International Alert core support 2022-2025

As of 2022, which is the first year of the period for the present agreement, International Alert (hereafter referred to as Alert) promotes peace building and conflict prevention strategies with 93 partners around the world across 23 countries. With HO in London, UK, Alert currently have 230 staff based in 14 offices around the world; the Netherlands (Alert Europe), Tunisia, Ukraine, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, Tadjikistan, Nepal, Myanmar, the Philippines, Kenya, Rwanda, DRC, Niger, Mali. Other areas in focus for Alerts programming through their local partners are South Caucasus region, Syria, Jordan, Afghanistan, Uganda, Burundi, Ethiopia, Chad and Burkina Faso. The programmes work is supported by a team of peacebuilding experts, administrative, financial, fundraising, human resources, IT, and advocacy and communications teams. Throughout 2022, Alert continued to work in partnerships with capacity strengthening and mentoring, including of local and international organisations in the aid sector, the private sector and governments. The annual report 2022 has been rich in providing examples of programme achievements that illustrates the width of Alerts peacebuilding work at the local level. Dialogue between groups at different levels remains a main tool for peacebuilding, and a strong emphasis is also put on promoting a conflict sensitivity approach through partners and other actors active in conflict contexts. Core funding has during 2022 enabled Alert to respond flexibly to emerging crises, while keeping staff and partners safe. One example of this is in 2022 has been Alerts ability to respond quickly to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, where Alert has undertaken extensive advocacy and raising alerts about the potential impact of the conflict on the wider region and the need for a conflict-sensitive humanitarian response. 2022 also saw an expansion in Alerts external engagement and partnerships for conflict sensitivity and conflict analysis through conflict/context hubs took place in Honduras, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Ukraine. Alert has also established a partnership with the Mines Advisory Group to integrate conflict sensitive de-mining. Alert continues to engage for peace positive financial investments, including through research and advise for investors and regulators. As an example, in 2022, Alert have been providing conflict sensitivity analysis, capacity development and knowledge management for the European Investment Bank, which has enabled them to influence the investments of one of the largest development finance institutions in areas affected by conflict. Alert have also used its expertise to shape legislation on conflict-sensitive business practices. Together with other international NGOs, they successfully campaigned for including amendments on conflict sensitivity in the European Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. At the national and international level, Alert has, together with local partners, seized opportunities to influence strategic actors with relevance for peacebuilding. One example of this is the formation of a delegation of Congolese peace actors to the Vatican to engage with the foreign minister in advance of the Popes visit to DRC. The Breaking the binary paper was launched to include LGBT issues in the WPS agenda, as well as in national action plans on UNSCR 1325 and 1820. Sidas support to enhance work with natural resource management, climate and conflict has resulted in enhanced capacities for Alert to scale up activities at a country/regional level, and make contributions to an integrated approach to peacebuilding and climate change through various publications and international foras. As an example, the publication From Diagnosis to Action: Five lessons for addressing climate security risks was launched in October 2022.

The overall objectives of the Core Activities shall support International Alert to deliver against its objectives as set out in their Strategic Plan: 1. Strengthen communities voices and their capacity to reduce violence, in particular by working with disadvantaged women and young people. 2. Harness the private sector to support inclusive peace. 3. Promote fairness, inclusion and justice in local and national governance systems, including security, to support peace and address the root causes of conflict, including structural inequalities 4. Support inclusive peace processes and wider peacebuilding initiatives 5. Champion gender- and conflict-sensitivity in ways that contribute to peace, including in International Alerts own work.