Chatham House, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held a dialogue on African peace processes: Prospects for durable agreements to end conflicts. The dialogue took place on 14 February 2025, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The event brought together various stakeholders, including policymakers, peace practitioners, and representatives of government and local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), to examine lessons learned from past peace agreements and explore strategies for ensuring long-term stability in conflict-affected regions.
Based on insights from a joint research project by Chatham House and UNDP titled “African Peace Processes: Lessons Learned,” the dialogue centered on the roles of various stakeholders in negotiating and sustaining peace agreements. Participants examined the key factors that contribute to the success of these agreements, emphasizing the importance of political commitment and inclusive negotiations. Examples from previous agreements, such as the Mozambique peace process, were shared to highlight best practices for maintaining peace.
Participants highlighted the need for better coordination on peace-making efforts among various actors, including the African Union (AU), Regional Economic Communities (RECs), and other international stakeholders, reinforcing the importance of African-led efforts and the need for coordinated international support to ensure the success of peace agreements.
The discussions also focused on creating inclusive peace processes by engaging civil society, women, youth, and marginalized communities. This needs to be balanced with the use of eminent personalities in peace processes to develop better institutionalized, sustainable peacebuilding mechanisms.
The dialogue emphasized the role of various stakeholders—including the AU, RECs, national governments, civil society, and international partners—in ensuring sustainable peace processes across Africa. The discussions aligned with ACCORD’s strategic objective of strengthening the role of multi-dimensional stakeholders to deal with complex conflicts.
