What role should conflict prevention play in development policy? This paper from the United Nations University (UNU-WIDER) explores the implications of increasing the focus of conflict prevention as a policy objective of development aid priorities and the international aid architecture in general. It argues that conflict prevention is an important policy objective as a means to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as well as an end itself. Integrating conflict prevention into development policy would imply making adjustments in aid architecture.
The current dominant framework identifies economic growth as the principal means to achieve the MDGs. Yet, countries that experience violent internal conflict are vulnerable and are less likely to reach MDG goals because of the socio-economic correlates of internal war. Whilst policy work on governance has been directed to improving economic efficiency, relatively little has been written in development literature about governance for conflict prevention.
Thus, there is currently no coherent international agenda for conflict prevention as a policy objective of development aid that focuses on addressing diverse risk factors for different countries. This is a concern, considering that:
- most of the worst performing countries with respect to MDGs reveal the presence of more than one risk factor
- past war retards development in the worst performing countries and increases their vulnerability to future outbreaks of conflict
- some patterns of development aid can exacerbate the potential for war, as an instrument that is not politically neutral
- development aid resources can worsen disparities between parties to a potential conflict
- development that reduces poverty among privileged ethnic groups but not marginalised groups or regions can fuel social and political tensions.
Conflict prevention is an important end in itself for the international community, and particularly for the global development agenda and global development actors. Security and conflict prevention should thus be part of the development agenda, rather than the peace and political stability agenda.
- Root causes of historic conflict and social and political tensions need to inform the base for development and aid programming.
- The socio-economic correlates of violent conflict should be addressed as a priority in development programmes.
- More emphasis is needed on security and freedom from violence as a part of human wellbeing and its relationship to other dimensions of wellbeing, poverty and development.
- A method of analysis needs to be developed to examine the effectiveness of aid in preventing conflict. Aid effectiveness should be judged not only against the economic benchmark but against contribution to building democratic governance.
