Stabilisation – essential for lasting peace and development
Stabilisation is essential for lasting peace and development. It increases resilience in local communities, strengthens legitimacy of national and local governments, and facilitates a reduction in violence and conflict.
What?
Stabilisation is a concept used in security, by military, as well as humanitarian aid and development cooperation. There is no single or simple definition of the term, but in our context, we understand stabilisation as efforts that contribute to building trust and reconciliation through support to basic services, rights and infrastructure. Military efforts are not included in the definition of stabilisation in the context of development policy.
Stabilisation should be viewed as closely tied to efforts aimed at conflict prevention and resolution, as well as ensuring greater resilience. Peace and reconciliation increase stability, as does stronger cooperation between humanitarian (short-term) and long-term development aid . Stabilisation is primarily used in contexts of fragility.
An holistic integrated approach to stabilisation includes support to changes to social and economic conditions, as well as disarmament and security.
The Strategic Framework for Norway’s Engagement in Fragile States and Regions specifies that: The Norwegian approach to stabilisation should contribute to dialogue and reconciliation. Norwegian stabilisation efforts should strengthen social structures and services in a manner that enables people to regain their livelihoods after periods of conflict and crises.
Why?
Inequality creates conflict and destabilisation. Every country needs a functioning state and economic development that benefits everyone. This includes building institutions, measures that increase government revenues, and the development of health services and infrastructure. If these are not well developed, society will often be characterised by a recurring cycle of violence and conflict.
Norway’s Humanitarian Strategy emphasises the following: In contrast to humanitarian efforts, long-term development cooperation and stabilisation efforts can address the underlying causes of conflict and vulnerability. To this end, poverty eradication, institution building, good governance, human rights and gender equality are key. Development and stabilisation actors can bolster the capacity of governments and local communities to manage and prevent crises, develop early warning and preparedness systems, and ensure the provision of basic services for the population.
How?
The stabilisation agenda can be supported via many different sectors, which sector is most relevant will often depend on the situation in the given country. In most cases, the way in which the support is organised is just as important. It is also vital that all support is conflict-sensitive, to ensure that the support does not increase inequality and conflict.
For example, NORAD supports health and education programmes that aim to facilitate inclusive growth and thus contribute to stabilisation. NORAD also contributes to business development and job creation in several fragile contexts, as well as supporting infrastructure projects. The support provided is aimed at giving the population confidence that state and regional structures can deliver basic services. This can provide a valuable basis for greater stability in fragile contexts. NORAD advises the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and embassies on stabilisation and how support should best be provided in the various geographical and thematic contexts. NORAD is also active in international fora in support of stabilisation.
Norway works closely with actors such as the UN, the EU and the AU through both political and development cooperation. NORAD administers support for, inter alia, reform work in the UN designed to ensure that UN peacekeeping operations can perform their stabilisation role more effectively.
Civilian participation and protection are priorities for Norway. Norway is strongly engaged in women’s role in peace and security, in line with the Norwegian Action Plan for Women, Peace and Security (2023-2030), as well as a champion for combating sexual violence.
Who/where?
Much of the support to stabilisation efforts is channelled through multilateral organisations, including the UN and the AU, development banks, including the World Bank, and a number of funds aimed at stabilisation. Contributions to actors that support the women, peace and security agenda, like UN Women and INGOs, are also key.
Our support and efforts span a large geographical area from the Balkans to sub-Saharan Africa, and from Haiti to Afghanistan.
Links
saarbar-strategisk-rammeverk-oppdatert120717.pdf (regjeringen.no)(Norwegian)
Strategi for norsk humanitær politikk 2024–2029 (regjeringen.no)(Norwegian)