This framework has been developed to help DFID take the right decisions to have the greatest impact on stability. The UK has committed to spend at least half of DFID’s budget in fragile states and regions in every year of this Parliament. The highest development returns may lie in the long-term foundations for a future free of violence, rather than in those immediate gains which remain critically vulnerable to being destroyed by conflict. 

This framework sets out five building blocks that drive long-term stability, informed by evidence and experience of what works:

1. Fair power structures that broaden inclusion, accountability and transparency over time, while managing tensions to prevent violence in the short term.
2. Inclusive economic development which creates widespread benefits, reduces incentives for conflict and curbs illicit economies.
3. Conflict resolution mechanisms, both formal and informal, that help manage conflict, help people cope with the legacies of violent conflict and strengthen women’s role.
4. Effective and legitimate institutions, both state and non-state, that build trust with those they govern, and which grow in effectiveness over time.
5. A supportive regional environment that enables communities to be more resilient to transnational stresses and shocks, including organised crime and violent extremist ideologies.