This week, the Foundation’s Peace and Security team participated in the first-time organised Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) on Coastal West Africa. The IDPS is a forum for political dialogue which brings together countries affected by conflict, development partners and civil society.
The forum was hosted by UNDP and took place 25-26 March in Accra, Ghana.
Ben Claeson, Programme Officer, spoke on the first day on a panel about youth engagement in prevention and peacebuilding in the region and highlighted following key lessons:
‘First, investments need to be structured in partnerships with young people. Secondly, we need to move from one off transactions to a systems approach to investing, and finally, we must think not just about increasing investments but equitable distribution of the gains from investment.’
Alongside him on the panel were Therese Masuba, Youth Partnership for Peace and Development Sierra Leone, Ousmane Maiga, Association des Jeunes pour la Citoyennete, and Alexander Keyermaten, Global Fund for Children. It was moderated by Isabella Caravaggio, UNDP.
On the second day, Sigrid Gruener, Programme Director, moderated the session ‘Thematic Deep Dive: Financing resilience in Coastal West Africa’, with the panellists Neusa Lima, Director of State Heritage, São Tomé and Principe, Diakalia Outtara, Fonds National centre la pauvreté, Bumi Camara, African Development Bank, Elina Mariutsa, Interpeace and Abdourahmane Diop, Haske Ventures.
Sigrid Greuner moderating the panel on Tuesday in Accra.
The aim of the session was to identify recommendations for better and more holistic financing of prevention and resilience in Coastal West Africa. The panellists were first invited to a discussion around the topic, and later on part of an interactive dialogue with the audience.