ICDI began its initial activities with a focus on some of the most challenging crises in the region. All three armed conflicts continue unabated due largely to failing peace processes and no credible diplomatic initiatives from within the region are underway. For this reason ICDI decided to focus initially on these three conflict situations by mobilizing experts from the region to develop ideas, tools and serve as a platform for developing indigenous solutions to the political questions confounding these intractable crises that have devastated the lives of millions of people. However, ICDI core objective is intended to evolve over time to consider conflict prevention in other countries where there are serious governance deficits that could result in future crises and failing states.