Our Clarifying Moment: A Global Call to Action

The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP), the leading nonpartisan global peacebuilding network of 200+ members operating in 181 countries working to end violent conflict and build sustainable peace, urges the international community to seize this clarifying moment surrounding the conflict in Ukraine to reimagine our approach to ending violent conflict and building peace in Ukraine and around the world.

The resounding condemnation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine provides a momentous opportunity for global unity and once again demonstrates the need for a fundamental change to foreign policy—one that pivots toward conflict prevention and peacebuilding in international development assistance, security, and diplomacy. Donors, governments, civil society, and individuals are vital to this global movement and all citizens and sectors can be advocates for a more peaceful world. With a unified voice, we must call for de-escalation, an immediate cessation of hostilities, continued, inclusive diplomacy, unimpeded humanitarian and peacebuilding assistance, and, most importantly, support for and protection of the Ukrainian people.

Policy and Advocacy, Policy ActionNick ZuroskiFebruary 29, 2024AfP, Policy Brief

AfP's Call to Action: Israel-Palestine

The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP), a nonpartisan global peacebuilding network of 200+ organizational members operating in 181 countries working to end violent conflict and build sustainable peace, stands for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza by all parties to the conflict, urgent humanitarian access to deliver much-needed assistance, adherence to international humanitarian law, and the end of increasing settler violence in the West Bank. We also call for preventing and reducing the threat of rising antisemitism and Islamophobia globally. We call for the status quo no more; we must all demand that all parties to the conflict and the international community work toward an inclusive political solution that allows all people in the region to live in dignity and safety.

The publications and tools compiled in this document are critical resources that can help the public, the private sector, policymakers, universities, and beyond effectively reduce and prevent increasing violence globally.

Policy and Advocacy, Policy ActionNick ZuroskiFebruary 2, 2024AfP, Policy Brief

Guide to Communicating the Importance of Peacebuilding: What it is and Why it Matters

This guide, using the examples of the GFA and WPS Act, outlines strategic, evidence-based narrative and framing approaches for U.S. policy and lawmakers to reframe their advocacy and communication. By applying these reframing narratives, advocacy within the government and the public will be more successful at effectively making the case for what peacebuilding is and why it must be centered, integrated, and robustly resourced in strategies, policies, and laws.

Policy and Advocacy, Policy ActionNicholas GugertyDecember 8, 2023AfP, Policy Brief

Reforming U.S. Foreign Policy Decision-Making in the Global Fragility Act Priority Contexts and Beyond

While Congress and key agencies are devoting considerable attention to foreign assistance reforms and there have been some reforms to foreign policy decision-making, successful implementation of the GFA also requires a more concerted effort at reforming the foreign policy decision-making process.

Policy and Advocacy, Policy ActionNicholas GugertyNovember 30, 2023AfP, Policy Brief

Designing AI for Conflict Prevention & Peacebuilding

AI technology can vastly increase humanity’s capacity to make discoveries through machine learning and coherently summarize numerous text documents. However, AI can also easily generate mis and disinformation at a massive scale and, as a worst-case scenario, support deadly automated weaponry beyond human control. The peacebuilding field needs to raise awareness and educate how AI technology can positively and negatively impact global peace and security, and governments and multilateral organizations must urgently adopt robust AI standards and norms that prevent and reduce violent conflict, violence, and fragility and build sustainable peace. Additionally, peacebuilders should work with the technology sector to develop AI-powered tools that “translate” divisive rhetoric into peaceful language and thus promote social cohesion and peacebuilding.

Policy Action, Policy and AdvocacyNicholas GugertyOctober 24, 2023Policy Brief, AfP, 2023

How Congress Can Break Down Barriers to GFA Implementation

To successfully implement the GFA, Congress and the Administration must develop a close partnership that requires a robust and regular communications strategy to build trust, share developments, create buy-in, and ensure sustained commitment to the GFA. The GFA offers a much-needed opportunity for the U.S. Government to experiment with programming, which could ultimately be the way ahead beyond the five priority countries and region for U.S. government strategies in conflict affected and fragile states. The Administration and Congress must foster and ensure a close partnership to communicate challenges and successes and what it needs for the GFA to succeed. While there are many bureaucratic, operational, and legal barriers and challenges, Congress can now address the following issues to ensure the successful implementation of the GFA.

Policy and Advocacy, Policy ActionNick ZuroskiMarch 13, 2023AfP, Policy Brief

How the 118th Congress Can Prevent Violent Conflict & Promote Peace in the United States

The Alliance for Peacebuilding urgently calls lawmakers to action to collectively work together to address grievances across the political spectrum and provide the necessary resources to fund vital programs to prevent and reduce violent conflict and extremism and build sustainable peace in the United States. Peacebuilding organizations across the country are working to address the drivers of increasing violence and extremism in the U.S., and now it is time for Congress to devote sufficient resources to their efforts.

Policy and AdvocacyNick ZuroskiMarch 6, 2023Policy Brief, AfP

A Pivot to Prevention: How the 118th Congress Can Prevent Violent Conflict & Build Peace Globally

Preventing and reducing violent conflict and building sustainable peace globally is a bipartisan issue. Congress is leading on adopting practical laws and providing critical peacebuilding and conflict prevention funding. However, more work is needed to ensure peacebuilding and conflict prevention become central pillars and are integrated throughout U.S. foreign diplomacy and development strategies and policies. As the 118th Congress begins its work, it must elevate peacebuilding and conflict prevention and ensure the U.S. government has the ability to innovate, scale what is working, and change what is not. Now, Congress must provide much-needed resources to support partnership with conflict-affected and fragile states to address increasing violent conflict and extremism and promote security—at home and abroad.

Policy and AdvocacyNicholas GugertyFebruary 28, 2023Policy Brief, AfP