ACCORD participates in global consultation on post-2015 Millennium Development Goals agenda

ACCORD was represented by its Peacebuilding and Peacemaking Units at the Global Thematic Consultation on Conflict and Fragility and the Post-2015 Development Agenda (Monrovia Consultation) from 29-20 November 2012. The Monrovia Consultation, which was co-organized by the Governments of Liberia and Finland, was initiated to solicit diverse and multi-sectoral inputs on issues relating to conflict, disasters and security.

A wide variety of stakeholders were represented at the Consultations, including public and private organizations, government, civil society, media, trade unions, youth representatives and traditional leaders.

Participants agreed that conflict, violence and disasters are obstacles towards achieving the MDGs in many developing countries. As such, conflict-affected countries have tended to remain in a conflict trap of repeated cycles of violence. In addition, fragile states have notably lagged on the gender- specific MDG areas. Reversely, development and its broader dimensions contribute to peace and security.  Against this background, discussions during the Monrovia Consultations highlighted the imperative to integrate issues of peace and security into a new universal development framework.

The Monrovia Consultations provided a platform to explored possible goals, targets and indicators that will help strengthen a global coalition of partners to advocate for a deeper understanding of the impact of conflict, violence and fragility in the post-2015 development agenda.

The debates advocate for a broader development concept that includes peace and security. Finally, the audience discussed recommendations and tabled strategic options to address conflict and fragility under a peace and security dimension in the post-2015 development framework.

For example, political inclusion, equitable socio-economic development and access to public services, protection of human rights, the rule of law and democracy were underscored as some of the credible strategies of reducing the risk of violent conflict.

The recommendations from the Monrovia Consultation will be submitted to the UN Secretary General’s High Level Panel on Post-2015 which in turn will provide a comprehensive report, including a practical global development vision, to the UN Secretary General in May 2013.

ACCORD’s participation in the Monrovia Consultations was both timely and serendipitous. Having convened a civil Society Organisations Roundtable on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, ACCORD’s role in highlighting the peace and development nexus was even more nuanced. Additionally, the recent appointment of the Chairperson of ACCORD’s Board of Trustees, Madame Graca Machel as a Member of the United Nations Secretary General’s High Level Panel on the Post-Development Agenda has been welcome by ACCORD given the institution’s interest in operationalising peace and development frameworks.  Through its participation in the Monrovia Consultation, ACCORD continued to contribute to the discussions which emphasise the imperative for mainstreaming peace and security issues within the post-2015 development agenda. Ultimately, the unanimous call emerging from the Monrovia Consultation was that sustainable development should not only build peace but should also address armed conflict and fragility.

Further details about this two-day event can be found online at: http://www.worldwewant2015.org/

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