However, in light of the recent escalation of violence in various regions around the world, one cannot yet be satisfied with the concrete results of these endeavours. The core challenge still consists in making use of available information to respond in a timely and appropriate manner to conflict situations and to the onset of violence ("Early Action").

In addition to political will and the coordination of various policy areas, this also requires cooperation between governmental and non-governmental actors. Cooperation of this nature already exists, when it comes to alleviating poverty. However, it is still in its infancy with regard to peace building in the framework of development cooperation.

In a German context, the federal government's "Action Plan on Civilian Crisis Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Post-Conflict Peace-Building" provides an appropriate framework. At international level, there is the "Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict" (GPPAC). At local level, individual donor organisations can provide crucial momentum in the context of their concrete project work.

FriEnt Activities

FriEnt supports its members in clarifying roles and possible activities vis-à-vis their partners at international, bilateral and local level in order to minimize any delay between early warning and preventive action. To this end, for example, FriEnt offers individual consultation and training courses. Linking German experiences and debates to international discourses, FriEnt supports its members to acquire more competences regarding the relationship of Early Warning and Early Action also from an international perspective.

To date activities have included:

• Expert discussion: "From Dublin to New York - an expert discussion exchanging views on our potential contribution to the GPPAC process " in cooperation with Venro and the Platform for Civil Conflict Management (14 July 2004)
• Information and sensitization workshops at individual member organisations aimed at developing options for preventive activities (September 2004 - February 2005)
• Networking with and participation in international conferences on crisis prevention (Annual Conference of the European Platform on Civil Conflict Management in Bilbao, 16 - 18 March 2005; International GPPAC Conference: From Reaction to Prevention: Civil Society Forging Partnerships to Prevent Violent Conflict and Building Peace, New York 19 - 21 July 2005)
• Advice for members, participation and monitoring of the country talks on Nigeria, a project resulting from the German government's Action Plan on Civilian Crisis Prevention, Conflict Resolution and Post-Conflict Peace-Building (March - October 2005)

FriEnt-Publications