Workshop D

Peacebuilding is a form of external international help with the aim to sustainably overcome a crisis situation: a conflict. Since the end of the Cold War, peacebuilding has become a central focus of UN engagement in post-conflict contexts. Especially in the case of weak or failed states, it is increasingly recognized that development actors and civil society organizations are providing essential contributions to the effective implementation of sustainable peace through the establishment of legitimate and effective political and legal institutions, the active participation (buy-in) of the civilian population in the democratic process, and sustained development measures aimed at improving the socio-economic well-being of the population.  While there is a growing body of research examining specific operational contexts or more general issues of civil-military cooperation, to date there has not been any systematic analysis of the contributions of state and non-state development actors to sustained peacebuilding.

This workshop seeks to identify and assess the specific expertise and capacities of development actors in the context of UN peacebuilding missions. It will especially discuss present approaches to further pool and coordinate these efforts among donors and to enhance the participation of local actors in order to establish a framework for sustainable peace.