Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF)

Overview

The Conflict Prevention and Peace Forum (CPPF) strengthens the knowledge base and analytic capacity of the UN community in the fields of conflict prevention, conflict management, and peacekeeping. Founded in 2000 as a program of the Social Science Research Council, CPPF grew out of a recommendation of the Panel Report on Peacekeeping (the “Brahimi Report”) of the same year, which highlighted the need for the UN to have quick and unfettered access to external expertise about the geographic and thematic areas in which the UN operates.

Recent structural reforms at the UN, as well as the growing complexity of international conflict and peace operations have increased the needs for CPPF’s work. CPPF helps bridge the gap between evidence-based research and UN policymaking. It gives UN decision-makers rapid access to leading scholars, experts, and practitioners outside the UN system through a range of formats, such as off-the-record meetings, informal briefings, and commissioned research. CPPF also uses its honest-broker convening function to increase coherence across UN programs and divisions by promoting understanding around shared analysis and ensuring that all relevant stakeholders across the system are represented.

CPPF is uniquely positioned to serve as a knowledge broker among senior UN decision-makers, researchers, and field experts. It combines first-hand experience with UN policy and operational planning with a vast network of global experts who complement the expertise of CPPF staff. Its ability to act nimbly, discretely, and efficiently make CPPF a valuable resource both to UN leaders and donors. In the almost two decades since its founding, CPPF has become a trusted partner of senior UN officials across the system.