Sustaining peace is an abstract concept and we need to understand it concretely to ensure its implementation. Lesley Connolly, IPI, identifies locally-driven approaches as the most important requirement.

To understand the concept of sustainable peace, engagement with the local actors is a necessity. The main barriers can only be understood by bringing the local perspective forward and implementing approaches that are locally-driven, regionally-anchored, and internationally supported.

The solution gap

Lesley Connolly, International Peace Institute (IPI), identifies the essential challenges as the lack of long-term financing, the missing recognition of which actors need to be incorporated, and the present solution gap. Only the inclusion of local actors will help to clarify what is needed in vulnerable communities and how assistance could be best provided. Partnerships should consequently consist of national stakeholders, including local civil society, marginalized groups, such as the youth and women, national governments, regional economic communities, and sub-regional bodies, such as the AU and the UN. Only through inclusive partnerships will it be possible to represent the country fully and understand all aspects of society.