During April, the Peacebuilding Unit of ACCORD attended several meetings in relation to the g7+ and the New Deal for engagement in fragile states, in Washington D.C, United States. The g7+ group of fragile countries was formed with the objective to create a mechanism to monitor, report, and draw attention to the unique challenges faced by fragile states, and with the aim to reform and reinvent a new paradigm for international engagement. These meetings served as an opportunity for ACCORD to strengthen its engagement in the peacebuilding field, particularly in line with support that it provides to the g7+ Secretariat.
During the week, ACCORD attended several planning activities, including the Third Global Meeting of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding, titled ‘The New Deal: Achieving better results and shaping the post-2015 global agenda.’ The International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding is the formative forum for political dialogue to bring together conflict-affected and fragile countries, international partners and civil society to catalyse successful transitions from conflict and fragility. This forum drives political momentum for change through strong partnership, innovation and mutual accountability for results. It provides support to the global voice of fragile states – such as the g7+ group of fragile states – and promotes solutions based on country-ownership and a comprehensive approach to development and security issues.
ACCORD’S participation in these meetings forms part of the Peacebuilding Unit’s engagement with the g7+ Secretariat in providing technical assistance with the aim of g7+ achieving its missions. This work has been done in the form of regular and ad hoc interventions in the g7+ efforts of materialization and implementation of the New Deal. The overall objective of this support is to strengthen the ability of fragile countries to respond to particular peacebuilding challenges and to thus strengthen possibilities for establishing sustainable peace.
