The Peacebuilding Imperative

Peacekeeping mandates often prioritize short-term goals, focusing on stabilizing immediate crises through targeted peacekeeping activities. This approach frequently leaves deeper systemic issues that fuel conflicts unaddressed. The stark reality before us is that, more often than not, peacebuilding, however defined, would appear to be primarily an afterthought, an add-on, relegated to the background. Longer-term activities, i.e., peacebuilding aiming to tackle root causes, rebuild institutions, and support inclusive development, are too often viewed as a secondary phase, sometimes unnecessarily delaying the start of efforts to build sustainable peace.