Armed conflicts are at their highest levels since the Cold War. The UN reports that more than 110 million people are displaced by violence and instability. Wars from Europe to the Middle East to Africa have disrupted supply chains and driven commodity prices to record highs. In an interconnected world, local conflicts no longer remain local and have global ramifications. Global mechanisms to manage conflict are failing. The UN Security Council is often deadlocked, and major powers are either unable or unwilling to mediate. As the old order recedes, the absence of credible mediators allows conflicts to fester with devastating humanitarian and economic costs. This moment calls for fresh thinking. Could regional institutions—such as the African Union, ASEAN, or emerging coalitions in Latin America—be better placed to manage ceasefires, facilitate peace processes, and prevent escalation?

• Are regional institutions – from ASEAN to the African Union – better placed to manage conflicts as the legacy global governance mechanisms lose their efficacy?
• What resources, mandates, and governance reforms are needed to make regional institutions credible peacebuilders?
• Can regional conflict management mechanisms reduce the ripple effects of war on global supply chains, energy markets, and food security?

Speakers

Kayode Fayemi, Visiting Professor at the African Leadership Centre, King’s College, United Kingdom 

Julia Roknifard, Senior Lecturer at the School of Law and Governance, Taylors University

Moderator

Jeannine Ella Adénikè Abatan, Senior Researcher, Research, Institute for Security Studies (ISS), Senegal