CIAO DATE: 10/2009
September 2009
United States Institute of Peace
How well does the international community work to prevent the outbreak of new wars? In a new special report, "Preventing Violent Conflict: Assessing Progress, Meeting Challenges," USIP's Lawrence Woocher examines the current status of conflict prevention as an international norm and the level of political commitment by world powers. Woocher finds it is not enough to merely prevent a relapse of war; the international community must make a greater effort to respond to warning signs as a way to preempt the eruption of deadly violence. Much attention is focused on reactive approaches to conflict – rebuilding and resolving – but prevention must hold the same level of importance. The report urges that prevention become a “must do” priority, with the same level of importance as resolving current conflicts and rebuilding post-conflict states. Finally, the report recommends ways to advance the conflict prevention agenda amid various international challenges, including monitoring the implementation of political commitments to conflict prevention and developing new strategies to regularize the practice of prevention.
Resource link: Preventing Violent Conflict [PDF] - 723K