The EastWest Institute (EWI) launched its International Task Force on Preventive Diplomacy in 2007 with the purpose of investigating and promoting concrete ways of strengthening practical mechanisms to build domestic and international political will to shorten the time between early warning and effective early response to violent conflict.
The first cycle of the Task Force's work ended in December 2008. By then the Task Force had issued the Declaration "Making Conflict Prevention Real" (December 2007) recommending the creation of a Parliamentarians Network on Conflict Prevention and Human Security and an International Panel on Conflict Prevention and Human Security. Task Force members also proposed the establishment of a Global Summit on Conflict and Security.
At the end of 2008 the Task Force began its second phase and transformed into the EastWest Institute's Preventive Diplomacy Initiatives (PDI) in order to implement and advance the Parliamentarians Network, the Global Summit, and the International Panel. The PDI also seeks to provide governments, international organizations and civil society with new thinking on preventive diplomatic approaches to key human security issues around the world. The PDI works to prevent conflicts from erupting into violence where there are underexplored opportunities for cooperation and trust building between conflicting parties. The PDI maintains the engagement of the Task Force's High Level Advisory Board and many Core Group members who continue to contribute to its work.
The EastWest Institute's Preventive Diplomacy Initiatives has three components:
1. Implementing the Recommendations of the International Task Force on Preventive Diplomacy: namely the Global Summit on Conflict and Security and the International Panel on Conflict Prevention and Human Security.
2. Advancing the Parliamentarians Network on Conflict Prevention and Human Security: the Network was launched by EWI in October 2008. The Network works to build capacity, strengthen international cooperation, influence legislation, hold governments accountable, produce and disseminate information, and institutionalize and mainstream conflict prevention. The Network will focus on the thematic issue of Water Security as an underexplored area for enhancing regional cooperation and trust building to prevent conflict. Concerned about the possible deterioration of the Ukraine-Russia relationship (economic, resource, and defence), the Network will also focus on Ukraine as a prospective area of engagement in order to enhance regional cooperation and trust building.
3. Developing New Policies on Key Human Security Issues: the PDI is working on key human security challenges around the world. It is focusing on building alternative futures for Afghanistan and the stability of Southwest Asia by improving regional cooperation on water. In the future, the PDI will also work on issues of resource security, demographics, and climate change, amongst others.
(Read more about the history of the Task Force).
