Conflict Prevention, Peace building and Mediation

The European Union builds on a decades-long commitment to conflict prevention and peace building. Across the globe, we work to promote lasting peace through continued early warning assessments, supporting mediation efforts, empowering communities, and promoting inclusive solutions.

As a global peace actor, the European Union (EU) is committed to preventing violent conflict.

The European Union is foremost a peace project – a family of sovereign nations driven by the imperative of avoiding another conflict after World War II. Since then, the EU has adopted the principle of promoting peace - in Europe and beyond.

Building upon this decades-long commitment to conflict prevention and peace, the EU updated its toolset for Early Warning, Conflict Analysis and Conflict Sensitivity in 2021.

Several key principles guide the renewed approach:
• Evidence-based and data-driven selection of priority contexts
• Broad consultations
• Conflict sensitivity of EU engagement in fragile and conflict-affected countries
• Gender mainstreaming in line with the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda
• Timely analysis, starting at the earliest sign of conflict or tension
• Updates to capture evolving conflict dynamics

The objective is to ensure a deep institutional understanding of conflict drivers and root causes of conflict, to prepare EU actions on short, medium and long-term conflict prevention, conflict sensitivity and peacebuilding. This way, conflict analysis can make EU diplomacy, missions and development cooperation more relevant, effective and influential.

The European External Action Service has several early warning and conflict prevention instruments at its disposal:

• Structural Country Assessment (SCA) for assessing priority countries with a latent risk of violent conflict in the coming four years, with a focus on 10 fields: legitimacy; rule of law; security; inter-group relations; human rights; civil society & media; society; climate & environment; economy, and regional stability.

• Conflict Analysis Screening (CAS) works across the conflict cycle, including in post-conflict countries, but is particularly well-suited for analysing acute risk or ongoing violent conflict, including localised conflict.

• Regional Conflict Analysis (RCA) aims to address the growing demand for analysis on transnational threats, inter-state tensions, actual or potential spillovers and options for regional EU engagement.

• Gender-Responsive Conflict Analysis (GRCA) identifies the specific challenges for women and girls.

• Electoral Violence Risk Assessment (EVRA) looks at risks of violence linked to elections.

EU Conflict Prevention in action

The EU’s work in West Africa illustrates how we combine Early Warning with Early Action.

In northern Ghana, a comprehensive conflict analysis conducted in 2023 revealed growing tensions between local farmers and Fulbe herders, exacerbated by the arrival of Burkinabe refugees. In response, in mid-2024, the EU partnered with a trusted local mediator to address these challenges. This collaboration successfully facilitated dialogue in two critical hotspots, leading to formal agreements that enabled peaceful transhumance and significantly reduced violent clashes.

These agreements not only helped de-escalate immediate tensions but also established sustainable mechanisms for ongoing dialogue and conflict management between communities. As a result, local farmers and herders have begun to rebuild trust – paving the way for enhanced social cohesion and improved livelihoods.

Peace mediation is one of the European Union’s key foreign policy tools - a way to prevent violence, resolve disputes, and build lasting peace and security.

Around the world, the EU supports peace processes at many levels: from facilitating community dialogues and backing ceasefire negotiations, to engaging directly with political leaders. 

What makes EU mediation distinctive are the principles behind it. Our efforts are rooted in the values that define the EU itself: inclusion, human dignity, gender equality, democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights. Mediation is never just a technical exercise — it is political by nature. Our approach relies on evidence and partnerships, and we integrate both gender perspectives and awareness of climate-related risks. These elements ensure that EU mediation is credible, inclusive and sustainable.

To put these principles into practice, the EU has steadily strengthened its policy framework. The 2020 Concept on EU Peace Mediation (PDF), endorsed by Council Conclusions, is the central policy basis. In 2023, the EEAS Guidelines on Peace Mediation were reviewed to give practical guidance to EU mediators and partners in the field. Together, these documents ensure that the EU is equipped with the strategy and tools needed to use mediation as a central pillar of conflict prevention and crisis management.

• The EU holds an annual flagship event – the Community of Practice on Peace Mediation – convening hundreds of peace mediation experts, practitioners and policy-makers from all around the world. Follow the link to view the Call for Voluntary Session Proposals

Examples of the EU’s commitment to peace mediation can be found across the world.

Sudan

Since the outbreak of armed conflict in Sudan, the EU has supported the peace mediation efforts of regional actors, notably the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union (AU). A strong emphasis has been placed on regional ownership, coordination, and coherence in efforts to reach an endof the hostilities, a permanent ceasefire, and an inclusive political process.

The EU has directly supported consultations with a variety of different Sudanese civilian stakeholders. These efforts have gradually increased consensus among civilian actors, identified areas of common interest (such as humanitarian access), and helped forge a unified voice for peace and democratic transition. The support to consolidating women and young people’s voices have created a constituency with a continued commitment to peace and dialogue. The EU has also strengthened local civilian actors’ conflict resolution capacities.

Colombia

The EU and its Member States have long contributed peace efforts in Colombia, notably supporting the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement between the Government and the FARC guerrilla. EU support has focused on financing of complementary sub-national peace efforts that are ethnic- and gender sensitive, as well as reintegration and civil society-led reconciliation initiatives in various Colombian territories.

In response to ongoing violence and the need for long-term peace across all territories, the EU has closely accompanied peace talks with nonstate armed groups in different regions of Colombia. Expert and financial assistance has also been provided to urban peace processes. Additionally, the EU provides complementary support to victims-centred transitional justice mechanisms.

Georgia

The EU’s Special Representative (EUSR) for the South Caucasus and the crisis in Georgia co-chairs the Geneva International Discussions (GID), alongside the UN and the OSCE. Since 2008, the GID serves as a formal platform for conflict prevention and management, facilitating consultations and dialogue between Georgia, Russia, the US, and participants from Abkhazia and South Ossetia to promote regional stability.

Through this platform, the EU helps to identify and address sources of tension, as well as the needs and rights of the conflict-affected populations. At the same time, the EUSR promotes a non-recognition and engagement policy across the divides. This approach is reinforced by support for civil society initiatives.

Yemen

Since the outbreak of the war in Yemen in 2015, the EU has consistently supported the UN-led peace process. In line with the EU Council Conclusions, the EU has supported the Internationally Recognised Government of Yemen (IRG), helping to advance reconciliation processes and maintain Yemen's political pluralism. Additionally, the EU has reinforced the capacity of the Office of the UN Special Envoy for Yemen (OSESGY) to facilitate and plan for a potential ceasefire. The EU co-chairs the international Working Group on Cessation of Hostilities.

Through EU support, a platform for regular exchange between Track 2 mediation actors has been established. This contributes recommendations to the Track 1 process and identifies political entry points for reducing tensions at local level. On Track 3, the EU supports peacebuilding projects led by civil society consortiums.

Fiji

At the request of the Government of Fiji, the EU provided a European peacebuilding expert to serve as Chairperson of the Fijian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) in 2025. The independent body focuses on addressing the underlying causes of past political violence and human rights abuses, including those arising from the coup periods. The EU also provided advice to the TRC, its secretariat and the Fijian Government, on how to design an inclusive truth and reconciliation process.

The EU’s support contributed to transform the Fiji TRC into an operational institution, established procedures and engaging with the public, the diaspora and international partners. The partnership with Fiji represents a strategic investment in the country’s democracy and national unity, as well as in the stability and resilience of the broader Indo-Pacific region, where the EU acts as a peace and security enabler.