The 1990s have seen an upsurge in the number and intensity of internal conflicts. We have witnessed massive displacements of people, extensive violence and loss of life, and widespread damage to the affected societies and economies. Ideally, each of these conflicts should have been prevented.
Prevention is by far the best medicine, for countries as it is for people.
Unfortunately, the practice of prevention has been uneven. In some cases, the international community has not taken sufficient notice of early warning signals, which would have allowed a response at more manageable pre-crisis stages. The international community has also been unable to prevent the outbreak of conflicts, as illustrated by the examples of Somalia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Rwanda and more recently the Great Lakes region. Experience has shown that once crises erupt, the international community can move swiftly to address the suffering of innocent civilian victims. Our response must also include political efforts to defuse conflicts, to promote peace and stability, and to foster economic and social development.