AfDB and SIPRI Partner to Prevent Conflicts and Build Resilience in Africa

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance their collaboration on preventing conflicts and building resilience in Africa. The signing took place at the 2024 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development on May 13, 2024.

Why this matters: This partnership has the potential to positively impact millions of lives across Africa by addressing the root causes of conflict and fragility. By doing so, it can also contribute to regional and global stability, as well as economic growth and development.

The partnership aims to deepen the understanding of drivers of fragility and insecurity, promote actions that prevent conflicts and build resilience, pursue research, data, analysis, and capacity development, enhance policy and development effectiveness, and foster partnerships and resource mobilization.

Marie-Laure Akin-Olugbade, AfDB Vice President, Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, stated, "Our MoU with SIPRI reflects the Bank's continued strong commitment to enhance its operational effectiveness in fragile settings." Dan Smith, Director of SIPRI, added, "By deepening the understanding of the drivers of conflict and insecurity, and the opportunities for sustainable peace, the partnership aims to enhance the policies, programs, and interventions of the Bank and its partners, which will benefit some of the most vulnerable communities across the continent."

The partnership will cover a 5-year period, focusing on research, data, analysis, and capacity development; policy and development effectiveness; and partnerships and resource mobilization. The MoU's implementation framework will be guided by an evolving Partnership Workplan, according to Yero Baldeh, Director, Transition States Coordination Office at the African Development Bank.

This collaboration supports the AfDB's ambitious agenda through innovative partnerships that span the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus, in accordance with the Bank's Ten-Year Strategy and its Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa. The partnership is expected to translate complex research findings into practical interventions that can be implemented on the ground in Africa's most vulnerable communities.

The signing of the MoU between the African Development Bank and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute marks a significant step towards preventing conflicts and building resilience in Africa. By leveraging their respective expertise and resources, the partnership aims to contribute to system-wide approaches to tackle the interconnected issues of fragility, conflict, and climate change, ultimately benefiting some of the most vulnerable communities across the continent.

Key Takeaways

• African Development Bank and SIPRI sign MoU to prevent conflicts and build resilience in Africa.
• Partnership aims to address root causes of conflict and fragility, promoting regional and global stability.
• 5-year partnership will focus on research, data, analysis, capacity development, and policy effectiveness.
• Collaboration supports AfDB's Ten-Year Strategy and Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa.
• Partnership seeks to translate research into practical interventions for Africa's most vulnerable communities.