Making peace work

The decline of East-West military rivalry has contributed to a growing number of efforts to halt wars in several developing countries. Based on case studies from the experiences of Cambodia, El Salvador, Mozambique, and Nicaragua, this Policy Essay derives lessons for the international donor community from those recent peace processes. This study suggests the responses required of donors as countries move through the phases of the process from war to peace and reviews the international development community's efforts to strengthen the political institutional base of wartorn societies, consolidate post-conflict security, and promote economic and social revitalization once hostilities end. Six major lessons derived from these early efforts at peace-building are analyzed and their implications for the international development community are explored.