As violent conflict becomes increasingly protracted and complex, local and international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and civil society play an important role in facilitating peacemaking, working alongside governmental and intergovernmental partners. In an increasingly crowded field, familiar and new challenges for funding peacebuilding evolve all the time – from coordination, to shrinking budgets and shifting priorities due to Covid-19. A major issue is how donors and practitioners together perceive and measure the impact of peace interventions.
This event was co-hosted by Conciliation Resources, European Institute of Peace, Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue and swisspeace, and explored better ways to work collaboratively and effectively to address concerns such as principles of engagement, transparency, funding cycles, accountability and evaluation. The event focused in particular on funding for early ‘pre-formal’ stages of peace processes, when commitment, trust, discretion and flexibility are integral to the success of nascent peacemaking initiatives.
This event drew on findings of Conciliation Resources’ latest Accord publication, Pioneering Peace Pathways, and swisspeace’s recent report on The Cost of Talking Peace.
Conciliation Resources is grateful to the Sasakawa Peace Foundation and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs for their support for the Accord Pioneering Peace Pathways project, which shaped and informed this event.
