap in their 
objectives and activities. This could simplify AFR/SD’s management burden and 
reporting responsibilities. 
Suggested impact indicators for CERTI at the IR level include:
· Increased access to and demand for CERTI resources by USAID field offices (measured 
by requests for TA from USAID field offices, requests for materials). 
· CERTI materials integrated into other AFR/SD/CMR activities.
· Dissemination of CERTI resources outside of USAID (measured by hits on the CERTI 
webpage). 
· Institutionalizing a feed-back system so that the initiative’s efforts continue to be relevant 
and “leading edge.”
IR 
10.4 
Cou
ntry 
and 
Sub
-
regi
onal 
Con
CERTI Assessment
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SECTION 4: ACHIEVEMENTS AND IMPACT
At the time of this assessment, CERTI had produced a wide variety of products. This includes a 
total of 23 documents and drafts;17 five events (including workshops, meetings, and 
conferences); a CD-ROM; and a CERTI website. The website itself contains CERTI related 
bibliographies (6); virtual libraries (9); a data/map center (6); training materials (manuals, 
conflict web sites, catalogues); a CERTI forum (which includes best practices, a listserve, 
meeting notes, and more); many links to other web sites; and a list of papers related to CERTI, 
but not produced by CERTI.
CERTI is a “tremendous resource for both practitioners and researchers” (Survey 
respondent).
Many survey respondents stated that there are no other resources available that are 
comparable to CERTI. “I scan the whole array of resources in the conflict 
transformation, relief and development world. While there are many in each of these 
fields, none put the picture together as well as CERTI” (Survey respondent)
In December 2000, Tulane University prepared an annual report that describes CERTI’s 
activities and accomplishments. This report details the CERTI workplan, contains 17 papers in 
the CERTI crisis and transition “tool kit series,” and lessons learned and recommendations for 
phase two of the initiative. Rather than reiterate the long list of products that have been finalized 
and those that are still in process, this section will address user and potential user perceptions of 
the utility and quality of some of the products.
Assessment of CERTI products
The following products were mentioned specifically by survey respondents and/or the experts 
interviewed by the assessment team. This does not mean that the materials not included are 
irrelevant or of low quality, rather it only means that the individuals contacted did not mention 
these other materials. As recommended in other sections of this report, CERTI should use 
feedback mechanisms (e.g., a comment section on the material on the CERTI website, requests 
by USAID field offices for these materials) to assess the value of all products produced.
“Human Security in Crisis and Transition” – this report has been evaluated as being too 
theoretical for many CERTI audiences, but still effective. 
“HIV Prevention and Behavior Change in International Military Populations” and 
“Demobilization and its Implications for HIV/AIDS” – are superior reports, particularly 
given the small amount of resources that CERTI had for them.18
 
17 Many drafts have different titles from the final documents, and so are included in the total number of documents 
to ensure that products still being processed are not left out of the list.
18 According to an expert interviewed by the assessment team.
CERTI Assessment
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“Cross-cultural Assessment of Trauma-Related Mental Illness” and “The Psychosocial 
Effects of Conflict-Related Trauma” – are superior reports. This work is “cutting edge,” 
according to one interviewee. Some respondents have stated that they have used these 
reports in training activities. One respondent noted that this material has “enhanced my 
capacity in the area of cross-cultural mental health assessment, training and thus 
improved my ability to design community based psychosocial support programs.”
“How can Health Serve as a Bridge for Peace?” – is a superior report.
“Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP)” (three related reports) – these methodologies are 
not new, to development professionals. However, they are new to many relief workers. 
See Section 1 of this report for further details of perceptions of the utility and need for 
these reports.
The distance education material and effort – is “great stuff.” This material will be very 
useful to field offices and African institutions.
Input from USAID field offices and African partners
Many of the materials developed for CERTI do not reflect significant input from USAID field 
offices, African partners, and the private sector … in the identification of the topics and issues 
that would be undertaken. As indicated earlier in this report, this has resulted in a disconnect 
between the utility of some of the CERTI products and field needs and expectations. However, 
given the resources available and the rather long list of deliverables expected in the cooperative 
agreement, it is understandable that input from the field was a lower priority during phase one of 
the initiative. 
Tulane has already started planning ways to increase the input from USAID field offices. During 
the second phase of CERTI, interaction with USAID field offices will be increased through: a 
web-based virtual conference; increased use of e-group methods; and increased field presence in 
missions.19 The field-testing also envisioned in phase two would likewise address the needs and 
capabilities of CERTI partners, PVOs, NGOs, and USAID field offices.
Vetting process for CERTI materials
Materials are reviewed by CERTI sub-grantees, and will be vetted by USAID field offices to 
validate the reports. The more advanced tools are vetted through advisory group meetings, 
annual workshops with senior USAID experts, and eventually they will be vetted through the 
CERTI listserve. Additionally, the tools will be ground truthed in Africa. At the moment, 
Tulane University is trying to set up a process to collect evaluations of the tools.
 
19 “Tulane Consortium on Conflicts and Complex Emergencies – Annual Report 2000,” December 2000, page 19.
CERTI Assessment
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Technical Assistance
Many respondents noted that the contacts to experts that CERTI provides is one of the greatest 
strengths of this initiative. Indeed, CERTI staff have reported that they are not only being 
invited to international for a to present CERTI material and methodologies, but that there is 
growing demand from USAID field offices for specific CERTI expertise. 
CERTI helps to “make contacts” with experts (Survey respondents).
The technical assistance that CERTI staff and consortium member have to offer is significant. 
And the CERTI “Partners List” on the website makes it fairly easy for requesters to reach 
appropriate CERTI staff.
Recommendation
The materials produced by CERTI need to include a “how to” and “why use” section to 
introduce each product. Explanations of what each product’s use is, how to use the product, 
under what circumstances will the products be relevant, and contact information for how to reach 
CERTI partners and staff will help users apply the materials. This information should introduce 
the materials on the CERTI website, as well as introduce the hard copies of the documents. 
Tulane University might also consider adding a feedback form to each of the materials, in order 
to improve communication users, fine-tune the materials, and receive information on impact.
INFORMATION AND DISSEMINATION
The PwC assessment team reviewed various dissemination efforts by CERTI, including the 
website, CD-ROMs and forums or workshops.
Website Findings
1) Consistency 
The CERTI website (version 1 and version2) has a consistent, and clearly recognizable “look-&-
feel.” Repeating visual themes unify the site. Even without graphics, the repetitive use of color 
makes the site visually consistent. The new version of the website corrected some 
inconsistencies in the initial layout of the frames on each page. Almost every section now 
consists of a title frame, a narrow, menu frame on the left, a main frame and a bottom menu 
frame
The “CERTI Links” and “Collaborating Institutions” sections do not have the left-hand side 
menu frame. Some individual pages do not have the left-hand side menu frame. For example, 
the “CERTI Publications” section does not utilize the menu frame. A few pages, as with the 
“Crises and Transition Tool Kit” consist of only one frame and do not have a title, left menu or 
bottom menu frame. 
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The “News, Events & Activities” section opens to an “About” page. This page describes the 
contents of the section. In other sections, the opening page has the same title as the section title. 
The opening page of the “About CERTI” section is entitled “About” and provides a description 
of CERTI instead of a description of what is in the “About CERTI” website. 
Recommendations: 
· Utilize the left-hand side, narrow menu, the bottom menu, and the title frames on every 
page. 
· Standardize the titles on each of the opening pages for each section.
2) Visual Presentation
The CERTI website is moderate in its use of color and avoids juxtaposing test and animations. 
The removal of the spinning CERTI graphic in version 2 of the website created a less busy 
environment and focuses attention on the contents. The CERTI title graphic on the homepage 
and the simple fade on the left-side menu are visually pleasing without causing distraction. 
Recommendation: 
· The CERTI title graphic is used only once, yet it could be used repeatedly to contribute to 
the standard “look-&-feel” of the website. Consider using the CERTI title graphic in the 
title frame for each section.
3) Navigation
The site uses standard link colors to clearly distinguish the current page and in some cases, pages 
that were already opened. At the bottom of almost every page is a menu of sections. This 
provides a relatively obvious way to maneuver between different sections. The contents of each 
section can be viewed from the Home Page by simply placing the cursor over the section title. 
In the new version of the website, the consistent use of the left-hand side, menu on each page 
provides an obvious means to maneuver among related pages within a section. 
The title frame changes with each page within a section. The title frame change is perhaps 
unnecessary, because the title of the current page is highlighted in the left frame. Furthermore, 
the title frame change may cause navigation issues due to the absence of a cue to designate the 
current section.
The drop-down menu at the bottom of each page includes a “Search” option which may ease 
navigation. Also, a site map could ease navigation for new users. 
CERTI Assessment
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Recommendations:
· Consider allowing the title frame to stay the same for each page in a section and utilize 
the “current” color feature in the left frame alone to designate the title of the page. 
Optionally, add the name of the page to the top of the main frame. 
· Place the “Search” option on the main page as a section header and include it as an item 
on the menu at the bottom of each page. This will introduce the “Search” option as soon 
as the user opens the Home Page.
· Consider utilizing a site map.
4) Utitlity
Most information on the website is available in three clicks or less, however this is not helpful 
unless a user knows where to look or what they’ve found. Moreover, the website is of greater 
value as dissemination of tool if target users can locate the website with ease. The website is 
registered on major search engines, however there seems to be no clear link from the USAID 
website. 
The first page of the website is well organized and allows for easy navigation, however the 
homepage does not provide any information on CERTI. Within the website, internal and external 
links could be more clearly defined. Many sections have an opening page which provides a 
narrative of what that section contains, but they do not provide a description of what each link on 
the left-hand side frame menu contains. 
Links to products, tools, and related sites are usually not accompanied by descriptive narratives. 
The long lists of links in the “CERTI Links” section is lengthy and the relevance of the links is 
not explained.
Recommendations:
· Move the paragraph description on the “About CERTI” page to the homepage.
· Provide a clear link to the website from Conflict Web and any other internal or external 
USAID web pages that are appropriate.
· On each section’s opening page, provide a narrative describing the contents of that 
section followed by links to each page within the section and narratives briefly describing 
the contents of the pages.
· Accompany links to products, tools and external related sites with a narrative describing 
the item and other relevant information including its intended use.
· Utilize the left-hand side menu frame in the “CERTI Links” section in order to create 
pages of links. For critical links, provide a brief description of the site. Other links could 
be grouped in small sets and accompanied by a general description of the types of sites 
included in that group.
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Compact Discs (CD-ROMs) Findings
CERTI created a copy of the website for the “Year One Review Workshop.” Other CD-ROMs 
with conflict vulnerability links and forum proceedings were created for forum participants. 
These CD-ROMs included copies of CERTI papers and other resources. A CD-ROM of 
transition resources is planned.
Recommendation:
· If wide distribution of the transition resources CD-ROM is planned, CERTI managers 
should consider soliciting feedback from the target audience. Technical constraints might 
limit the effectiveness of a CD as a dissemination tool. The target audience could be 
asked what format is best and what resources they are particularly interested in. 
Findings on Conferences and Events
CERTI forums included: 1) The International Consensus Forum on Health and Human Security 
in Conflict and Transition Settings held in Harare, Zimbabwe in April 1999; 2) A July 2000 
workshop on Conflict Vulnerability Analysis: Issues, Tools & Responses held in Dakar, Senegal; 
and 3) The CERTI Year One Review Workshop which was held in Arlington, VA in October 
2000.
Attendees to the forum in Harare and workshop in Dakar were selected from professional 
contacts of Drs. Nancy Mock and Sam Samarasinghe. Partner organizations, military and 
USAID representatives were selected. Selections were made informally.
General Dissemination Recommendations
1) The primary target audience for CERTI dissemination efforts has yet to be clearly defined. If 
necessary, such efforts should distinguish between audience types. For example, if the 
audience is to include partner organizations, Washington and Africa USAID staff, and the 
world community, the audience could be split by level of participation in CERTI consortium 
or product development activities. Each audience would then have it’s own dissemination 
strategy.
2) Once a target audience or target audiences are determined, consider the recommendations 
listed above for the website and make changes based on the needs of target audience(s).
3) Survey the potential target audience. Technology limitations may preclude the use of the 
website or CDs by some of those most interested in CERTI. Have the audience suggest the 
best solutions for resource and information dissemination. Ask the target audiences if they 
have any technology issues have impeded their use of the website or CD.
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4) Continue to solicit feed back from target users about content and technology after any initial 
changes have been made. To do so, consider moving the option for feedback to a primary 
location on the website or provide a feedback page. The page could ask users for their 
feedback as well as information such as the users name, organization and role as well as 
contact information. This information will assist CERTI in gaining a clearer notion of the 
website audience and building a larger network of research and implementation 
professionals. 
5) Accommodate various audiences through open user registration. One method to 
accommodate users according to their needs to require registration for use of parts of the 
website. For example, if a message board area is created as planned, perhaps only particular 
users could be given access to parts of that area via group designation. The website 
administrator can designate accessibility to particular message boards for each registered 
user. For example, registered users who are on a pre-determined list of CERTI partners or 
workshop participants could be given access to boards dedicated to discussions their area of 
interest or workshop discussions. Registered users who are not on the pre-determined lists 
could be given minimal access to take part or view public discussions. 
6) An alternative registration method could be to allow only selected participants to register. 
The public would then only be able to view parts of the website that do not require 
registration. This method would deny access to members of the research or implementation 
community who CERTI is of yet not aware, but could possibly contribute richly to 
discussion. Open registration provides another opportunity, aside from a feedback page, for 
CERTI to gain insights into their website audience and build a larger network of research and 
implementation professionals.
7) If a significant number of the target audience experience technology constraints, provide an 
alternative. If part of the audience is effected by load times, consider an alternative website 
environment. A link to a quick load version of important aspects of the website could be 
given on the homepage. This environment would provide the most critical information to 
this audience in a simple format that loads faster. If part of the audience is unable to use 
CDs, consider distributing crucial documents in a floppy or hard copy format. 
8) Expand and broaden the network of CERTI event participants beyond “the usual suspects.” 
To date, CERTI participants and partners have been associated with Tuleane University 
and/or USAID for many years. The products and methodologies produced by CERTI are a 
unique contribution to complex emergency and conflict situations – and should be available 
to a new audience of practitioners and researchers. 
9) None of the materials produced by CERTI are included in the USAID Development 
Experience Clearinghouse (DEC) database. This could be due to the fact that the DEC takes 
a considerable amount of time to include new material. However, Tulane University should 
make sure to submit hardcopies and softcopies of CERTI documents in order to make them 
more available to USAID staff and partners around the world.
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SECTION 5: CONCLUSION 
AFR/SD has sunk a considerable amount of resources into CERTI. By the end of the program, 
the results will probably be significant. However, it is clear that in order to remain at the leading 
edge of responding to crisis in sub-Saharan Africa, USAID will need to continue to invest in 
similar activities. Tulane University has proven that it is responsive to AFR/SD’s priorities, and 
that it is a good partner in providing technical assistance and state-of-the-art materials and 
methodologies. Because CERTI has identified and been linked to some of the technical leaders 
in conflict-related expertise, it would behoove AFR/SD to consolidate its investment by building 
a follow-on mechanism so that USAID staff can continue to access such expertise. 
Because AFR/SD funds CERTI this has allowed USAID partners to extend the scope 
of their work in presence countries (Survey respondent).
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ANNEX A: SCOPE OF WORK
[HARD COPY INSERTED HERE]
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ANNEX B: LIST OF CERTI CONTACTS
The assessment team did not interview all of the individuals listed below, but used this list to 
randomly select a pool of different types of contacts for individual interviews (n = 16) and for an 
email survey (n = 32). Representatives from categories of CERTI contacts targeted for the 
survey and interviews include: CERTI staff; USAID AFR/SD staff; other USAID/W staff; 
CERTI consortium members; CERTI workshop and meeting participants; USAID field staff; and 
African institutions. Additional contacts were made through the assessment team’s own network 
of experts in conflict and complex emergencies.
Survey Participant Position Organization
Karthi Govender ACCORD, South Africa 
Tshinko B. Ilunga Chief Health Expert African Development Bank, Abidjan, Ivory 
Coast
Jose Caetano American Friends Service Committee, 
Maputo
Capt. Dr. Yodit 
Abraham
Medical Director Armed Forces General Hospital Addis 
Ababa, Ethiopia
Amy Hilleboe Emergency 
Response Team 
Liaison
Catholic Relief Services
Craig Llewellyn Director Center for Disaster and Humanitarian 
Assistance Medicine
Deborati Guha-Sapir Director Center for Epidemiology of Disasters
William Weiss Research Associate Center for Refugee and Disaster Studies, 
Department of International Health, The 
Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Unni Krishnan 
Karunakara
Project Director Center for Refugees and Disaster Studies, 
The Demography of Forced Migration 
Project
Dr. Sam Samarasinghe CERTI
Dr. Nancy Mock Chief of Party CERTI
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Survey Participant Position Organization
BJ Cameron CERTI
Debra Robb CERTI
John Davies CIDCM, University of Maryland
Stuart J. Kingma, 
M.D.
Director Civil-Military Alliance to Combat HIV and 
AIDS, Switzerland
David Hamon Department of Defense
Mike Wessels Department of Psychology, Randolph￾Macon College
Jennifer Leaning, 
M.D.
Profressor of 
International Health
Harvard School of Public Health
Alan Whiteside Director Health Economics and HIV/AIDs Research 
Division, University of Natal, South Africa
Prof. Gilbert Bukenya Health Mgmt Consult, Member of 
Parliament, Uganda
Donna Ruscavage MSW Project 
Director
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the 
Advancement of Military Medicine and 
U.S. Military HIV Research Program, 
Department of Threat Assessment and 
Prevention Research
Patricia L. Delaney Independent Consultant
Kim Maynard Independent Consultant
Dr. Issakha Diallo Director of Studies Institute for Health and Development, 
University of Dakar, Senegal
Dr. Manuel Carballo SPHERE Project 
Manager
International Center for Migration and 
Health, Geneva
Bill Hyde IOM
Okitolonda Wemakoy Dean Kinshasa School of Public Health, DRC
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Survey Participant Position Organization
Miss. Uzo Okoli Projects Manager Medical Emergency Relief International, 
London, United Kingdom
Dr. Brigitte Toure Program Officer Pan African Emergency Training Center, 
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Jeanne Koepsell Save the Children/Mozambique
Dr. Sambe Duale Research Manager Support for Analysis and Research in 
Africa
Samba Ka Program Officer The African Capacity Building Foundation
Joel Kuritsky, M.D. The Carter Center
Dr. Rosalia 
Rodriguez-Garcia
Director The George Washington Center for 
International Health
Tshikala Kayembe 
Biaya
UNDP, Addis Ababa
Sheldon Yett Emergency Officer UNICEF House, Bujumbura, Burundi
Ruth Buckley USAID/AFR/DP
Katherine Crawford Congo Desk USAID/AFR/EA 4.7.87
Ajit Joshi CCP CTO USAID/AFR/SD
Niloufer DeSilva Assessment 
Specialist
USAID/AFR/SD
William Lyerly CERTI CTO USAID/AFR/SD
Melissa Rosser Civil Society 
Analyst
USAID/AFR/SD/DG, 4.06-54
Jeff Ashley SO Health Team 
Leader
USAID/Angola
Alfreda Brewer Program Officer USAID/Angola
Mathias Bassene Mali Team Leader/ 
DG Advisor
USAID/Bamako
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Survey Participant Position Organization
Johanna Mendelson￾Forman
Senior Advisor USAID/BHR
Kristi Lattu Health Crisis 
Specialist
USAID/BHR OFDA Health Unit
Hannah Baldwan SO 4 Team Leader USAID/Conakry 
Leila Abu-Gheida Casamance SO 
Coordinator
USAID/Dakar 
Gilbert Kajuna Acting NRM SO 
Team Leader
USAID/Dar es Salaam
Ken Lizzio DG Team Leader USAID/Kigali Dept. of State
John Munuve Senior Advisor 
DG/Conflict
USAID/Nairobi Senior Advisor 
DG/Conflict
William Renison Policy Advisor for 
Humanitarian 
Response
USAID/PPC
Dr. K. Tankari WHO/AFRO
Ray Martin Consultant World Bank
Lincoln Ndogoni World Vision
Ann Henderson World Vision
John Fawcett World Vision International
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ANNEX C: SURVEY QUESTIONS
To:
cc:
Subject:CERTI Assessment Survey
USAID AFR/SD has asked the PricewaterhouseCoopers Integrated Management for Results 
team to conduct an external assessment of the Linking Complex Emergency Response and 
Transition Initiative (CERTI) activity. As part of this assessment, we request your reply to this 
informal survey. You have been selected from either a CERTI workshop attendee list or a Tulane 
University contact list of key informants. We will share the results with USAID and Tulane, 
however we will not attribute any responses to specific individuals.
If you are not familiar with CERTI, then there is no need to complete the survey. If, however, 
you know of someone else who is familiar with CERTI, then please forward the survey to him or 
her and copy me on that email. 
If you are familiar with CERTI, please complete this survey by February 2nd or as soon as 
possible. For your convenience, simply respond to survey questions within a reply email by 
referencing the question number. For example, “1: My colleague told me about the website and 
later, I attended a conference." If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by 
phone or email.
Thank you,
Rose Steinbock
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
1616 North Fort Myer Drive
Arlington, VA 22209-3100 USA
telephone: 1-703-741-1818
email: rose.r.steinbock@us.pwcglobal.com
1) How did you become familiar with CERTI (i.e. participated in workshops, attended 
conferences, use the website, CDs, papers…)? 
2) In your own words, please explain what you believe CERTI's purpose to be.
3) How do you use CERTI (i.e. to make contacts, to get funding, to identify research 
materials, etc.)?
4a) If you have used CERTI, which tools have you used (i.e. HIV/AIDS paper, virtual 
library)?
4b) How did you use these tools (i.e. teach a class, design a project, review a bibliography)?
4c) If you haven't used any/some of CERTI's tools, why not?
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5) What was/is the value added, if any, of CERTI to you? To your organization?
6) Are there other resources you use that are comparable to CERTI? If so, what are they?
7) Are you aware of anyone else either in or outside of your organization who is using 
CERTI tools? If so, what types of organizations?
8) What do you recommend for future CERTI tools or activities?
If we require any clarification on this survey, may I contact you? If so, please include your 
phone number and date/times when I can contact you.
CERTI Assessment
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ANNEX D: LIST OF DOCUMENTS REVIEWED
Document/Other Author
Strategic Framework for Crisis Prevention, 
Mitigation, and Recovery in SSA
(Could be Strategic Framework for Crisis 
Prevention, Mitigation, and Transition: 
Linking Relief to Development in Africa 
(DRAFT), Draft Working Paper, April 2000)
???
Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) 
Protocol Modifications, Draft Working Paper, 
Oct. 2000
Nancy Mock, CERTI
A Comparison of Health, Population and 
Nutrition Profiles in Countries According to 
Conflict Status: Findings from the 
Demographic and Health Surveys, Draft 
Working Paper, April 2000
Nancy Mock, CERTI
Indicator Manual for work in Complex Emergency 
and Transition Settings for Implementing Agencies
???? There are various 
manuals listed below
HIV Prevention and Behavior Change in 
International Military Populations – Training 
Module 7: HIV Prevention in Crisis Settings, 
Draft Working Paper, Sept. 2000
Civil-Military Alliance
Manuals on qualitative methods applications 
to transition settings, training instructor and 
participant manuals
???? There are various 
manuals listed below
Bibliography: Applied Research/Evaluation in 
Complex Emergency and Transition Settings, 
Draft Working Paper, Aug. 2000
Megan Deitchler and Nancy 
Mock
Case study on conflict analysis in Democratic 
Republic of the Congo (Not available)
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Document/Other Author
CDROM Toolkit for conflict early 
warning/vulnerability assessment (Not 
available)
Conflict Management throughout the Crisis Life 
Cycle
S. Samarasinghe, Tulane 
University
Health Interventions in Complex Emergencies: 
A Case Study of Liberia, July 1998
Anna Schowengerdt, Paul 
Spiegel and Fred Spielberg
WHO: The Horn of Africa Initiative, March 1, 
1999
WHO
Lessons Learned in Rwanda (a.k.a. Report on 
Rwanda psychosocial effects study)
Tharcisse Ntukanyagwe and 
Ildephonse Karengera
Ghosts of Kigali: Infectious Disease as a 
Stressor on State Capacity and Lessons from 
Sub-Saharan Africa, for ISA Meeting, Feb. 
1999
Andrew T. Price-Smith, 
University of Toronto 
Conflict Early Warning and Early Response for 
Sub-Saharan Africa, Summary of Working 
Draft, Sept. 2000
John Davies, UMD (with 
grant from CERTI)
White Paper – Survey of Issues Faced by NGOs 
Serving Transitional Populations
Paul Bolton, Nancy 
Cunningham, JHU
Strategic Framework for Crisis Prevention, 
Mitigation, and Transition: Linking Relief to 
Development in Africa, Draft Working Paper, 
April 2000
CERTI
Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP): 
Addressing the Perceived Needs of Internally 
Displaced Persons in Gulu District, Uganda, 
Draft Working Paper, Sept. 2000
Stuart Katwikirize, James 
Odong, Willaim Weiss, Paul 
Bolton and Jaime Castillo, 
JHU
Rapid Assessment Procedures (RAP): 
Addressing the Perceived Needs of Refugees & 
Internally Displaced Persons Through 
Participatory Learning and Action, Draft 
Working Paper, Sept. 2000
William M. Weiss, Paul 
Bolton and Anita V. 
Shankar, JHU
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Document/Other Author
Interviewer’s Guide –Rapid Assessment 
Procedures (RAP): Addressing the Needs of 
Refugees & Internally Displaced Persons 
Through Participatory Learning and Action, 
Draft Manual, Sept. 2000
Cernter for Refugee and 
Disaster Studies, JHU
Regional Training Approaches for Crises 
Prevention and Management: Interagency 
Curricula, Draft Notes, Sept. 2000
Manuel Carballo, 
International Centre for 
Migration and Health 
(ICMH)
Human Security in Crisis and Transition: A 
Background Document of Definition and 
Application, Draft Working Paper, Sept. 2000
Jennifer Leaning and Sam 
Arie
Demobilization and its Implications for 
HIV/AIDS-A Background Paper, Draft 
Working Paper, Oct. 2000
Manuel Carballo, Carolyn 
Mansfield and Michaela 
Prokop (ICMH)
Cross-cultural Assessment of Trauma-Related 
Mental Illness, Draft Working Paper, Aug. 2000
Paul Bolton and Lincoln 
Ndogoni, JHU
The Psychosocial Effects of Conflict-Related 
Trauma. Technical Advisory Group Meeting 
Report, Aug. 2000
(Not Available)
Paul Bolton, Ellen Mathys 
and Nancy Mock, World 
Vision, JHU
How Can Health Serve as a Bridge to Peace?, 
Draft Working Paper, Sept. 2000
Santiago Cornejo, James 
Macinko, Rosalia Rodriguez 
Garcia and Xavier 
Solorzano, GWU
Conflict Vulnerability Analysis: Issues, Tools 
& Responses, Draft Working Paper, July 2000
Tulane/USAID
Preventing and Coping with HIV/AIDS in Post￾conflict Situations: Gender-Based Lessons, 
Background Briefing Note, Sept. 2000
Tulane/ACCORD/USAID
Event: Year One Review Workshop, October 4-
5,2000 and accompanying CDROM
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Document/Other Author
Event: Conflict Vulnerability Analysis: Issues, 
Tools & Responses, July 2000 
Event: Partners Workshop, April 19, 2000
Event: International Consensus Forum on 
Health and Human Security in Conflict and 
Transition Settings in Africa, April 15-17, 1999 
and accompanying CDROM
Event: CERTI Planning Meeting – Draft 
Report, Jan. 1998
Website: www.certi.org