Conflict prevention
Enshrined in the United Nations Charter is the principle of the Member States working together to promote the maintenance of international peace and security. The UN system and its inter-governmental bodies - the Security Council, the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) - have a long history of working with conflict situations.
Since the end of the Cold War in 1990, the nature of conflict and the role of the United Nations has changed significantly. During the Cold War, the UN was often called on to mediate between states and to keep the peace when mandated. Since the end the Cold War, the most marked security phenomenon has been the proliferation of armed conflict within states. In some cases, these conflicts have tended to centre on demands for greater political rights and other political objectives. In others, conflict has been directed towards the capture and plunder of natural resources. Now, the UN is more often called on to help prevent the outbreak of internal instability, to provide a peacekeeping force for a particular country, or to work to build and strengthen state institutions.
The primary responsibility for conflict prevention rests with national Governments, with civil society playing an important role. The main role of the United Nations and the international community is to support national efforts for conflict prevention and to assist in building national capacity in this field. UN prevention activities can take the form short-term and long-term political, diplomatic, humanitarian, human rights, developmental and institutional activities, in co-operation with national and regional actors.
The UK supports the UN’s role in conflict prevention in a number of ways. First, the UK works through the UN's intergovernmental bodies to prevent conflict. The Security Council, having the reponsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, has the ability to authorise short-term preventative actions or impose measures (eg sanctions) if necessary. The General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Human Rights Council, set standards and norms for conflict prevention work. The Peacebuilding Commission, a subsidiary body of the Security Council and General Assembly, focuses on mobilising international action to prevent recurrence of conflict. The UK also invests in UN conflict prevention programmes around the world, for example Security Sector Reform, governance and rule of law work, and in UN capacity at HQ through training and funding to develop better conflict prevention policy and practice.
The Secretary-General on 14 March 2007 appointed
Jan Egeland as his Special Adviser on Conflict Prevention
Preventing Conflict