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While the EU has subscribed to the Comprehensive Approach (CA) on the rhetorical level, it struggles to effectively apply its unique toolbox and substantial resources, and that particularly in the area of peacebuilding. Hence, numerous actors call for an EU peacebuilding strategy to define and prioritize the Union's objectives and to improve the coordination and effectiveness of its Instruments across the peacebuilding activities, i.e., civil and military capabilities, institutions and operations. This article shows that such a strategy is both necessary and doable. First, it defines the underlying concepts: strategy and peacebuilding. Second, it analyses the EU-settings in which peacebuilding concepts, instruments and resources are located and identifies factors that regularly spoil strategic coherence within EU peacebuilding. Third, by applying strategy analysis to the context of peacebuilding this paper develops a definition of a peacebuilding strategy and describes how such a strategy could improve the effectiveness of the EU's CA. It shows that successful strategies are based on strategic coherence: (a) strategies, able to deal with the existing diversity of concepts, institutions and resources, and b) that strategic planning, capability development and implementation form a coherent process. Adapted from the source document.

Peacebuilding - understood as a broad range of activities to solidify peace and avoid the relapse into violent conflict - has become central to the self-conception of the EU as a foreign policy actor. The concept has been making inroads into different EU policy areas such as security and defence, development cooperation, enlargement and the European Neighbourhood Policy. At the same time, the dominant approach to peacebuilding has increasingly come under fire because of its failure to produce durable peace in many countries. The European Union has reacted to these challenges by adapting its concepts, but translation of these into practice - as currently witnessed in the Sahel and the two Sudans - is proving more difficult

The relationship between natural resources and conflict is a complex issue, and has generated a significant volume of literature from a number of academic disciplines. There is a general consensus that the links between natural resources and conflict are significant, and current research suggests that since 1945, at least 40% of all intrastate conflicts contain a resource element. Furthermore, a link to natural resources and environment has been found to double the likelihood for conflict relapse within the first five years of a peace agreement. The Sierra Leone's Seas project was prepared for the UN Environment Program- Sierra Leone, and fulfilled a requirement for a Masters of Advanced Studies through the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. The project assesses the role of marine resources in the peacebuilding and development of post-conflict Sierra Leone. The assessment is threefold, and the objectives are: 1. To conduct an assessment of recent and current work within the marine resource sector, in order identify the major priorities, challenges, opportunities, and active organizations 2. To identify gaps and areas of overlap, in order to assist stakeholders in pursuing strategic projects and increasing collaboration 3. To assist the UNEP office in Sierra Leone in identifying potential projects within the marine sector.

Abstract
The East African Community (EAC) is a regional intergovernmental organisation founded in 1999. It has proved to be successful in improving the economic growth of its member states; it also supports the security of individual member states and the stability of the entire region. The stabilisation capabilities of the Community have been tested through the accession of South Sudan in 2016. The experience of the past six years indicates that the decision to admit South Sudan into the community should be assessed positively, especially in terms of the peacebuilding process in this state. On the 8th April 2022, the Democratic Republic of Congo was admitted to the EAC. Anchoring in a regional block that has been proving its stability for over a dozen years can reduce poverty and spur development in the DRC, both in terms of its economic and political dimensions. This, in turn, in a favourable political environment, can in the future translate into good governance and the building of civil society. For the East African Community, however, the accession of the Democratic Republic of Congo poses a major challenge. The DRC brings a number of unresolved political problems, raising questions about whether the potential gains will outweigh the threat to the stability of the region and the maintenance of the current pace of integration processes. The aim of the article is to try to answer questions about the causes and potential consequences of the decision to carry out this surprising accession process. The analysis presented, a brief case study, attempts to explain that the political rationale behind this decision is not justified by geographical and historical considerations.

AbstractThis work explores the results of a creative and art‐based intervention to foster reconciliation in Colombia. The paper presents a novel methodology defined as 'Art for Reconstruction', piloted with victims of violence, veterans from armed forces and former members of illegal groups between 2018 and 2019 in Medellín, Colombia. The initiative encouraged trauma healing, reduced intergroup hostility, fostered cooperation and willingness to reconcile among previous enemies. Results show that creative and art‐based approaches, like Kintsugi, are promising to transform citizens' interactions at the micro level. This project presents how art and social engagement facilitate transitions from war to peace and reconciliation.

The inclusion of women in conflict resolution and peacebuilding is an important notion that has been well documented. Despite a widespread call for inclusive peacebuilding and progress in some African countries, in Nigeria, women are yet to achieve direct representation in formal peace and policy decision-making processes. The complex nature of conflict in Nigeria makes it imperative to explore all possible solutions to peacebuilding, including women's potential, which remains largely untapped. This article examined, through a review of the literature, the strategies that women employed to achieve direct representation at the table in formal peace talks in Kenya and South Africa. The conflict situations in the two countries resonate to some extent, with some of the current insurgencies in Nigeria. The strategies of both the Kenyan and South African women were similar. High-profile women in the two countries brought their skillset and competencies to work across women's groups regardless of social, religious, or political affiliation. They formed strong coalitions and were able to unite to the lobby, dialogue, and push for representation in formal peace talks. They engaged with the government to be included as negotiators and mediators. In Nigeria, there is a need to change patriarchal norms and traditional mindsets that prevent women from representation at the peace table through sensitization. It is also essential to enlighten relevant stakeholders, especially the government, on the importance of leveraging women's skillset in peacebuilding initiatives.