BEFORE Amplifies Local Voices for Peace in Guinea

Posted April 21, 2011 / ,

A working group debates the key factors to fostering peace in Guinea

A working group debates the key factors to fostering peace in Guinea.

On April 14, 2011, BEFORE gathered together more than 50 local and international actors at the People’s Palace in Conakry to discuss how Guineans can continue to build lasting peace in their country.

This meeting was a follow-up to a BEFORE’s 2009 Consolidation of Peace Workshop. At that workshop, security, justice, society, the economy, and national politics were identified by Guineans as the country’s most pressing problems that could lead to internal violent conflict. To read the report from the 2009 Consolidation of Peace workshop Executive Summary in English, click here, or in French, click here.

Since 2009, many political and social changes, including the country’s first free, fair and open presidential elections, have taken place.

Representative from Nzerekore shares his thoughts with other workshop participants.

A representative from N'Zerekore shares his thoughts with other workshop participants.

To determine if and how these recent political and social changes may have affected what Guineans should do to consolidate peace, local organizations from across the country joined representatives from international organizations, the National Assembly, the Ministries of Justice and Youth, and the Gendarmerie branch of the army. Together, they debated and presented their thoughts on the country’s main the hurdles to peace. The recommendations will help the local BEFORE Steering Committee determine its next steps.