The g7+ group of countries was formed with the objective of creating a mechanism to monitor, report and draw attention to the unique challenges faced by fragile states. The g7+ was created to work in concert with international actors, the private sector, civil society, the media, governments and the people across borders and regions to reform and reinvent a new paradigm for international engagement in peacebuilding and statebuilding.
This new engagement was presented through the New Deal for engagement in Fragile States that was formulated out of a growing concern for the developmental lug and little progress made in alleviating the suffering experienced by countries considered to be in a state of fragility despite the amount of donor aid and assistance dispensed to them.
On 27-28 February 2013 the Government of Timor-Leste hosted an international conference at the Dili Convention Centre whose main theme was the post-2015 Development Agenda entitled ‘Development for all: Stop conflict, build states and eradicate poverty’. The forum brought together leaders of government from the 19 fragile and conflict affected countries that comprise the g7+ group. The forum also saw participation from other nations from around the region and the world. Discussions focused on addressing the needs of fragile or conflict affected contexts as well as hold discussion that will inform the UN High Level Report to the Secretary General on the global development agenda beyond 2015.
ACCORD has been active in supporting the process of the g7+ and New Deal. In 2012, ACCORD developed initiatives in supporting raising awareness to the process in the Democratic Republic of Congo, strengthening peacebuilding stakeholders’ capacity to understand the process and its related skills.
In line with work of the Unit on the g7+, the Peacebuilding Unit was also invited to attend the g7+ Technical Meeting which took place in the Ministry of Finance Training Centre in Dili, Timor-Leste from 1-2 march 2013. The meeting was aimed at providing technical feedback on the developments on the New Deal process, particularly in relation to fragility assessments and definition of indicators for the longer term New Deal Process.
Both these activities were important for ACCORD to consolidate its understanding and relations with the g7+ process as it enabled the organization to provide input on the processes and also assess further commitments with the g7+ secretariat. ACCORD was represented in both events by the Coordinator Peacebuilding Unit, Gustavo Barros de Carvalho. This engagement will allow ACCORD and the Peacebuilding Unit to continue providing the support requested in this process.
