Alliance for Peacebuilding

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Civil Society Coalition Welcomes Global Fragility Act

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 8, 2019

CONTACT

Laura Strawmyer | 317.340.1085 | laura@allianceforpeacebuilding.org

Richmond Blake  | 202.999.8935 | rblake@mercycorps.org

WASHINGTON, DC – Over 50 Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) members and partners applaud the introduction of H.R 1580 and S. 727, the Global Fragility Act of 2019, by Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY), Mike McCaul (R-TX), Adam Smith (D-WA), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Bill Keating (D-MA), and Francis Rooney (R-FL) in the United States House of Representatives, and Senators Christopher Coons (D-DE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Todd Young (R-IN) in the Senate, on March 7th.

The bipartisan Global Fragility Act (GFA) would require the U.S. government, in coordination with civil society, to develop an innovative 10-year Global Fragility Initiative or Strategy. This whole-of-government approach will improve the capacity of the United States government to identify and address threats to civilians in fragile, conflict-prone regions around the world.

The legislation would give U.S. federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. Department of Defense, and others, the tools they need to work effectively and in coordination to identify security threats in at-risk communities and to mitigate them through diplomatic action and development programs.

H.R. 1580 and S. 727 build upon the progress of previous versions, including H.R. 5273, which passed the House of Representatives in 2018 with the broad bipartisan support of 376 representatives. The new versions are markedly stronger, as they will authorize the use of existing foreign assistance funds. Such investment is critical to ensuring the strategy and country plans will be implemented effectively.

This timely legislation comes at a moment when violent conflict has forcibly displaced a record 68.5 million people and costs the world an estimated $14.76 trillion annually. There is an urgent need to improve the U.S. government’s ability to reverse these trends and prevent future conflict.

 The following list of leading international humanitarian, peacebuilding, development, human rights, and faith-based organizations endorse this legislation, under the co-leadership of AfP and Mercy Corps. We look forward to working with Congress to pass a revised Global Fragility Act as quickly as possible, with an emphasis on strengthening civil society-led good governance, conflict resolution, and violence reduction capacity over the long-term.

  1. Alliance for Peacebuilding

  2. American Friends Service Committee

  3. American Jewish World Service

  4. CARE

  5. Carl Wilkens Fellows

  6. Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)

  7. Center on Conscience & War

  8. Charity & Security Network

  9. Chemonics

  10. Church of the Brethren, Office of Public Witness

  11. Conciliation Resources

  12. Conference of Major Superiors of Men

  13. Congregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, US Provinces

  14. Cure Violence

  15. Educators’ Institute for Human Rights

  16. Foreign Policy 4 America

  17. Franciscan Action Network

  18. Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)

  19. Futures Without Violence

  20. Global Communities

  21. Global Water 2020

  22. Humanity United Action

  23. i-ACT

  24. In Defense of Christians

  25. Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy

  26. InterAction

  27. International Alert

  28. International Civil Society Action Network

  29. International Crisis Group (ICG)

  30. International Rescue Committee

  31. Jewish World Watch

  32. Karuna Center for Peacebuilding

  33. Leadership Conference of Women Religious

  34. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

  35. Mercy Corps

  36. National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd

  37. National Latino Evangelical Coalition

  38. Never Again Coalition

  39. Nuru International

  40. ONE Campaign

  41. Pax Christi International

  42. Pax Christi USA

  43. Peace Direct

  44. Presbyterian Church (USA)

  45. PRBB Foundation

  46. Saferworld

  47. Search for Common Ground

  48. STAND

  49. Stop Genocide Now

  50. United Church of Christ

  51. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

  52. Women for Afghan Women

  53. World Relief

  54. World Vision

 

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About the Alliance for Peacebuilding

The Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) is the leading global network for organizations working to end conflict and build sustainable peace worldwide. Our 100-plus members include some of the world’s largest development organizations, most innovative academic institutions, and the most powerful peacebuilding groups. We bring together coalitions in key areas of strategy and policy to elevate the entire peacebuilding field, tackling issues too large for any one organization to address alone.