2002-2005: Growth & Expansion

The tragic events of 11th September, 2001 completely altered the geo-political landscape. While much of Alert’s programming was not shifted by the attack on the Twin Towers, these events reinforced the need to address the underlying causes of violence. Terrorism played more greatly than ever before and engaging in a debate about the ‘war on terror’ now became a requirement. The new language labelled many insurgent groups as terrorists, contributing to a hardening of positions and making it more difficult to bring sides together and achieve negotiated settlements.

Nine-eleven was a reminder that there are no absolutely secure states. It also remained clear that the dynamics of internal conflict are complex, embedded in history and incredibly destructive. There are no simple, quick-fix solutions to the resolution of violent conflict. The need for an organisation like International Alert, committed to keeping conflict prevention firmly on the international agenda, remained strong.

Under the leadership of its new Secretary General, Dan Smith, Alert underwent a strategic review to reflect on its approach to new and continuing tasks, to strengthen its work, and to further improve its effectiveness. This series of discussions and cumulative decisions led Alert to a period of growth and expansion. By the end of 2005, it had more than 40 projects with over 170 partner organisations in 20 countries, reflecting, in part, an increased demand for the skills and experience found in Alert staff and partners.

New work in Nepal; growth in Sri Lanka

In Nepal, the royal takeover in February 2005 marked a new phase in the gradual deterioration of the political and security situation since the escalation of the civil war in 2001 and the dismissal of elected government in late 2002. International Alert started its Nepal programme in 2001. It consulted with individuals and organisations on the costs and benefits of the Maoist conflict, as well as analysed the role of the private sector and women in peacebuilding. This work led to the formation of Friends for Peace, a peace research centre based in Kathmandu to help address factors that led to the failure of previous negotiations between the government and the Maoists. In 2005 Alert also started its ‘Rethinking Aid’ project aimed at helping the international community create a careful and more coordinated response to the growing crisis in Nepal.

Alert’s original, founding programme in Sri Lanka went through a shift between the late 1990s and early 2000s. Where historically much of its work had been focused on encouraging the formation of citizens’ advocacy groups, it reconcentrated its efforts on local business leaders to contribute to conflict transformation and economic, social and political stability. By helping to establish the Business for Peace Alliance, Alert concentrated on increasing the peacebuilding capacity of the private sector. It also helped recovery efforts for the devastation left by the tsunami that hit Sri Lankan shores at the end of 2004.

In the Caucasus, Alert built on established programmes in the region, taking the lead in a consortium of international NGOs to address the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over Nagorny Karabakh. The project focused on generating trust between significant civil society leaders. Alert also began encouraging and facilitating dialogue between the private sector and NGOs. With partners in Azerbaijan, Alert helped to establish the Business Development Alliance, a group of oil companies, local businesses, NGOs and international actors to help combat the potential negative impacts of the oil industry.

Expanding on global issues

While its regional programmes continued to deepen and expand, International Alert’s thematic programmes also took off, and sharpened their ability to produce quality training materials and conduct thorough conflict analyses. One area that forged new paths was the work with development and humanitarian aid organisations.

Alert continued its programme to help partner NGOs, governments, bilateral agencies and intergovernmental organisations adopt conflict-sensitive approaches to all their activities – by addressing real policy and operational dilemmas. To this end, Alert contributed to research, the development of tools, skills transfer, and advocacy and lobbying work. In 2004, a resource pack was launched to provide operational guidelines for conflict-sensitive approaches to humanitarian assistance and development. This work proved to have an impact, with conflict prevention and ‘sensitivity’ to conflict issues now being mainstreamed into the thinking of decisionmakers all over the world.

In this area, Alert also provided assistance to new EU presidencies. Understanding that the EU as a positive force for peacebuilding had yet to be fully realised, Alert provided advice and lobbied EU decision-makers with specific policy recommendations. This work, which began in the early 1990s, would have a significant impact on EU policy. In the years to come, the European Commission’s 2001 Communication on Conflict Prevention (their guiding legislation) drew heavily on Alert’s work, as did the Development Council’s conclusion on countries in conflict, which was adopted in 2002.

For Alert and its work, the external environment kept changing, marked by a growing preoccupation with terrorism and reaching close to home with the July 2005 bombings in London. Alert continued to evolve and adapt, re-affirming its commitments. These efforts have become essential to ensuring that the 21st century is less violent that the 20th.

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Last updated: July 2006

■ Alert begins a programme aimed at promoting women’s involvement in the justice tribunals in Rwanda.

■ The second Waging Peace conference is held in the Philippines.

■ The Consortium Initiative is started to address the Nagorny Karabakh conflict.

■ Alert distributes the first in a series of annual publications to EU presidencies, providing recommendations on the prevention of violent conflict.

■ Dan Smith is appointed as Secretary General.

■ Alert launches toolkit on conflict sensitivity in development work, along with conflictsensitivity.org.

■ Alert begins a programme in
Sao Tome and Principe to help prepare for forthcoming oil revenues and help avoid conflict.

■ Alert accompanies a Congolese partner to present to the
UN Security Council on sexual violence in the DRC.

■ Alert and US-based organisation Women Waging Peace produce Inclusive Security, Sustainable Peace: A Toolkit for Advocacy and Action.

■ Alert launches a new identity with a new logo and strap line.