The interconnections between conflict, development and peace are many and profound. One only needs to examine the current global context characterised by high levels of violent protracted conflict and inexcusable and rising levels of poverty and inequality - two phenomena that are often found together and that intermingle in complex ways. For many countries and regions in conflict and transition from war to peace, the role of economics and development cannot be separated from understanding the causes of conflict and forms of peacebuilding that will endure. Where peace and conflict resolution efforts fail to address economic and social development issues - often key drivers or structural sources of conflict - peace is unlikely to sustain. From the other end of the spectrum, development policies and programmes at all levels have historically generated ‘winners' and ‘losers', have often not been designed in ways that serve peace, but rather in ways that cement divisions, and sew seeds for, or exacerbate violent conflict. In post-conflict and transitional settings it is vital to get new policies and programming right - particularly those that can simultaneously serve to address peace and development needs.