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The 5 Pillars for Sustaining Peace – Interview with Swedish Development Minister Lövin

"Climate change is really happening now. We see it as a threat multiplier", says Isabella Lövin, Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate and Deputy Prime Minister.

"The question of this year’s conference – what works on sustaining peace? – We know what works. We need to work on 5 pillars. We need to work on inclusive politics, on the rule of law, on economic development, service delivery, and inclusive politics. These are the 5 pillars of the ‘New Deal for [Engagement in] Fragile States’.

We need to work together with the fragile states, use the country’s own system if it is possible, also support civil society to make governments accountable, but there is no quick fix to fixing fragile states. We need to work long-term, we need to work together, we need to work seriously, that’s the only way to prevent conflict from erupting again.

Climate change is really happening now. We see it as a threat multiplier. We see how the sea level rise is going to cause very many problems for so many people who need to find other places to live or make their livelihoods. This of course will create a lot of tension. Not only sea level rise, but also droughts and desertification and all sorts of consequences of climate change."