Building on A number of recent high-level policy and reform processes, including the UN Sustaining Peace Agenda, a joint UN-World Bank global study on conflict prevention, Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict (P4P) reaffirms the importance of informed prevention. According to P4P, it is estimated that effective prevention would save anywhere from $5 billion to $70 billion per year for each affected country and the international community combined. Given the importance of prevention approach, there is increasing interest in understanding what it means to the Arab region and applying the findings from the global study in region specific context, so that the study can be practically used for advancing conflict prevention.

The contextualization of P4P would lead to enhanced prevention work at both regional and national levels. In order to facilitate this effort, UNDP and ESCWA will organize a workshop to discuss operationalizing P4P in Arab States, which prepares the ground for the forthcoming research commissioned by experts to write policy papers that explore key questions of relevance to conflict prevention in the specific regional context. These policy papers will highlight actionable recommendations and findings that are based on reflections on what has worked and what can be improved in the Arab region. Upon completion, these policy papers will be presented at the high-level dialogue “the Dialogue on Prevention in the Arab States Consultation” organized by UNDP and ESCWA in May 2019.