About the International Dialogue
The International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (IDPS) is the first forum for political dialogue bringing together countries affected by conflict and fragility, development partners, and civil society. Through its platform, IDPS aims to build political momentum for change and trust between fragile and conflict affected countries, development partners, and civil society, seeking to transform the way national and international partners work together to promote peacebuilding and statebuilding and work towards country led pathways out of fragility.
The International Dialogue is composed of members of the International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF), the g7+ group of fragile and conflict-affected states, and member organisations of the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS). The platform is hosted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)’s Crisis Bureau.
What does IDPS do?
A major outcome of IDPS is the New Deal on Engagement in Fragile States. The New Deal is a key agreement between fragile states and partners which seeks to change the way national and international partners work together to promote peacebuilding and statebuilding in countries affected by conflict and fragility.
The International Dialogue supports the implementation of the New Deal through
- Facilitating experience sharing of good practices and constraints to delivering effective development cooperation in fragile states;
- Building political momentum for change and trust between fragile and conflict affected countries, development partners, and civil society;
- Developing and providing guidance for the implementation of the New Deal principles;
- Supporting country level dialogues on key commitments of the New Deal, such as Use of Country Systems, Transparency and private sector engagement.
A new phase of the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding was initiated in 2022 with the United Nations Development Programme assuming Secretariat functions until 2024.
Building on the Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals as a crucial foundation to guide their work in fragile and conflict-affected states, and against the backdrop of today’s pressing global peacebuilding and statebuilding challenges, IDPS identified the following priority areas for their engagement in 2022-2024:
1. Conflict, Development, and the Future of Peacebuilding;
2. Advancing country-level engagement on key global policy agendas;
3. Resourcing for Peace.
IDPS supports this vision through:
- High level meetings and advocacy building on existing policy spaces and utilizing IDPS itself as a policy space.
- Country-to-country exchanges to promote South-South and triangular knowledge exchange.
- In-country dialogues to translate the IDPS agenda and policy efforts into concrete action on the ground.
- Facilitating capacity support for IDPS constituency and partners to ensure effective and inclusive implementation of the peacebuilding and statebuilding agenda.
How does the dialogue work?
Once a year, the International Dialogue meets at the ministerial or senior level. The Global Meetings are the principal forum for political dialogue and decision-making by the International Dialogue members as a group. The mandate and progress in implementing the agreed work plan are reviewed at quarterly Steering Group meetings.
Two co-chairs, representing fragile states and development partners, provide strategic direction and leadership for the International Dialogue. The International Dialogue is presently co-chaired by the Sierra Leonean Minister of Planning and Economic Development, H.E. Francis Kai-Kai, and the Canadian Minister of International Development, H.E. Harjit Sajjan. Previous co-Chairs include Sweden, Denmark, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Finland, the Netherlands, Timor-Leste, and the United Kingdom.
The International Dialogue Secretariat works in close collaboration with the g7+, the International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF), and civil society (CSPPS) secretariats.