State fragility and violent conflict are among the most daunting challenges that face us today in reducing poverty and human suffering – and achieving the development goals we have all signed up to. While there is increasing recognition that functioning states matter for development, international engagement in situations of fragility and conflict has often neglected the foundations upon which strong and legitimate states are built.

This policy guidance is the result of a collaborative effort by members of the DAC International Network on Conflict and Fragility (INCAF). The process of preparing the guidance was led by Stephan Massing (OECD DAC Secretariat) under the overall guidance of Bella Bird and Alastair J. McKechnie (Co-Chairs of the INCAF Task Team on Peacebuilding, Statebuilding and Security) and under the supervision of Alexandra Trzeciak-Duval at the OECD Secretariat. The policy guidance is based on a draft prepared by Alison Evans (Overseas Development Institute) with support from Pilar Domingo, Leni Wild and Geraldine Baudienville. Peter Batchelor, Bella Bird, Alastair J. McKechnie, Michael Koros, Stephan Massing, Eugenia Piza-Lopez and Tjip Walker contributed to the elaboration of key policy messages and recommendations. Invaluable contributions to finalising the guidance were made by Sue Unsworth (the Policy Practice), Dan Smith (International Alert) and Heather Baser.

Effective states matter for development. This book provides guidance to policy makers and programme managers. It addresses the specific challenges of statebuilding in conflictaffected or fragile situations where the lives and livelihoods of millions of people are at stake. Fragile and conflict-affected states are those that have weak capacity to carry out basic functions of governing their population and territory, and lack the ability to develop mutually constructive and reinforcing relations with society.