UNITED NATIONS, July 20: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday called for a “new security consensus,” built from the grassroots up, to respond to threats whenever and wherever they appear on the horizon.

In a message to some 600 international civil society leaders gathered at United Nations Headquarters here for the first-ever conference aimed at implementing a global conflict prevention agenda, Mr Annan stressed the role of civil society in the prevention of armed conflict and peace building.

“I look to civil society to act as our partners in helping to defuse potential conflicts… you have a vital role to play by coordinating with bilateral and inter-governmental actors – and with one another,” Mr Annan said.