Conflict Prevention Partnership Founded

Brussels The International Crisis Group (the lead partner), International Alert, the European Policy Centre and the European Peace Building Liaison Office are pleased to announce the establishment this month of the Conflict Prevention Partnership, a coalition of four international non-governmental organisations aiming to improve the European Union's capacity for conflict prevention, crisis management and peacebuilding.

The Conflict Prevention Partnership, funded by the EU, is a cooperative effort, drawing on the specific expertise of each organisation. The Partnership will provide EU and national policy-makers with timely, focused information and analysis, as well as practical policy recommendations, through the publication and discussion of a series of studies on conflict-related issues in areas around the world of particular interest to the European Commission, Council and Parliament.

"The Partnership is a unique opportunity to help Europe anticipate and respond effectively to crisis and conflict, and we look forward to working closely with the EU's key policymakers", says Gareth Evans, President of Crisis Group.

Steve Utterwulghe, Chairman of EPLO adds: "Given the EU's leading role in peacebuilding globally, with increasing support to security sector and democratic reform, this Partnership adds critical value to the assessment of the EU's performance from a civil society perspective".

The Partnership will cover a diverse range of issues from supporting reintegration of ex-combatants in post-conflict settings, to the EU's peacebuilding efforts in Darfur, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the southern Caucasus.