ACCORD’s Executive Director and Founder, Dr Vasu Gounden, was invited to present at a Security Sector Reform (SSR) Seminar organized by the Permanent Mission of South Africa to the United Nations from 11 and 12 May 2017. The theme of the Seminar was centered on The Role of SSR in Preventive Diplomacy and Sustainable Peace: The Role of the United Nations. The main purpose of the seminar, amongst others, was to implement Resolution 2151, based on the strategic vision of the SG, to explore the concept of earnest preventive action, leading to an increased capacity for preventive diplomacy within the UN, as opposed to the costly and intensive management of re-occurring and endless conflicts that serve no long term interest, as well as enhance the effectiveness of SSR and put more emphasis on the critical importance of preemptive diplomacy and mediation.
Dr Gounden presented on the second day of the seminar on the future conflicts in Africa and where they are likely to occur.
The Seminar assisted in strengthening the UNSG’s goals of sustainable peace by focusing on increasing the capacity for preventive diplomacy and exploring the role that SSR should play in this regard.
