Ending conflict is necessary for sustainable development. However, the transition from war to peace is a complex process. This World Bank report, from a workshop on the transition from war to peace, examines some issues involved in this process, drawing on examples from Guatemala and Liberia. It identifies three phases in the transition: Making peace, keeping peace and sustaining peace. The end of violence does not mean the end of conflict – it is merely the beginning of this process. A lasting peace requires time and the involvement of civil society. There are no blueprints for post-conflict reconstruction: Each situation is unique and a ‘singular’ approach is necessary. Also necessary is a realisation by the international community that they do not have all the answers and the solutions will be found locally. However, they can play an important role in providing technical and financial support and programmes to strengthen civil society.
The willingness of all warring factions to enter into negotiations is an essential element of the peace process. Parties need to see this as a ‘way out’ of the conflict. They must also regain interpersonal trust for negotiations to work. The main findings were that:
- A security framework is essential for peace, and a peace accord is a fundamental step towards building confidence
- Marginalisation of a group in the peace process usually leads to more violence
- The nature of war determines the nature of peace. That is, the factors which produced the conflict will impact on the peace settlement
- Civil society can play an important role in the peace process and can contribute to ‘psychosocial’ healing
- Good governance is essential for keeping the peace. Initially this does not necessarily mean political democracy: An unelected government can be fair and a democratically elected government can be corrupt. There was little consensus on the necessary preconditions for elections
- Popular participation in decision-making encourages accountability and transparency. Powersharing alternatives can be more effective in the medium term rather than winner takes all elections.
A wide range of measures need to be taken to ensure that the peace process is comprehensive, transparent and inclusive. Key recommendations are that:
- Peace needs to be ‘home grown’. External solutions should not be imposed and the international community should ensure that they are invited by all factions in the conflict before intervening. Local methods of dispute settlement, reconciliation and institution building should be encouraged
- The international community can support civil participation by ‘creating space for civil society to realise its full potential’, but should be careful not to exacerbate the conflict. It should be represented in the peace process and each group should have a mandate
- Justice must be balanced with reconciliation
- When implementing the peace accord, it is necessary to avoid ‘business as usual’. A new set of behaviours need to be recreated
- Demobilisation and reintegration programmes for ex-combatants are important. These need to be well designed
- It is important for governments to reject donors’ measures if they do not conform to their own agenda, even when they involve grants.
