The costs of conflicts are huge. They derail development and trap people in poverty. A child is almost twice as likely to die before the age of five in a conflict affected country as in a stable poor country. A civil war can cost a country and its neighbours over $64 billion (USD) a year. In Liberia alone, the civil war (1989-2003) is believed to have killed over 250,000 people.
Conflict prevention tries to tackle the causes of instability and stop conflicts occurring.
When this support is effective it can help to prevent the enormous human and financial costs of conflict. This is a key priority for DFID and the UK Government. The Building Stability Overseas Strategy [PDF] sets out how DFID, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence will improve their joint work to tackle conflict and instability.
Conflict prevention is at the heart of UK work to support development. Twenty-one of DFID’s 28 focus countries are affected by conflict and fragility. In these countries we need to base our programmes on a thorough understanding of the causes and dynamics of conflict, and ensure that our investments do not accidently generate conflict or grievances. Well designed development programmes can contribute to building peace and stability by:
In fragile and conflict affected states, all of DFID’s work can make a contribution to building peaceful states and societies, by investing in conflict sensitive development. Based on a thorough understanding of the causes and dynamics of conflict in that country, DFID’s programmes contribute to:
- Addressing the causes and effects of conflict and building conflict resolution mechanisms
- Supporting inclusive political systems so that everyone has a voice and governments are held to account
- Supporting states to meet their citizens' basic needs, including security and justice, a functioning economy, and services like health and education. States need to be seen to meet public expectations in order to maintain legitimacy and stability.
Although fragile and conflict affected countries present real challenges to development, DFID programmes have a real impact on people’s lives. By 2015, we will:
- Re-integrate 3,000 former combatants into civilian life in Nepal
- Provide sustainable access to safe drinking water for 800,000 people in Sudan
- Increase by 50% the number of women with improved access to security and justice in Ethiopia
- Give 50% of remote communities access to mediation services in Sierra Leone
- Get an additional 800,000 children into education in Northern Nigeria.