Since 2004, the United Nations Development Programme and the UN Department of Political Affairs have partnered to strengthen support to the UN’s work in building national capacities for conflict prevention. Often times, such support is extended through the deployment of Peace and Development Advisors (or PDAs), a growing cadre of UN staff who support Resident Coordinators (RCs) and UN Country Teams adapt and respond to complex political situations and to develop and implement strategic conflict prevention initiatives and programmes. PDAs wear two ‘hats’: focusing primarily on strategic guidance and implementation of conflict prevention initiatives that involve national counterparts from government and civil society, while also supporting RCs through political and conflict analysis and the UNCT design and implement conflict-sensitive programming.

The Joint Programme’s support is intended to be catalytic, shaping the UN’s work on conflict prevention in-country and strengthening capacity of both the UN Country Teams and national partners to sustain efforts going forward. While the average PDA deployment is approximately 2 years, there is an emphasis on recruiting national PDAs to ensure capacity to carry the work forward and to ensure national ownership.