This book is truly unique in that it presents a series of cases in which conflict prevention efforts have been successful at the United Nations and in other international organizations. It presents detailed case studies of the methods used and the diplomacy applied to head off conflicts or to contain them swiftly. Some of the chapters are riveting in their details. The book is the first on conflict prevention as actually applied in practice. It gives a convincingly positive answer to the question: 'Does conflict prevention work in practice?'.It does!
The book also contains up-to-date accounts of the policies and practices of early warning and preventive action in a series of international and regional organizations, including ASEAN, the African Union, IGAD and the United Nations. Practice is thus presented alongside evolving policies and programmes.
The book deals not only with efforts to prevent conflicts but also to head off gross violations of human rights - an urgent challenge of our times.
As Professor Paul Kennedy of Yale University writes in his Foreword, the excellent essays in this volume make it a truly valuable book. At a time when the United Nations is searching for the way forward, this book provides valuable leads for the practice of conflict prevention. It is essential reading for peace-builders, peacemakers and human rights practitioners.