Regional organizations discuss co-operation on conflict prevention at event hosted by OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and Permanent Mission of Italy to the UN

NEW YORK, United States of America, 3 October 2018 – Regional organizations play a crucial role in preventive diplomacy and the promotion of resilient societies, concluded participants in a panel discussion hosted by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the Italian Permanent Representation to the United Nations yesterday in New York.

Panellists from various regional organizations, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the League of Arab States, the European Union, the Organization of American States and the OSCE, as well as the United Nations, gathered to answer the call of UN Secretary-General António Guterres for more work on conflict prevention.

“Preventing conflicts is the priority of our time,” said the Italian Permanent Representative,  Ambassador Mariangela Zappia, representing Italy’s 2018 OSCE Chairmanship. Opening the event, Zappia observed the need “to shift the paradigm from crisis management to conflict prevention and sustainable peace” and underlined the importance of regional co-operation under Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter.

“The nature of conflict has changed dramatically over the last few decades,” said the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Lamberto Zannier. “Today, we increasingly face acute crises and hybrid conflict characterized by internal strife at the heart of our society. History has shown the potential for danger when issues such as language policy, education and historical memory are manipulated for political gains.”

Participants agreed that more efforts should be made to prevent crises and wars, recognizing this as a priority for regional organizations and multilateral diplomacy in general. They shared experiences of how they have helped their members work towards achieving more stable and resilient societies and noted with interest the OSCE High Commissioner’s thematic work in this field.

Rosemary A. DiCarlo, UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, welcomed the initiative, highlighting that the gathering of regional organizations in New York to discuss preventive diplomacy “represents a unique opportunity to promote a shared message of co-operation and dialogue. It is the responsibility of the United Nations and regional organizations to critically examine and tailor our tools to the world around us.”

Participants welcomed the initiative to intensify co-operation and continue exchanging experience on longer-term measures to prevent future conflicts.