Asia

International Alert has been working to build peace in Asia since our founding in the 1980s. Today we have programmes in three countries:

	Nepal – In Nepal, Alert brings together civil society, business and the development community to support the on-going peace process, helping to build Nepali society's capacity to establish a sustainable, peaceful future. Find out more about our work in Nepal
	Philippines – Our Philippines programme has been running since 1988, structured around the annual Waging Peace Conference. Our work also covers good governance, security sector reform, and support for the peace negotiations. Find out more about our work in the Philippines
	Sri Lanka – From our earliest days we have been contributing to the effort to build peace in Sri Lanka. Today we focus on building links between chambers of commerce from across the island and supporting the Sri Lanka First business alliance. Find out more about our work in the Sri Lanka
	Regional - We are now starting to harness our experience in specific Asian conflicts towards understanding the broader dynamics of conflict in the region. An October 2007 report with Chatham House, India and its neighbours: Do economic interests have the potential to build peace, was a preliminary investigation into the linkages between India's growing economic and political clout and its correlation, if any, to peacebuilding in South Asia, with particular emphasis on conflicts in Sri Lanka and Nepal.

International Alert in Asia

We have been working in Asia since 1988. Our work has ranged from addressing the role that business can play in bringing peace, to supporting formal peace negotiations. At all times our approach has been to base our peacebuilding work on a strategic and coordinated understanding of conflict in all its complexity.

We are now starting to harness our experience in specific Asian conflicts towards understanding the broader dynamics of conflict in the region. The 2004 tsunami tragedy has added impetus to this more regional outlook and we are beginning to explore how aid can be provided in a way that neither adds to the sense of inequality and frustration that stands behind so many of the conflicts in the region, nor inadvertently supports and entrenches the systems and structures that lie at the root of civil war.

We work through:

• Supporting the efforts of those involved in formal peace negotiations through impartial support to the third party facilitators and consultation with all sides
• Capacity building for those involved in non-formal peace initiatives through training in negotiation and other peacebuilding methods
• Promoting and creating awareness of peace processes, good governance and fair elections.
• Research, analysis and advocacy on conflict related issues with local partners, helping them to get their messages heard by decision-makers

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Last updated: December 2006