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At the Peace Connect global convening, held in Nairobi from 13 to 17 October 2025 and bringing together 540 peacebuilders from over 90 countries, WANEP joined forces with the African Centre for the Constructive Resolution of Disputes (ACCORD), the United Nations, and the Open Society Foundations (OSF) to host a session that gathered 55 African peacebuilders under the theme “From Nairobi to Geneva: Africa Regional Consultation toward the 2025 CSO–UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding.”
This consultation formed part of a wider process that began prior to the Nairobi event. It followed a survey and an online pre-consultation held in September 2025, which engaged participants across the continent to share perspectives on the themes of the forthcoming CSO-UN Dialogue. These preparatory activities generated key recommendations that shaped the in-person discussions in Nairobi. Participants emphasised that the nexus must be locally owned, inclusive, and adaptive; that financing, coordination, and political will are central to success; that women and youth serve as catalysts for sustainable peace and resilience; and that integration across peace, development, humanitarian, and human rights sectors is essential to ensuring coherence and lasting impact.
At the Nairobi event, conversations were structured around three thematic areas: Regional Operationalisation of the Whole-of-System Approach, Women Peace and Security and Youth Peace and Security as Drivers of Cross-Pillar Peacebuilding, and Using Interconnected Crises to Drive Integrated Action. The discussions provided a platform to reflect on Africa’s peacebuilding experiences, identify shared priorities, and generate insights that will inform the 2025 CSO–UN engagement in Geneva later this year. The sessions highlighted the importance of inclusive participation, local leadership, and sustained collaboration between civil society and multilateral institutions in advancing lasting peace.
WANEP also contributed to the session titled “The Advocacy Bridge – Stories of Local to Global Change”, organised by the Just Future Alliance. The session combined a brief training on multi-level advocacy with an interactive exhibition, offering space for partners and stakeholders to connect, exchange lessons, and explore how local realities continue to shape global change.
As a member of the Just Future Alliance, WANEP contributes to its collective efforts to strengthen justice, security, and peace through innovative programmes and partnerships.
The Peace Connect gathering in Nairobi reaffirmed that transforming peacebuilding requires not only new ideas but also new relationships, systems, and spaces of solidarity that enable local peacebuilders to thrive and lead change on their own terms. WANEP remains deeply committed to bridging local and global peacebuilding efforts, ensuring that African perspectives continue to shape the global peace and security agenda.
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