The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) congratulates the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet on this year's Nobel Peace Prize. “To prevent conflict and displacement is the best investment in peace”, said Jan Egeland, Secretary General of NRC.
“Tunisia has demonstrated that it is possible to achieve a lasting democratisation process without persistent, violent conflicts. It has not become a country from which people have to flee, it has become a country where people can seek protection. Now we hope the Peace Prize will be noticed in other parts of the Middle East and North Africa as an example of how to solve conflicts through mediation and reconciliation”, said Egeland.
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize will be awarded to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for its contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the revolution of 2011. The National Dialogue Quartet has comprised four key organisations in Tunisian civil society: the Tunisian General Labour Union (UGTT), the Tunisian Confederation of Industry, Trade and Handicrafts (UTICA), the Tunisian Human Rights League (LTDH), and the Tunisian Order of Lawyers (Ordre National des Avocats de Tunisie).
“Civil society organisations can and should play an important role in peace and democratisation processes, and the Tunisian dialogue quartet has proved this through its constructive and inclusive work, said Egeland.