Lessons learned and good practices from EU engagement in fragile and conflict-affected contexts

In recent years, the world has faced an increasing number of crises that threaten stability, prosperity, and peace. Fragile and conflict-affected contexts are particularly vulnerable. As per the 2025 edition of the OECD States of Fragility report, 61 contexts are identified as experiencing high or extreme levels of fragility. In 2024 these contexts were home to 25% of the world’s population – 2.1 billion people – but 72% of the world’s extreme poor, a share which could surge to 92% by 2040.^[1] These regions face significant challenges, including limited private investment, constrained access to development funding, a dependency on remittances, and are increasingly a focus of geopolitical competition.^[2]

[… ] These challenges underline the need for a more coherent, holistic EU approach to fragility, identifying and addressing its root causes and mitigating its regional and global impacts. The foundation for such an approach to fragility was laid in 2007 with the European Commission’s Communication Towards an EU Response to Situations of Fragility, which emphasized the importance of sustainable development, stability, and peace in difficult environments.[3] This was followed by the Council Conclusions on Fragility in 2007, which called for integrated approaches combining humanitarian aid, development cooperation, and conflict prevention.[4] Completing this work, in 2013, the EU adopted the Strategic Approach to Resilience in the EU’s External Action, expanding its focus to building and strengthening societal resilience in fragile contexts.[5] Subsequent initiatives, such as the operationalization of the Humanitarian-Development-Peace (HDP) Nexus in 2017[6], the Integrated Approach to External Conflicts and Crises in 2018[7] and Council Conclusions on Addressing Fragility in 2022[8], reflect the EU’s growing recognition of the interconnectedness of humanitarian, development, and peace efforts and promoting resilience as an answer to fragility.

The evolution of EU policy has been closely aligned with global policies and commitments […] Research carried out as part of the Inspire+ Consortium, led by ODI Global with the support of Groupe URD, analysed a wide range of documents – from operational guidelines and strategic policies to formal evaluations – and identified five key lessons.

The purpose of this work is to support the development of an EU-wide integrated approach to fragility. The report (confidential) responds to this request, by reviewing the EU’s current engagement and use of existing tools in fragile contexts, spanning humanitarian, development, and peace responses. The report analyses the toolbox; policy options and framework for EU interventions, and analytical insights for strategic decision-making and actionable recommendations.

^[1] OECD (2025), States of Fragility 2025, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/81982370-en.

^[2] OECD (2022), States of Fragility 2022, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/c7fedf5e-en.

[3] European Commission (2007). Towards an EU Response to Situations of Fragility – Engaging in Difficult Environments for Sustainable Development, Stability and Peace.

[4] Council of the European Union (2007). Council Conclusions on EU Response to Situations of Fragility. Available at: https://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/en/gena/97177.pdf

[5] European Commission (2013). The EU Approach to Resilience: Learning from Food Security Crises.

[6] Council of the European Union (2017). Operationalising the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus – Council Conclusions (19 May 2017).

[7] Council of the European Union (2018). Council Conclusions on the Integrated Approach to External Conflicts and Crises.

[8] Council of the European Union (2022). Council Conclusions on Addressing Fragility in the EU’s External Action.