Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Sustainable Peace: The Role of the UN and Regional Organizations in Preventing Conflict (Carnegie Commission on Preventing Deadly Conflict)

The end of the twentieth century saw the easing of East-West tension but not the end of violent conflict_especially within states. There has been growing consensus that the international community needs to find more effective ways of preventing such internal conflicts. This book argues that the most sustainable means of promoting peace within states is the development of good governance, which can address the root causes of conflict and meet basic human security needs. Good governance offers groups a 'voice' in resolving grievances at an early stage before they grow into major problems, safeguards human rights, and promotes a fairer distribution of resources. The author suggests that the focus of good international and regional governance should be the promotion of more effective national and local governance, and she outlines the efforts of the United Nations, regional organizations_such as the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the Organization of African Unity, and the Organization of American States_and NGOs, such as the Carter Center. The most successful approaches of these organizations could be applied through proposed Regional Centers for Sustainable Peace. Review Provides, first, a well-informed and down-to-earth macro-level analysis of the non-coercive conflict prevention mechanisms that are already operating in different parts of the world, and, secondly, a useful synthesis of those uncoordinated mechanisms in the form of a concrete institutional proposal. Peck should be congratulated for this valuable contribution to the conflict prevention literature.--Pacific Review This book is an instance of peace research, and a very good one, too.--Terrorism and Political Violence ...containing as it does a wealth of valuable and interesting information for the student of conflict and conflict prevention.--Michael O'Connor, Executive Director, Australia Defence Association "Ethnic Conflict Research Digest " A thoroughly informative, indeed, a dazzling tour d'horizon of new regional actors in preventive diplomacy.--Michael W. Doyle, Princeton University This is a very comprehensive survey of the existing organizations working to build sustainable peace. A network of interlocking institutions would indeed be an excellent way of building capacity and institutionalizing knowledge and practice of conflict prevention.--Olara A. Otunnu, president, International Peace Academy This is a vitally important contribution to the debate about preventive diplomacy, early responses to incipient violent conflict, and medium- to long-term peace-building and peacemaking processes.--Kevin P. Clements, director, Institute for Conflict Analysis and Resolution, George Mason University About the Author Connie Peck is coordinator of the Fellowship Program in Peacemaking and Preventive Diplomacy, which is cosponsored by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research and the International Peace Academy.