Government has partnered the United Nations and the World Bank to launch Pathways for Peace global study which aims to look at how development processes can better interact with diplomacy and mediation, security and other tools to prevent conflict from becoming violent.
The study launched under the theme, ‘Pathways for Peace: Inclusive Approaches to Preventing Violent Conflict’ brought together around 80 representatives from Government, UN, Development Partners, Civil Society Organisations and the Media.
The launch put a spotlight on the interconnectedness of Peace and Development “no development without peace and no peace without development” and the centrality of UN engagement to promote peace in line with the UN Charter across the globe.
Commending the Government and the People of Zimbabwe for embedding principles of peace, reconciliation and social cohesion as constitutional values and development imperatives.
UN Resident Coordinator, Bishow Parajuli said;“The launch of the Pathways for Peace report comes at a key moment in Zimbabwe, where the cabinet has approved a two-year transitional stabilization programme for the country, which recognizes and prioritizes reforms related to the rule of law, access to justice, constitutional alignment, social protection, reconciliation, peace, and national unity.”
Highlighting that the articulation of national unity, peace, social cohesion and reconciliation as the bedrock for sustainable social and economic development in Zimbabwe, Vice President Kembo Mohadi said: “whilst sustainable development is our ultimate goal, the need to build sustainable peace architecture is a key enabler for the country’s sustainable development.”
The study underlines that the resurgence of violent conflict in recent years has caused immense human suffering, at enormous social and economic cost.
This has increasingly become an obstacle to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
These goals aim to end poverty, hunger, inequality, and achieve quality education, universal health, water and sanitation, gender equality, economic progress and environmental protection for all by 2030.
Underlining that prevention of conflict is always better than cure and a pathway to enduring peace, Mukami Kariuki, World Bank Country Manager for Zimbabwe said: “developing an enabling environment that seeks to prevent and resolve conflicts in all spheres social, economic and political is essential and the World Bank looks forward to furthering dialogue that would contextualize the recommendations of the Pathways for Peace report.”
The report shows that global, regional and national development and economic strategies need to go beyond incremental changes to systemic transformation. The report further makes a case for capable institutions to be developed to balance individual and collective rights and freedoms at all levels.
