What is the future of regional cooperation and conflict prevention? This book chapter discusses the links between regional cooperation and conflict prevention. Conflicts often have regional implications, dimensions and connections that necessitate a multilateral approach to conflict prevention. Effective regional cultures of prevention are needed, and these require agreement on core values and increased trust between member states. Regional, national and international actors need to engage in a process to redirect norms and values towards prevention and long term strategies.
Regional organisations are increasingly taking an active role in regional conflicts and the UN is encouraging regional organisations to be more proactive in conflict prevention in their regions. Regional actors seem better equipped to handle preventive measures as potential conflicts often involve regional issues. There is often a willingness to accept solutions that might have negative political effects for the own state if it is linked to the greater good of the region.
Regional organisations have more success than international organisations in conflict prevention because trust and integration is normally deeper in a regional setting. This is facilitated by trade and economic interdependence. Regional actors also often have a greater incentive than international actors for long term commitment to deal with disputes to maintain regional stability. However, the implementation of conflict prevention measures in regional organisations can be stalled by lack of political will, lack of resources, fear of giving up sovereignty and historical animosity among its (potential) member states. Further findings are that:
- Unwillingness to create or engage in regional organisations can usually be traced to a strong emphasis on the centrality of the state and the protection of sovereignty. Border or minority issues can therefore be barriers to engagement with regional organisations.
- International actors are diverse and often lack the mutual trust necessary to reach a common understanding on prevention
- Different regions have different approaches to prevention (such as legal versus informal traditions) which can hinder ‘trans-regional’ cooperation. In ‘high context’ societies, such as in Asia, for example, there is a reliance on long term relationships and informal prevention. In ‘low context’ societies, such as the Americas, there is a reliance on legal traditions and formal processes.
A regional approach to conflict prevention is potentially more effective than others because it allows greater ease of contextualisation. Measures can thus be developed to suit the context and specific circumstances of a particular region.
- Weak states may fear the involvement of other states in their internal affairs because of the risk of being dominated.
- International organisations such as the UN could help to prevent this.
- Financial assistance from outside donors is needed, but this may become problematic if organisations then start to appear as external creations that attempt to dominate regional affairs.
