Conflict prevention and peacebuilding

In the Europe and Central Asia region, we have seen an increase in compound risks, from diminishing civic space and continued challenges to the rule of law and human rights, to the erosion of social cohesion due to growing ethnic, religious, socio-economic, gender and generational divides as well as trends of stigmatization and hate speech, , elite capture, governance challenges and corruption,  and cross-border skirmishes and armed conflict.

Across the region, recent experience has demonstrated how dormant tensions can quickly devolve into open conflict. One exacerbating factor is the unlimited borders across the region, despite commitment of states to peacefully resolve these issues. In the Central Asia region, together with the unresolved status of enclaves, these have led to sporadic violence in the past decade and add to the risk of escalation. Violent extremist groups have been active across the region in the recent past. The return of foreign fighters to parts of Europe and Central Asia, combined with the concerns of instability and insecurity on Central Asia’s border with Afghanistan adds to the multiple risk factors in the region.

There are numerous factors of resilience in the region as well. For instance, both states and the divided communities who live in close proximity have mostly managed to maintain political, social, economic and cultural interaction despite the legacy of conflict that generates persistent fragility and risk. There are multiple regional cooperation mechanisms across the region and sub-regions, that aim to enhance neighborly relations, build confidence and foster economic connectivity.  Young people have serves as positive agents of change in addressing peacebuilding challenges and growing societal gaps. Across the region, civil society organizations, traditional mechanisms, local community institutions and women’s groups have also played an active role over the past decades in support of positive transformation.

The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated political, social and economic exclusion and heightened socio-economic vulnerabilities and multi-dimensional risks. It has also exposed long-standing, un-addressed structural challenges, and amplified numerous political, socio-economic and rights-based shortcomings as well as brought layers of fragility to the surface. It has also created a moment of opportunity to address some of the deep-rooted challenges in the region and move towards inclusive solutions that leave no one behind.

UNDP works to prevent conflict and build peace by:

• promoting an integrated approach, linking conflict prevention, social cohesion and peacebuilding, informed by in-depth analyses of local root causes, factors of risk and resilience and drivers of conflict and peace;
• supporting long-term development solutions for preventing violent extremism; and
• fostering confidence and healing tensions in communities living in protracted conflict situations.