Hi everyone, I hope you are all fine. I am happy and excited to welcome you to my session. Over the years, witnessed conflicts in our local and international communities. You have also observed the severity of the conflicts, especially in international communities, through social media, television, and other media platforms. Therefore, it is upon us to take responsibility in the journey of maintaining world peace and resolving disputes to control the severity of conflicts. In this session, I will highlight factors that cause and exacerbate conflicts and proven interventions that help resolve conflicts.
In an influential article by Shah (2023, p.1), world peace is usually under threat due to economic inequality, climate change and agriculture/energy. He mentions that economic inequality is the key source of conflicts, especially across nations such as Ukraine and Russia, which have been competing for scarce resources in Crimea. Inequality in the economy also generates grievances amongst individual nations with poorly established economies. In the 21st century, the majority of the grievances, especially against Western countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom, date back to the colonial period. Poorly established nations believe Western countries are responsible for depriving their resources (Shah, 2023, p.1).
Technological innovation is also an aspect of great consideration when discussing about world peace. Many countries, such as North Korea and the United States, have leveraged their technological expertise to develop nuclear weapons, among other destructive armories. As a result, other nations, including Russia, are in the race to outdo countries such as the United States in terms of nuclear capabilities (Robinson, 2024, p.1). Therefore, with many nations competing to develop or acquire such weapons, misuse may arise as they deter aggression, causing threats to global peace.
Additionally, besides technological innovation, climate change has a detrimental effect on global peace. Common climate change effects include landslides, flooding, aggravated erosion, salinization, and a decline in organic matter (Conciliation Resources, 2022, p.1). Communities facing these climatic challenges are forced to relocate to neighboring communities, where they create conflicts with the community as they compete for fertile land and fresh water.
Having discussed some of the factors with the highest probability of causing disturbance to global peace, what proven interventions are effective in resolving conflicts and maintaining global peace? In another influential article by the United Nations, preventive diplomacy and mediation are key interventions with positive impacts on international peace and security (United Nations, 2024, p.1). Preventive diplomacy involves the use of diplomacy and peacebuilding offices to emphasize peace among conflicting nations (United Nations, 2024, p.1). Mediation requires a mediator who helps two or three conflicting parties resolve their issues jointly.
Humanitarian interventions are other key interventions with proven impact on resolving international disputes and maintaining world peace. Humanitarian interventions involve the use of military, diplomats, and economic measures to protect civilians, alleviate suffering, and promote human rights in the conflict zones (Saaideh, 2023, p.1). Saaideh reiterates that humanitarian interventions also incorporate international organizations, states, and regional bodies, which work together to address conflicts on a global scale.
Lastly, I believe you and I have a sole responsibility to promote world peace through advocacy groups and social media channels. We should champion peace at any moment, especially on social media platforms, when commenting about conflicts in different nations. I believe we have the potential. Thank you for your patience throughout the session. With your support, we can create a world with infinite peace.
References
Conciliation Resources . (2022, May 1). Explainer: How is the Climate Crisis Impacting Conflict and Peace?. Explainer: How is the climate crisis impacting conflict and peace? | Conciliation Resources. https://www.c-r.org/news-and-insight/explainer-how-climate-crisis-impacting-conflict-and-peace#:~:text=Increased%20competition%20for%20resources%20like,tensions%20and%20create%20further%20conflict.
Saaideh, M. (2023). The Effectiveness of International Humanitarian Intervention in Conflict Zones.
Shah, Dr. V. (2023, October 19). Global conflict: Causes and solutions for peace. Thought Economics. https://thoughteconomics.com/global-conflict-causes-and-solutions-for-peace/#:~:text=Religion%2C%20Governance%2C%20and%20Politics%3A,the%20structure%20of%20a%20society.
The Elders. (2024). Nuclear weapons are still the greatest threat to world peace. NATO must take action now to protect humanity. https://theelders.org/news/nuclear-weapons-are-still-greatest-threat-world-peace-nato-must-take-action-now-protect
United Nations . (2024). Maintain international peace and security. United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/our-work/maintain-international-peace-and-security#:~:text=Preventive%20Diplomacy%20and%20Mediation&text=The%20United%20Nations%20plays%20an,political%20missions%20in%20the%20field.
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