Development financiers, aid agencies, and political leaders across Africa have emphasized the need to prioritize investment in local solutions for conflict prevention rather than crisis response. This call was made during the opening of the Africa Resilience Forum, hosted by the African Development Bank in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. Participants noted that around 250 million people in Africa currently live in countries directly affected by conflict, highlighting the urgent need for preventive action.
African Development Bank Group Vice President for Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery, Nnenna Nwabufo, who moderated a session on “Partnering for Conflict Prevention,” underscored that conflict prevention is not only a moral imperative but also an economically sound investment. She noted that every dollar spent on prevention can yield over $100 in long-term savings, making a strong case for proactive peacebuilding efforts.
Panelists at the Forum discussed the importance of combining financial resources with local knowledge, community leadership, and private investment to reduce fragility across the continent. Abubakar Umar Alhassan, representing Ghana’s National Peace Council, stressed that communities—especially women and youth—should take the lead in peacebuilding efforts, as they often play key roles in resolving and sustaining peace at the grassroots level.
Mohamed Abderahmane Deddi, Director General at Mauritania’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, called for a fundamental shift in how aid is allocated. He pointed out that less than 4% of development aid in Africa goes toward conflict prevention, urging greater support for governments implementing national strategies to strengthen peace and social cohesion.
Olivier Ray, Director for Mobilisation, Movement, and Partnerships at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), highlighted the difficulty of maintaining state and development presence in fragile areas while ensuring essential services. He referenced joint African Development Bank–ICRC initiatives in Sudan that support livelihoods amid conflict and announced an upcoming policy brief to summarize a decade of collaboration between the two institutions.
Asari Efiong, Head of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) Côte d’Ivoire office, shared lessons from the Bank’s experience in conflict-affected regions, including its work in wartime Ukraine, where it has invested $8.4 billion and mobilized $1.6 billion in donor grants. With 85% of these funds directed to private sector projects, the Bank has focused on workforce reintegration and addressing displacement-related challenges. Efiong noted that many of these lessons can be applied to fragile contexts in Africa, helping strengthen resilience and support sustainable peace.
