The support we offer
Regional: Locally-led peace initiatives
For locally-led peace initiatives, we select regions where we can support the promotion of sustainable peace and apply local approaches in the most impactful way. Initially, our work will focus on the Western Balkans and the Sahel.
The Western Balkans encompass the countries of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia. Following the collapse of communism and the wars of the 1990s, the democratic and state consolidation of these countries is ongoing. The aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia and long-running disputes over claims to power, along with ethnic and national affiliations, continue to influence the region. Following significant involvement in the Western Balkans, the international community and donors have increasingly withdrawn in recent years – even though the region is currently experiencing a critical phase amidst the clash of nationalism and growing ethno-nationalist tensions.
In the narrower sense, the Sahel comprises the West African countries of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, and Niger. Geographically speaking, it includes additional countries, such as parts of Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Sudan. The region has been caught in a spiral of violence since 2012. In spite of national and international interventions, the conflicts have intensified in recent years in the face of weak state structures and increasing disputes over scarce resources. Terrorists and militias exploit centuries-old regional conflicts, such as those between farmers and pastoralists. This humanitarian disaster is affecting 24 million people. Against the backdrop of these deeply rooted conflicts, only locally-led initiatives owned by the affected themselves can have sustainable impact.
The Foundation will follow developments in this region by way of thematically focused involvement and support of individual projects.
The Middle East region refers to the countries of the Levant (Israel/Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria), the Arabian Peninsula (Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Araba, UAE, Yemen), Iran, Iraq and, depending on the context, also includes Afghanistan, Egypt, and Turkey. Home to around a quarter of a billion people, the region has been the scene of geopolitical conflicts for decades. Most recently, these conflicts have further intensified, leading to political instability and deteriorating relations among neighboring countries.
Global: Promoting innovation in international peacebuilding
We are convinced of the impact and growing importance of local approaches for sustainable peace and, as such, support peace actors and their local efforts. At the global level, we promote the exchange of knowledge and experience to enable innovation and continuous development of the peacebuilding field.
The Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) establishes and coordinates country-specific expert committees (Brain Trusts) with the aim of preventing violence and developing ideas for peace processes. This approach, based on wide regard for the needs of those affected by conflicts, has proven successful in Africa, Latin America, and the MENA region. With the support of the Robert Bosch Stiftung, IFIT wants to develop its brain trust model further and meet growing demand. Findings and experiences from this project help us to adjust our strategy continuously.
Interpeace has been an established actor in the realm of international peacebuilding for more than 25 years. The global “Principles for Inclusive Peace” initiative aims to open a participatory process and establish a new normative framework and standard to guide inclusive and effective peace processes. The project aims to establish these principles internationally and enable countries to shape peace processes in a more inclusive way. Through its support of Interpeace, the Robert Bosch Stiftung is contributing to further enhance the peacebuilding field.