ETTG was pleased to co-host the event “(Dis-)integrating peace: How can the EU better engage in conflict-affected states?” in collaboration with Search for Common Ground.
Held in Brussels, it brought together experts and practitioners to examine the evolving European Union foreign policy and its impact on peacebuilding initiatives. Over the course of the morning and early afternoon, participants engaged in insightful discussions, drawing on first-hand experiences from Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Mali.
The opening session featured welcome remarks from Hilde Deman, Executive Director of Search for Common Ground, and a setting of the scene by Iliana Olivié, Director of the European Think Tanks Group. The first panel delved into the specifics of EU engagement in the aforementioned conflict-affected settings, with contributions from Zuhra Bahman, Reagan Miviri, Tahirou Dounda, and Adam Dicko, moderated by Sophie Desmidt.
The second panel explored the EU’s readiness for conflict resolution and peacebuilding, with perspectives from Katariina Leinonen, Marja Esveld, Eric Beaume, Sonya Reines-Djivanides, and Philippe Jacques, moderated by Iliana Olivié.
Following a coffee break, participants joined parallel break-out groups to discuss and formulate recommendations on the framework, the people, and the funding aspects of EU engagement in conflict-affected states. These sessions were moderated by Dora Meredith, Sophie Desmidt, and Inge Brees respectively.
The event concluded with insightful reflections from Ambassador Roger Van Laak, followed by a networking lunch.
