Preventing and mitigating violent conflicts : a guide for practitioners

This reference manual was prepared to help practitioners to prevent and mitigate conflicts in Burundi, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Somalia, Sudan, and Tanzania. It seeks to (1) sensitize practitioners to the various regional, national, and subnational conflicts in the Greater Horn, and their sources; (2) examine the ways conflicts emerge; (3) clarify the spectrum of interventions at various stages of conflict; and (4) familiarize professionals with a broad range of policy instruments and tools that might be used in conflict intervention. It describes tools being used in the Greater Horn, elsewhere in Africa, and around the world, including official diplomatic measures, non-official conflict management methods, military measures, economic and social development strategies, political development and governance structures, judicial/legal processes and arrangements, and communication and education. In addition, the guide seeks to present insights into the comparative strengths and weaknesses of these tools, and to draw policy lessons from recent applications of the tools, some successful and others unsuccessful. It suggests the main issues and tasks to be faced in launching coherent strategies of conflict prevention, and describes advocacy, training, humanitarian, democratization, and research organizations that might be drawn upon to address aspects of conflict prevention and resolution. Includes a 15-page bibliography.