Sustaining peace in practice

The document analyzes the transitions from peacekeeping to peacebuilding in Liberia and Sierra Leone, arguing that while both countries have shown resilience, UN transitions often fail to address the root causes of conflict. It highlights the importance of local ownership, the role of regional organizations like ECOWAS, and the need for sustained capacity building for civil society and governance reforms to ensure long-term stability.

• The UN's transition processes in Liberia and Sierra Leone are criticized for failing to resolve the underlying drivers of conflict or reduce reliance on foreign aid.
• The Liberian Peacebuilding Plan is cited as a model for UN transitions due to its strategic approach, stakeholder consensus, and focus on national ownership, though its long-term success depends on short-term achievements.
• In Liberia, critical unresolved issues include a lack of transparency in government spending, unimplemented Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations, and the need for constitutional and land reforms.
• Sierra Leone faces significant challenges to sustaining peace, including high levels of corruption, a shrinking space for civil society, and political instability surrounding the March 2018 elections.
• Regional organizations, particularly ECOWAS, are essential for long-term peace through capacity development in governance and infrastructure, yet they are underutilized by international donors.
• The document recommends scaling down high-level government salaries in Liberia and Sierra Leone to reduce corruption incentives and move away from expensive, donor-dependent state systems.

APA

Lucey, A., & Kumalo, L. (2018). Sustaining peace in practice. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief114-2.pdf

Chicago

Lucey, Amanda, and Liezelle Kumalo. Sustaining peace in practice. Institute for Security Studies, 2018. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief114-2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Lucey |first1=Amanda |last2=Kumalo |first2=Liezelle |title=Sustaining peace in practice |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=2018 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief114-2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{lucey2018sustaining, author = {Lucey, Amanda and Kumalo, Liezelle}, title = {{Sustaining peace in practice}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2018}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief114-2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }