GPPAC: A Look Ahead Into 2019

2019 will be a key year for GPPAC at various fronts. First, through the implementation of our annual plan, we will work on convening different actors and articulating opportunities to enhance collective action at the global and regional levels.  Second, we will advance in our objective to strengthen our network structures to improve governance and mutual accountability. In that regard, the meeting of our International Steering Group (planned for the month of May in Ukraine) will be one of the highlights of the year. Third, we will develop our strategic plan for the period 2021 - 2025, a process that will lead us to reflect on our previous achievements but also in our shortcomings and how we can position ourselves better to make an even greater contribution to the prevention of armed conflict and peacebuilding.

At the global front, our work will look at how global policy frameworks such as Sustaining Peace, SDG 16+ and other relevant UN resolutions can be used to support the work of our members in their respective contexts and ensure civil society plays a meaningful role in their implementation. We will build on our previous work to enhance the awareness and capacities of regional organisations to put prevention at the center of their work and develop better cooperation avenues with CSOs. In that regard, we will organise the third Global Conference on Cooperation between regional inter-governmental organisations and CSOs for conflict prevention and peacebuilding. Finally, our work this year will emphasise the need for greater inclusiveness of conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts. We expect to contribute by not only bringing this dimension in particular processes but also collecting experiences and generating knowledge to improve the overall practice of prevention.

At the regional level, our network members identified a set of priorities that will guide their work under the GPPAC framework this year. These include actions to support peace efforts in the Korean peninsula, develop national peace education programs, strengthen their capacities to conduct dialogue processes and do effective advocacy and others. For a more detailed overview of our global and regional plans for the year please take a look at the GPPAC annual plan 2019.

Ensuring a well-functioning network will be another key priority. Throughout this year, we will work together with the regional secretariats to define some processes and mechanisms to guarantee good governance and mutual accountability. A key moment this year will be the meeting of our International Steering Group, which will take place in Ukraine. This unique gathering of peacebuilders from all over the world to think together and strategise together will for sure bring an incredible explosion of new ideas. Furthermore, we are sure this meeting will contribute to support the peacebuilding efforts of our host institution and other GPPAC members in the country.

This note on what to expect in 2019 would not be complete without a reference to the process to design our next strategic plan (2021-2025), which we will develop throughout the year. Our desire is to make this process very inclusive and ensure it reflects the views, perspectives and priorities of our members worldwide. Our goal is to identify those areas in which a network approach can add more value and how an organisation like GPPAC can contribute to tackle some of the challenges that the world will face in the coming years.

Prevention work is about identifying certain trends, taking action to mitigate some risk factors and potentiate those elements that could lead to rebuilding relationships of trust to make a society more secure, peaceful and resilient. However, we also know that sometimes we have to expect the unexpected and be ready to respond. Whether a situation can be anticipated and planned for or if it requires a response that needs to be flexible and adaptable, we will work to ensure GPPAC members all over the world are in a good position to respond to the challenge and make a significant contribution to conflict prevention and peacebuilding efforts.

We look forward to tackling this crucial year with the support of our members, project partners, and last but not least, our funding partners including the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Without them the vision of GPPAC cannot be realised. 

Darynell Rodríguez Torres -
GPPAC Executive Director