ABSTRACT
In the concluding chapter, Madenyika and Tower maintain that in an increasingly globalized and inter-connected world, violent conflict is more protracted, highly volatile, and resistant to containment within national borders. In some instances, it combines perilously with social media, cyber networks, environmental deprivation, and disease. This project, “Policy Dialogue on Conflict Prevention”, outlined how conflict prevention is about making societies resilient to violent conflict, which is achieved by strengthening their local capacities for peace through reinforcing systems, structures, resources, attitudes, and skills at the local, national, regional, and global levels. Much attention is focused on reactive approaches to conflict – rebuilding and resolving – but prevention must hold the same level of importance. It remains insufficient to merely prevent a relapse of war; the international community must make a greater effort to respond to warning signs to pre-empt the eruption of deadly violence.
