Peacebuilding in a changing risk landscape

The meeting started with a recognition that the overall risk of conflict has increased in the Arab region, and that the region faces a myriad of multidimensional challenges. The landscape of risk and challenges in the region have been changing. Inequality has increased and people are living in a polycrisis. The speakers stressed the importance of establishing a people-centered approach, focusing on enhancing peacebuilding efforts and strengthening institutions and rule of law, as well as mainstreaming citizen engagements in development programs and conflict resolution initiatives, which empower underrepresented groups, such as women and youth.

The speakers noted that prevention agendas should be integrated into development policies, while development actors need to provide more support to national and regional prevention agendas through targeted, flexible, and sustained engagements. They also recognized the importance of supporting inclusive approaches to prevention, where inequalities, grievances, and agencies are understood, and which are at the center of national and international engagements. Participants highlighted that the agenda recognizes the importance of understanding people and their communities, trust in institutions, confidence in the future, perceptions of risk, and experiences of exclusion and injustice.

A broader definition of conflict is needed, as well as a clear understanding of what is meant by inclusive development. Social exclusion is a factor that can exacerbate grievances. Other forms of inclusion need to be considered, crossing identity lines, and stakeholders should involve them in the decision-making process with the aim of engaging people in a meaningful way. Governments should trust its citizens and vice versa, as people have lost faith in the ability of political processes to make changes in their everyday lives and there is a growing importance among citizens to have effective and transparent governments. Partnerships between civil societies and the state should be reinforced in order to tackle issues that the state is grappling with.

The extent to which the underlining drivers of the Arab spring have been addressed was questioned. The panellists emphasized the significance of reinforcing the understanding of the impact of collateral damage of wars, the short and long-term impacts of displacement, and climate change as a threat multiplier. There is a necessity in reflecting on past failures in prevention and learning from them, since new perspectives and mechanisms are needed. Most of the peace initiatives in the region are dominated by the security architecture, which does not fully encompass the new reality that is emerging.

The importance of risk monitoring and prevention tools was recognized and the need for strengthening regional cooperation to provoke risk-informed preventative approaches was emphasized for policymakers to anticipate and mitigate potential threats before they materialize.