Landmark Civil Society Forum On Conflict Prevention Wraps Up At UN
New York, Jul 21 2005 7:00PM
As representatives of civil society groups from around the world wrapped up their landmark conference on conflict
prevention, a senior United Nations official told some 600 civic leaders gathered at UN Headquarters in New York that
development must be seen as “the first line of defence” in defusing potential conflicts and building world peace.
“[In] today’s world, more than ever, development and peace are indivisible,” Ibrahim Gambari, UN Under-Secretary-General
for Political Affairs, said in his concluding remarks to the Global Conference on the Role of Civil Society in the
Prevention of Armed Conflict and Peacebuilding.
“We know that prosperous societies are more likely to have the resources they need to build strong institutions of
government and civil society which makes internal war less likely.”
The three-day conference, which was co-sponsored by the UN Department of Political Affairs, was aimed at implementing a
global agenda to prevent conflict. It came in response to Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s recommendation in his 2001
report on the Prevention of Armed Conflict “to organize an international conference of local, national and international
NGOs (non-governmental organizations) on their role in conflict prevention and future interaction with the United
Nations.”
When he opened the conference on Tuesday, Mr Annan called for the creation of a sustainable network of individuals and
groups – including partnerships with governments and UN agencies – committed to prevention and peacebuilding at global,
regional, and national levels.
Mr. Gambari warned that the need for global solutions, and the need for strong global institutions, must not divert
attention from the need to understand individual regions, countries and societies.
“For us to make a meaningful contribution, we must do all we can to understand the local context in which we are
working, to appreciate local history and culture and know how best to support the efforts of local government and local
civil society,” he said.
“I cannot say this strongly enough: if we are to be effective in conflict prevention and peace-building, we can only
depend on first-rate analysis and knowledge. I believe a partnership between the UN and civil society in doing this is
critical.”
Diplomacy in the 21st century no longer simply meant men in suits at committees and conferences, Mr. Gambari noted. It
had to be more dynamic, in the field, in the actual war-zones, and involving not just governments and the UN but also
regional and non-governmental organizations. The role of the Secretary-General’s good offices was critical. But so was
the work of many of the organizations here today. “We must invest in our capacity for prevention, peace-making and
peace-building and we must work together in this area,” he said.
Calling for the United Nations to work in greater and more effective partnerships with others, including with civil
society organizations, he welcomed the “challenging” Global Action Agenda for the future presented by the civil society
leaders to the UN Secretariat.
The Agenda highlighted key features of prevention and peace-building. It emphasized the crucial need for local ownership
and participation at all stages of peace processes. It also underlined the need for dialogue, for transparency, for
accountability. “These are all principles that we, in the UN Secretariat, also truly believe in,’ Mr. Gambari said.
ENDS