Acting on commitments: How EU strategies and programming can better prevent violent conflict

This paper focuses on three major challenges for the EU in 2007 and beyond: achieving coherence among the different aspects of EU action; finalising strategies and programming which are conflict sensitive; and following through on policy commitments already made.

The European Union’s declarations of its commitment to conflict prevention have been welcomed because development and poverty reduction are unsustainable in the face of ongoing or renewed violent conflict. 

A comprehensive prevention approach and emphasis on tackling root causes of conflict are vital not only for improving the lives and livelihoods of directly affected populations, but also because instability and war can often spill across regions. They can have global ramifications on security and prosperity. This paper focuses on three major challenges for the EU in 2007 and beyond: achieving coherence among the different aspects of EU action; finalising strategies and programming which are conflict sensitive; and following through on policy commitments already made.