Addressing the causes of conflict
To ensure lasting peace and effectively prevent conflict, it is important to identify potential causes of armed conflict. For years border disputes, for example, have repeatedly triggered conflicts in Africa.
The German Government is supporting the implementation of the new Border Programme established by the AU in 2007 with a view to resolving border issues in Africa. The first priority is to clarify the status quo on borders and prepare the first-ever maps showing their exact location. Another priority is to promote cross-border cooperation and launch a number of pilot border demarcation projects.
Support for peace negotiations
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The Chad-Cameroon border
(© picture-alliance/dpa)
Effective conflict prevention also requires a capacity to respond promptly to an emerging crisis before any conflict party resorts to force.
Peace negotiations are highly complex processes that need to be led by an experienced mediator. The mediator is in turn supported by experts in various fields such as state-building, constitutional law, elections, security sector reform, the disarmament and reintegration of combatants and efforts to come to grips with the past.
Talking to all conflict parties
Part of the mediator's task is to talk to all conflict parties, whether these are governments, rebel movements or ethnic or social minorities that have taken up arms. The mediator will always liaise closely here with the relevant state government and the UN.
Through Germany's support for UN and AU mediation efforts, it is seeking to help resolve conflicts and build lasting peace.
Source: Federal Foreign Office
