CPS Liberia Coordinator Calls for Sustainable Peacebuilding as Donor Funding Shifts
October 27, 2026The Time to Put the COP into Action Is Now
by Josephine Koroma
As funding landscapes evolve and resources become more constrained, partners can draw on capacities and knowledge already present in their networks. The COP offers a platform to exchange experience, collaborate across organizations and apply conflict-sensitive approaches in projects and community engagement. Where suitable local capacity exists, using it can reduce reliance on external expertise.
Local Knowledge Matters
A key reflection from the conference was the value of contextual knowledge held by local trainers and practitioners in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Their familiarity with cultural, social, historical and community dynamics can help them adapt facilitation methods and conflict-sensitive tools to the realities they work in.
The COP brings together members from partner organizations who have been trained in approaches and facilitation tools relevant to peacebuilding and development programming. With support from the Bread for the World support team, members have built skills in several practical areas:
Do No Harm helps partners consider how their interventions interact with local contexts, reduce unintended negative effects and strengthen positive impacts.
Mediation equips practitioners to manage disagreements, facilitate dialogue and support peaceful conflict resolution.
Open Space Technology offers a participatory way for people to share ideas, discuss common concerns and develop solutions together.
Knowledge Management supports the collection, documentation, sharing and application of lessons and good practices.
Reflecting on Peace Practice (RPP) encourages practitioners to assess how interventions contribute to peace, consider what is working and adapt their approaches.
Make the COP Part of the Work
Partners in Sierra Leone and Liberia are being encouraged to take ownership of the COP, draw on local expertise and use the skills and knowledge already available to them. This means treating the community of practice as a working resource and deliberately bringing its experience into project planning, facilitation and community engagement.
Investing in local capacity and using it consistently can help sustain peacebuilding efforts beyond individual projects and funding cycles. The time to put the COP into action is now.
