The role of government and civil society in the maintenance of peace and security

There is generally limited interaction between policy makers and those who think and study international politics in most of the universities and think tank institutions in developing countries including Cambodia. Arguably, the role of foreign policy specialists has diminished. As a result, governments, in particular foreign ministers, tend to neglect this important reservoir of knowledge that is in the hands of academia. The paper aims at analysing the different roles by stake holders in promotion of peace and security including the UN, the government and civil society as well. The paper concludes that a regional mechanism and network of think tanks are needed and stronger cooperation and dialogues in social and economic relations is required to promote regional and global welfare and prosperity. Without such mechanisms, regional states will be tempted to abdicate their responsibilities, thereby allowing external powers to intervene to safeguard their strategic interests. About the Author: Mr. Din Merican is Senior Research Fellow and Member of Advisory Board of Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, CICP, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. He is a development economist and strategist. He is living in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. He can be contacted by email: dmerican@yahoo.com CICP Working Paper No.18. 1 The Role of Government and Civil Society in the Maintenance of Peace and Security