We need more investment in prevention of conflict

But, they should be led by experience from the ground. We need to highlight what the real peace-builders are doing — from those running women’s peace huts in Liberia, to those organising mediation workshops in Kyrgyzstan.

That’s why the high-level meeting will pool actors from across different countries, sectors and societies, and allow them to share their insights. Of course, it won’t matter that everyone buys into sustaining peace if there are no funds to make it happen. We need more investment in prevention. When conflict causes societies to collapse, social fabric tears. Buildings are destroyed and no one fixes them. Salaries stop getting paid. Water stops flowing out of taps.

Then, we spend money on rebuilding — but that’s so much more than what we’d spend on preventing conflict in the first place. Aside from the suffering that we’re failing to avert, that just doesn’t make financial sense. Increasing investment in even a handful of countries can result in billions of dollars of savings for the international community.

At the end of the day, what we can’t forget is that the UN was founded for peace. That’s what its flag should stand for. Its success in preventing conflict should be the norm, not the exception.

It must be the world’s broker for peace.

The writer is the president of the United Nations General Assembly