Written by Alina Dobreva with Philipp Wegner,
The EU contributes to the prevention of emerging crises and to an effective response to existing ones through the Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (IcSP), launched in 2014. The instrument provides funds for conflict prevention, ensuring capacity and preparedness to address pre- and post-crisis situations and peacebuilding. Another main pillar is tackling global and trans-regional threats to peace, international security and stability.
Short‑term assistance, lasting up to 18 months with the option of renewal for an additional 18 months receives the largest share of the instrument’s funding. In an urgent situation, as well as where democracy is threatened or there is a risk of escalation to armed conflict, the IcSP offers help faster than other EU instruments. The IcSP is therefore primarily a solution used when other EU programmes cannot deliver quickly enough. About 70 % of IcSP resources are allocated to such short‑term assistance. In addition, 21 % is spent on projects related to global, trans-regional and emerging threats, and about 9 % goes to projects related to conflict prevention, crisis preparedness and peacebuilding.
Under the EU 2014-2020 multiannual financial framework, €2 338.72 million is allocated to the IcSP in total. While the instrument has a global scope and no predetermined region specific focus, the main recipients to date are projects in Sub‑Saharan Africa, the Middle‑East and North Africa. Due to recent developments with conflict in eastern Ukraine and the effects of the refugee crisis in Turkey, these countries have also become major recipients of funding under the IcSP.
Read the complete briefing on ‘Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace’
