Violent conflict today is surging after decades of relative decline. Direct deaths in war, refugee numbers, military spending, and terrorist incidents have all reached historic highs in recent years. Today, the consequences of failing to act together are alarmingly evident, and the call for urgent action has perhaps never been clearer. To answer this call, the United Nations and the World Bank Group are launching their joint study, “Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict” to share how defense, diplomacy, and development should work together to successfully keep conflict from becoming violent.

A comprehensive shift toward preventing violence and sustaining peace offers life-saving rewards. Pathways for Peace presents national and international actors an agenda for action to ensure that attention, efforts, and resources are focused on prevention. This report identifies significant policy lessons to drive future conflict operations and to help recognize opportunities for defense, diplomacy, and development to contribute to mutual success. Experts at the U.S. Institute of Peace discussed how the international community can promote better policies and programs to pave the way forward to peace. The time to act is now.

Engage in the conversation on Twitter with #pathways4peace.

Speakers

Oscar Fernandez-Taranco
Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, United Nations

Franck Bousquet
Senior Director, Fragility, Conflict & Violence, World Bank

Kate Somvongsiri 
Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator, Bureau of Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Agency for International Development

Deqa Yasin 
Minister of Women and Human Rights Development, Somalia

Nancy Lindborg
President, U.S. Institute of Peace

Alexandre Marc
Chief Technical Specialist, Fragility, Conflict & Violence, World Bank

Jago Salmon
Advisor UN/WB Partnership on Fragile and Conflict-Affected Situations, United Nations

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