Center on International Cooperation

Prevention Strategies > Operational Conflict Prevention

CIC continues its longstanding commitment to prevention strategies with a new project that focuses on the operational elements of preventive action. Focus in the past several years has been predominately on more long-term structural aspects of conflict prevention, such as those strategies that address developmental and institutional concerns and promotion of good governance so, in theory, conflict will not occur. However, since certain conflicts are inevitable, the Operational Conflict Prevention project aims to better understand the political aspects of prevention by analyzing the kinds of decisions and political choice sets which actors in a conflict situation face. These include critical decisions about the role of the police and military, the justice system, power and wealth sharing, as well as wider considerations of a conflict’s history, economy and internal political dimensions. CIC seeks to determine those choices which have the greatest effect on a potential conflict, the motivations behind such choices, and the impact that preventive diplomacy can have on the outcome of these choices—which can ultimately determine a pathway either to war or peace.

Determining these factors will enable CIC to identify how external actors, such as the UN, can positively influence the incentive structures and strategies of these domestic political actors. This research will allow CIC to emphasize the UN’s capacities in comparison to regional organizations and to make recommendations about the creation of more effective and collaborative conflict prevention initiatives between international and regional institutions.

In past work, CIC has undertaken a study on UN political actors in conflict prevention with the support of the UN’s Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the Government of Sweden, and contributed to the UN’s Report of the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Armed Conflict. With this project, CIC will work with DPA and the Mediation Support Unit on the development of case studies and workshops.

Project Staff: Sarjoh Bah, Richard Gowan, Elsina Wainwright, Sara Batmanglich

Funder: UK Global Conflict Prevention Pool , Ford Foundation

Recent Publications
Title	Source	Author	Date
ECOWAS and Conflict Prevention in West Africa: Confronting the Triple Threats	CIC	Dr. A. Sarjoh Bah and Dr. Kwesi Aning	September 2009
The Role of the United Nations in Middle East Conflict Prevention	CIC	Elizabeth Sellwood	July 2009
Conflict Prevention in Bolivia and Ecuador: The Role of the International Community	CIC	Catherine Bellamy and Renata Segura	February 2009
The Organization of American States and Conflict Prevention	CIC	Andrés Serbin	December 2008
Operational Conflict Prevention and the Use of Targeted Sanctions: Conditions for Effective Implementation by the EU and UN	CIC	Mikeal Eriksson	December 2008

News

ECOWAS and Conflict Prevention in West Africa: Confronting the Triple Threats
September 2009

In this paper, Dr. A. Sarjoh Bah and Dr. Kwesi Aning, addresses three critical transnational challenges, referred to as the “triple threats” confronting West Africa, namely: governance, drug trafficking and small arms and light weapons. They contend that the combined effects of these threats could undermine the security and stability of the entire sub-region. Consequently the analysis focuses on policy responses by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in confronting the triple threats and offers specific recommendations on how these responses can be enhanced. Among other things, the authors call on ECOWAS to articulate its concerns relating to the drugs menace as a strategic issue with long-term implications not only for the sub-region but also for Europe, the United States and Latin America. This, they argue should not be viewed as a humanitarian issue as is common practice with developments relating to Africa.

Read " ECOWAS and Conflict Prevention in West Africa: Confronting the Triple Threats "

The Role of the United Nations in Middle East Conflict Prevention
July 2009

This policy paper, by Center on International Cooperation Non-resident Fellow Elizabeth Sellwood, explores the UN”s roles, mandates and responsibilities in four regional centers of conflict in the Middle East: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the Lebanon-Israel-Syria ‘triangle’; Iraq; and Iran. It assesses the challenges the UN faces in each context, and identifies areas in which its actions have had most impact in preventing or containing conflict. The paper also seeks to identify which role, or combination of roles, the UN should adopt to contain current or potential conflicts and work with others towards their resolution. It concludes with some recommendations to strengthen the UN’s analysis of regional issues and to better organize its actions, in order to maximize its capacity to contain or stabilize existing conflicts and prevent the outbreak of new bouts of violence.

Read "The Role of the United Nations in Middle East Conflict Prevention"

Conflict Prevention in Bolivia and Ecuador
February 2009

Renata Segura and Catherine Bellamy look at the international community’s efforts at preventing conflict in Bolivia and Ecuador, highlighting the challenges of conflict prevention when practiced in complex political environments.

Read "Conflict Prevention in Bolivia and Ecuador"

Conflict Prevention and the Organization of American States
December 2008

CIC has published a paper by Andrés Serbin, Executive Director of CRIES, a Latin American think tank that specializes in conflict prevention. In this paper, Serbin discusses the OAS’s evolving role in conflict prevention, its relationship with the UN, and opportunities for the Organization to engage in more effective preventive efforts in the future.

Read "The Organization of American States and Conflict Prevention"

Operational Conflict Prevention and the Use of Targeted Sanctions:
Conditions for Effective Implementation by the EU and UN
December 2008

Former CIC Visiting Scholar, Mikael Eriksson, writes on targeted sanctions and the need within the EU and the UN for a more strategic approach in their design, coordination and implementation.

Read Operational Conflict Essay

Prevention of Violent Conflict: Tasks and Challenges for the United Nations
By Barnett Rubin and Bruce Jones
October 2007

Dr. Rubin and Dr. Jones examine the UN's track record in the operational, structural and systemic prevention of conflict and explore the renewed prevention agenda.