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7 March 2007
Tackling the impact of conflict on poverty in South Asia
Experts from five south Asian countries gathered in London this week to discuss better ways of delivering development to conflict affected countries.
Delegates from all political persuasions arrived from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan to share lessons, experiences and best practice in a ground breaking conference over the past two days.
The conference looked at overcoming development challenges in conflict-hit
South Asian countries and represented an important landmark in DFID's understanding
of delivering development to fragile states
(410 kb).
Gareth Thomas, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for International Development set the conference tone in his opening address:
“When conflict ends it is a time of great vulnerability, but also a time of great opportunity. Take Nepal. A decade of war, with entrenched sides, holding entrenched views.
Today Nepal is standing on the edge of peace, moving forward to negotiate a new constitution and create a new government, that will represent the interests of everyone.
This conference will give us the opportunity to look at crucial issues, apply them to our own contexts, and take back what we learn so we can better move towards lasting peace in Nepal, in Sri Lanka, in Afghanistan, and elsewhere”
Mr Thomas led the conference alongside Lord David Owen, Johann Galtung and Charlotte Seymour Smith Director of DFID South Asia.
Topics discussed included:
- importance of including all actors when negotiating peace processes
- understanding the context
- security
- transitional justice and reconciliation
- re-establishing governance
- and delivering services and balancing short term compromise and long term conflict transformation.
Further information
- The 2 day conference was entitled Development Dilemmas: Challenges of working in Conflict and Post Conflict Situations in South Asia and was held at Church House Conference Centre, Dean’s Yard, Westminster, London, SW1P 3NZ.
- Comments from delegates or other with an interest in sharing their views on the topics covered by the conference should contact - s-sharma@dfid.gov.uk.
- For further information, contact 020 7023 1282, e-mail s-sharma@dfid.gov.uk or call our Public Enquiries Point on 0845 300 4100.
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