Session on ‘Political corruption and organized crime: drivers, effects and responses’ during the 2017 Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development Photo: sipri.org

‘The Politics of Peace’ will be the theme when the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) host the fifth annual Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development on 7–9 May.

The forum will gather a number of international experts for discussion and debate on how global cooperation on conflict prevention and sustainable peace can be strengthened.

The speakers include Minister for Foreign Affairs Margot Wallström and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate Isabella Lövin.

Although the number of armed conflicts has fallen in the last five years, the need for conflict prevention measures and mediation is greater than ever.

The capacity to identify and stop potential conflicts at an early stage around the world through international cooperation is becoming more and more important, not least in a time when conflicts originate in increasingly complex environments.

“Inclusive discussion and debate on how different policy areas, countries and actors can contribute to conflict resolution are vital if we are to achieve sustainable peaceful solutions. It is clear that the work done by Sweden as a member of the United Nations Security Council and our experience gained there will be important in conversations during the Stockholm Forum on Peace and Development,” says Ms. Wallström.

Both Ms. Wallström and Ms. Lövin will participate in the forum and give opening speeches. The ambition with the theme of this year’s forum, ‘Politics of Peace’, is to strengthen international cooperation on conflict prevention and sustainable peace.

“In recent years, we have seen a worrying rise in violent conflicts. If we are to succeed in reversing this trend, we must increase our capacity to prevent violence through cross-border and long-term cooperation. We cannot continue to ‘put out fires’,” says Ms. Lövin.

Other high-level participants at the forum will include president of the United Nations General Assembly Miroslav Lajčák, SIPRI Chair and former deputy secretary-general of the United Nations Jan Eliasson and ministers from Afghanistan, Liberia and Somalia. In addition to these, the forum will be attended by 250 international participants from a number of partner countries.

Swedish Government