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Bookmark this page: www.oecd.org/dac/conflict/themes
The DAC Network on Conflict, Peace and Development Co-operation (CPDC) is the international forum that brings together conflict prevention and peace-building experts from donor governments, the EC, the UN system and the International Financial Institutions. Drawing on their operational and policy-oriented experience, and working alongside with the DAC Fragile States Group and the DAC Network on Governance, the CPDC develops and promotes good practice in helping to prevent and respond to the outbreak and recurrence of violent conflict.
Click here to download the CPDC Factsheet, an overview of CPDC work and pubications
Why is a culture of conflict prevention imperative?
“Prevention, in particular, must be central to all our efforts, from combating poverty and promoting sustainable development” – UN Secretary General, March 2005
Unless the factors that cause or fuel conflict and instability are more effectively addressed, there is little prospect of reducing poverty, sustaining development and achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Violent conflict leads to widespread human suffering, civilian casualties, and population displacement. Moreover, instability and conflict have highly adverse effects on production, investment, infrastructure, the environment and, therefore, livelihoods, both within countries and across sub-regions. The damage is reinforced by negative perceptions that lead to capital flight and drive away investment.
Conflicts often undo decades of positive development efforts, reversing the benefits of development assistance. The cost of engaging in conflict prevention and peace-building, therefore, will ultimately be far lower than the financial burden of reacting to the outbreak of violent conflict and of supporting reconstruction in the aftermath of war. The international community must work not only to react effectively to the outbreak of violence, but also to help prevent it.
Helping prevent violent conflict and build peace
Activities in and across the development, foreign affairs, defence, financial and trade spheres can have very positive effects on dynamics of conflict and peace. They must, however, be matched by constant efforts to minimise potentially negative impacts. It is imperative, therefore, to increase understanding of conflict, and the variety of factors that cause and fuel it, and to shape one’s engagement accordingly.
With this in mind, the CPDC web site makes the collective policy and operational expertise and experience of the CPDC available to government, civil society and business actors, both within and outside the DAC membership. Its purpose is to help them to work more effectively in conflict-prone and conflict affected contexts, extending their understanding of the inter-relationship between their activities and the dynamics of conflict and peace. It contains recent and inter-related good practice documents in the form of policy statements, guidelines and policy briefs, as well as a number of concise "issues briefs" on key topics (go directly to: www.oecd.org/dac/conflict/issuesbriefs).
Documents on the following loose, and overlapping, themes are available on this site. They are publications of the bilateral donors and multilateral organisations participating in the Network and will be continually added to over time.
In recent years, the CPDC has focussed on certain broad areas related to conflict prevention and peace-building:
Related non-DAC OECD development websites include:
See agency publications on:
Understanding conflict prevention and peace-building - Governance and participation -
Security system reform (including justice) - Environment, conflict and peace -
Social drivers of conflict
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