Our challenges

It is an unfortunate fact that many peace accords and political settlements are often derailed or abandoned – roughly half of all the countries that emerge from conflict lapse back into violence. It is always better to prevent rather than react to the emergence of conflict. To prevent conflict, peaceful solutions must be sustainable and address any underlying causes of tension. They should also be agreed upon with the full cooperation and commitment of local actors.

The need for accurate and up-to-date information is important in monitoring the evolution of conflict in Commonwealth countries, and for developing an appropriate response. Secretariat’s staff working with member countries on different policy and technical issues engage with a diverse range of stakeholders to collate information on political, social and economic issues that may point to emerging conflict. Effective and early sharing of information helps those responsible for identifying potential problems and allows for the devising of Commonwealth actions and strategies to address tensions.