However, the overarching approach to poverty reduction remains largely unaffected by what has been learnt about conflict and state fragility. The ‘aid effectiveness’ paradigm enshrined in the Paris Declaration continues to be used even where persistent insecurity and its underlying causes risk rendering it ineffective, or, at worst, counter-productive. Discrete “conflict prevention” activities are tacked on in the hope that they will help sort out conflict issues that get in the way of “normal” development.

In addition to working with people directly affected by violent conflict, we aim also, therefore, to influence how international actors decide on aid policy and delivery. We draw lessons from practice in fragile and conflict-affected countries and seek to ensure that the voices of those living there are heard by policy-makers. Based on analysis of how policy and programmes can be improved in specific regions as well as in thematic areas, we target our advocacy at a number of influential institutions:

International Alert aims to improve the effectiveness of the EU’s effort to prevent violent conflict. The primary vehicle for this is the Initiative for Peacebuilding, a partnership which includes 10 European organizations that are expert in identifying the challenges and recommending ways forward.

i) policy dialogue, both with partner governments and with other key actors inside and outside the region (such as Russia, China and India). Dialogue covers a number of policy areas ranging from energy and trade to governance and human rights.

ii) economic incentives, such as closer co-operation, preferential access to EU markets and support for loans and investments. The reciprocal Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) with the African, Carribbean, and Pacific (ACP) countries, entering into force on 1 January 2008, have enormous significance in this regard.

iii) development assistance provided through budget lines for technical assistance and aid for humanitarian and development purposes and orientated through the elaboration of Regional and Country Strategy Papers.

iv) security-, Rule of Law- and public administration-related interventions under the European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) and under short-term actions put in place with Community (1st pillar) financing.

The EU’s efforts to improve the effectiveness of its contribution to peacebuilding are manifested in a wide variety of statements, communications and other documents. Foremost among these is the Programme of Action for the Prevention of Violent Conflict set out in Gothenburg in 2001. This is being complemented by emerging institutional generic work on Fragile States and Situations as well as region-specific approaches such as the EU-Africa Strategy. Internal guidelines have also been circulated within the Commission to promote systematic attention to conflict prevention and crisis management and a check-list of root causes of conflict has been produced. However, greater political will, capacity building and technical expertise is needed to put existing policy commitments into practice and further improve the effectiveness of the EU’s contribution to peacebuilding.

By doing this we aim to ensure that the EU addresses the long-term root causes and evolving drivers of violent conflict and puts the goal of peacebuilding at the centre of its policy and institutional practices. This requires coherent structures and strategies across all EU policy and practice that are informed by the people who are affected by conflict.

• Providing expert advice to the EU Presidencies and other relevant EU and Member State officials on policy, training, tools development and events
• Facilitating dialogue between EU representatives and civil society from Europe and conflict-affected countries, between Presidencies and across the EU institutions and Member States
• Policy analysis and recommendation through the production of joint position papers and briefings
• Advocacy initiatives including organisation of seminars, launches and media events in London, Brussels and other EU capitals Monitoring, consultation and research on critical conflict issues and progress of EU conflict prevention policy and practice in Brussels and countries affected by conflict

International Alert also works within a number of networks and partnerships to promote peacebuilding within and amongst the EU:

The United Nations Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) was established in December 2005 to help countries in post-conflict peacebuilding, recovery, reconstruction and development. Since it began its work in mid-2006, the PBC has been seen by International Alert and others as an opportunity to build peace more effectively. The Commission’s first activities are now well underway, focusing initially on Burundi and Sierra Leone. In the light of International Alert’s long-standing peacebuilding experience in Central and West Africa, we have been closely following the development of the PBC. In addition, Alert’s Secretary General, Dan Smith, has been selected as one of 10 members of the Advisory Group overseeing the UN’s new Peacebuilding Fund, which will provide financial resources for peacebuilding activities.

In late 2006 Alert submitted recommendations for how the PBC should prioritise its work both generically and in Burundi specifically. We identified priority areas for policy dialogue and sustained commitment to change, such as the independence and impartiality in the justice systems and the mitigation of tensions over land and gender equality.

Alert will continue to provide our advice and expertise to optimise the PBC’s ability to improve the situation of those suffering from conflict and insecurity. Currently the most important message for the PBC is not to rush the adoption of hastily drafted peacebuilding strategies, but to ensure that, through consultation with all relevant stakeholders, clear goals, objectives, indicators and targets are identified. For the PBC to make a difference, the roadmap has to be identifiable and credible.

At International Alert, our work with the UN on gender issues has evolved from our campaign with other organisations beginning in 1999 which successfully advocated for the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security in October 2000. This is a watershed political framework that emphasises a gender perspective and the pursuit of gender equality in all aspects of peacebuilding.

Alert continues to work to ensure the full implementation of SCR 1325 by the UN – not least within the UN Peacebuilding Commission. Gender equality and a stronger emphasis on SCR 1325 were among the top priorities we have been advocating for with the PBC. In addition, as a founding member and instrumental voice in the UN NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security, Alert has carried out a number of high-profile advocacy events to, among other things, bring the voices of Burundian and Sierra Leonean women to PBC decision-makers at UN Headquarters in New York. You can read about the event here.

For more information on Resolution 1325 and the PBC, download the NGO Working Group’s 2006 report: SCR 1325 and the Peacebuilding Commission.

As a financier and as provider of often quite forceful policy and technical advice, the World Bank:

• has very substantial direct and inadvertent impacts on local and national economic systems and governance. (These can be negative or positive);
• influences the direction and characteristics of other aid and investment flows;
• leverages interest and activities on the part of governments who are accessing, or seeking to access, external sources of funds.

Moreover, despite recent ructions involving the Bank president, some argue that the Bank’s role and influence will increase further in the coming years. This is because influential voices in the donor development community are currently arguing the need to 'multilateralise' development assistance and Finance Ministers may push for this in order to reduce the high transaction costs of aid incurred by bilateral donors.

International Alert is currently deepening its analysis of the Bank’s engagement in fragile and conflict-affected countries. We are continuing to explore the structures and procedures in Washington DC and between HQ and country offices which affect decision-making. We are also looking at ground level impacts and partnerships in the context of new initiatives such as the Statebuilding and Peacebuilding Fund and the Governance and Anti-corruption Implementation Plan. The country cases for Alert are primarily Burundi, Nepal and Sri Lanka, where the Bank and other donors face very different governance and conflict challenges.

Our primary interest is in the institutional incentives and performance criteria for Bank staff and how they design and implement Bank programmes in-country (and across sub-regions). We aim to assist the process of adapting these to the acute development challenges in 40-50 countries worldwide dubbed ‘fragile’. The ultimate goal is to help improve the Bank’s ability to reduce state and societal fragility and prevent violent conflict.

Read about our work with the World Bank in Nepal:

• Alert helps the World Bank to improve its conflict sensitivity in Nepal
  A ‘peace filter’ for development programmes