The Cost of Peace, 2001

The problem in the current debate about peacebuilding is not a lack of thinking and analysis, nor of recognition of the problems, or even identification of solutions.

It is, as we so often witness, a lack of political will to act in a preventative fashion and an absence of serious funding for proactive peacebuilding.

This paper examines the paucity of funding for preventative measures and the tenacity of traditional concepts of security and argues that these undermine efforts to introduce more cost-effective forms of conflict resolution aimed at addressing the causes of violence rather than its consequences.

It will appeal to those interested in mustering their knowledge into arguments that will turn the truism that prevention is better than cure into a call for action.