The Joint UN Development Programme (UNDP) - UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention is a signature cross-pillar initiative that aims to enhance UN support to national stakeholders on conflict prevention and sustaining peace. Since its inception in 2004, the Programme has engaged in more than 60 countries and provided catalytic support to UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams to advance the UN Secretary-General’s conflict prevention agenda.
A key achievement of the Pact for the Future, adopted by Member States in September 2024, is its shared commitment to a renewed, nationally owned and led approach to conflict prevention. The Joint Programme is a unique example of how the political and development pillars of the UN successfully work together to support nationally led efforts to prevent conflict and sustain peace. By aligning its support with national systems and priorities, and fostering inclusive, locally owned processes, the Joint Programme serves as a vital instrument for translating the Pact’s high-level commitments into concrete action at the country level.
Peace and Development Advisors (PDAs) are at the forefront of the Programme’s efforts to build existing and emerging national and local capacities to address and fundamentally transform the underlying causes of conflict. They provide context-specific, tailored advisory support to national stakeholders to develop and strengthen comprehensive strategies and approaches to prevention, including for building national peace architectures, promoting inclusive dialogue, and developing prevention policies and strategies. PDAs also support the UN system to effectively adapt and respond to complex political situations and identify areas for preventive action. Over the years, demand for PDA support has continued to grow, reflecting the increasing need for conflict prevention as well as the realization of the value of embedding capacities for conflict analysis, conflict sensitive programming, and strategic leadership on conflict prevention within UN Country Teams.
Beyond the deployment of PDAs, the Joint Programme also facilitates deployment of short-term expertise to respond and engage in crisis settings, provides coordinated and complementary UNDP and DPPA support, analysis, and engagement in target countries, and builds on the expert knowledge of its stakeholders to share good practices, lessons learned, and engage in a community of practice. Aiming to serve as a platform that brings together various UN tools and approaches, the Joint UNDP-DPPA Programme contributes to coherent UN engagement by working in partnership with other UN entities, such as the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), UN Volunteers (UNV) and UN Women.
Key documents
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2024
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2023
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2022
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2021
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2020
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2019
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2018
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2017
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2016
- Joint Programme Annual Report 2015
Resources
Contact
Reach out to the Joint Programme here.