Following the events of September 11th 2001, the
need for further investment in conflict prevention is
obvious. In order to succeed, the fight against international
terrorism must be underpinned by policies to address the
root causes of radical discontent. ... / ... Tackling
terrorism has challenged strategists, security experts,
intelligence analysts and political leaders for centuries.
Since the attacks of September 11th 2001 and widespread
recognition of international terrorism, the prevention
struggle now involves a vast range of experts such as
financial analysts, bankers, arms control and bio-chemical
experts, educators, communications specialists, development
planners and religious leaders. International
terrorism, violence around the world, in the Balkans,
the Middle East or Africa, continues, and the EU has the
means, both financial and political, to play a big role
in global efforts for conflict prevention. ...
/ ... The EU wants to support, rather than supplant efforts
of those directly involved in a potential conflict. But
the initiative and ultimate responsibility rests with
the national actors of the countries concerned (the "ownership"
principle). The
means at the European Union's disposal for the prevention
of conflict are numerous: development co-operation and
external assistance, trade policy instruments, humanitarian
aid, social and environmental policies, diplomatic instruments
and political dialogue, co-operation with international
partners and NGOs, as well as the new instruments in the
field of crisis management.
Through
these means, the European Union is already highly engaged
in conflict prevention. But the EU has the will
to improve the focus and effectiveness of its action in
this area and to respond in a timely and tailor-made fashion,
with an appropriate mix of instruments, to the specific
situations as they arise. ... / ... The European Union
is in a good position to be at the forefront of international
preventive actions, because it disposes over a worldwide
diplomatic network and has a wide range of economic, financial,
technical and political tools available. Close ties with
the Western European Union offer military potential as
well. ... / ... In developing policy-relevant knowledge,
we can understand the dynamics of war and peace in the
various phases of conflict, in order to lead preventive
interventions and to develop operational approaches to
conflict management. The above diagram provides a useful
scheme to illustrate how the European Union could deal
with the phases of conflicts.
Hierarchy
of objectives, related to main areas of activity; types
of support and tools
After
the events of 11 September, and in order to succeed, the
fight against international terrorism must be underpinned
by policies to address some of the sources of radical
discontent. This sheds a new light on the strategy for
conflict prevention and on the need to address what was
called in the Communication the "dark side of globalisation":
the divide between the very rich and the unimaginably
poor; environmental degradation; trans-national crime;
illegal migration and trafficking in human beings etc....
/ ... None of these can ever justify terrorism. But such
problems must be better investigated.
There
are 4 main objectives aimed at improving our capacity
to address situations of potential conflict. The
strategy suggested by the team of Dr Pierre Picquart is
based on:
•
Make more systematic and co-ordinated use of European
Union instruments to get at the root causes of conflict;
•
Increase the effectiveness of our action by tackling cross-cutting
issues such as trafficking in drugs, arms or human beings
... / ... environmental degradation etc.;
•
Develop further our ability to respond rapidly, with all
the means of the European Union to nascent conflicts;
•
Promote international co-operation with key partners iin
the field of conflict prevention for sustainable development.
The integrated approach for conflict prevention
The first objective of the communication is to make more
systematic and co-ordinated use of European Union instruments
to get at the root causes of conflict. ... / ... The real
advantage of the European Union is that it has, within
its own structure, an enormous range of instruments such
as external assistance, human rights policy, trade policy,
humanitarian aid, social and environment policies, political
instruments etc. Those can be better targeted towards
conflict prevention through an integrated approach.
Tackling "cross-cutting
issues" which may create tensions or conflicts
The second objective of the communication is to raise
the effectiveness of the actions in tackling "cross-cutting
issues" such as trafficking in drugs or human beings,
fields of natural resources, small arms, light weapons
(SALW), sustainable management of natural and environmental
resources, trading of illicit goods, environmental degradation
etc. On all these fronts, encouraging the best practice
amongst the private sector, the challenge is immense.
Capacity to react quickly
to nascent conflicts
The third objective is to develop the ability to respond
rapidly, using all EU means, to emerging crises. The Rapid
Reaction Mechanism (RRM) must be quickly operational with
the support of appropriate potential conflict indicators
... / ... The objective is to work on framework agreements
with Member States to allow the deployment of civilian
personnel in crisis management operations. ... / ... This
includes the training for civilian personnel ... / ...
Promoting international co-operation
The fourth message is to promote international co-operation
with governments, international organisations
and the civil society. The United Nations are a key partner.
... / ... Co-operation must be developed with other multilateral
and bilateral partners and institutions (For instance,
direct contacts with partners such as Canada, Japan and
the United States, as well as with the World Bank), with
beneficial impacts in terms of conflict prevention.
The main data and strategies
Terrorism is a form of violent conflict and conflict
prevention is an integral part of the question to reduce
poverty. In order to better understand terrorism, it is
important to consider its characteristics. Terrorist leaders
feed on these factors and exploit them, gathering support
for their organisations and acts. Terrorists
are extremely adaptable. Their ultimate defeat is linked
to establishing robust and inclusive political and economic
processes, building social justice and peace, and removing
exclusion nationally and internationally. ... / ... Donors
can reduce support for terrorism by working towards preventing
the conditions which give rise to violent conflict in
general and which convince disaffected groups ... / ...
However, in the context of the new forms of international
terrorism, it is not simply a question of donors doing
better what they have already committed to do. Applying
a development co-operation lens to terrorism prevention
has implications for key policy and programme areas that
may require donor agencies and their governments to calibrate
approaches to efforts already underway. ... / ... The
communication must promote the exchanges and the overall
comprehension with the groups concerned. Co-ordination,
complementarity and coherence (preparations, data retrievals,
interviews, briefings, evaluations and projects to be
carried out) are three stakes necessary to answer effectively
and with relevance for the requirements posed in the long
run.
End
of the extract © : for more information
and on our reports & our missions, mail to
Dr Pierre Picquart
|
Chine, Diaspora chinoise, Chinois d'Europe, de France et de Paris
China,
Chinese overseas, Chinese in Europe, France and in Paris
