Some of Sweden’s largest development cooperation partner countries are fragile and conflict-affected, such as Afghanistan, DRC and Somalia. Over the last decade, Sweden has pushed for internationally agreed principles for how foreign actors should engage in such countries. In 2011, the New Deal for Engagement in Fragile States was signed. It has later been complemented by other, similar, principles. How have the principles been applied in practice? What lessons can be drawn for future work in fragile states?
The Expert Group for Aid Studies (EBA) report Practicing Peacebuilding Principles investigates how key functions like fragility analyses, coherence, country ownership, inclusion and adaptation of development cooperation have been applied by Sweden. How can the practice be improved?
Jannie Lilja, Director of Studies, Peace and Development, SIPRI
Clare Lockhart, Director and Co-Founder, Institute for State Effectiveness, Washington D.C.
Carl Skau, Deputy Director General and Head of Department for UN policy, Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs, Swedish MFA
Anders Frankenberg, Head of Department, Peace and Human Security, Sida
Magnus Lindell, EBA (moderator)