Suchergebnisse

Explores the conflict mediation work of UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold who was killed in an airplane crash on 17 September 1961 while on his way to a peace negotiation in the Congo. The Dag Hammarskjold (DH) Foundation was established in 1962. Its annual Dag Hammarskjold Lecture is delivered by individuals selected for their commitment to his legacy. The 2008 speaker, former Finland President Martti Ahtissari, is noted for mediating & brokering peace in various parts of the world. Adapted from the source document.

The Middle East and North Africa region has been plagued with civil wars, international interventions, and increasing militarization, making it one of the most war-affected areas in the world today. Despite numerous mediation processes and initiatives for conflict resolution, most have failed to transform conflicts from war to peace. Seeking to learn from these past efforts and apply new research, Fraihat and Svensson present the first comprehensive approach to mediation in the Arab world, taking on cases from Yemen to Sudan, from Qatar to Palestine, Syria, and beyond. Conflict Mediation in the Arab World focuses on mediation at three different levels of analysis: between countries, between governments and armed actors inside single countries, and between different communities. In applying this holistic method, the editors identify similarities and differences in the conditions for conflict resolution and management.

This article explores the attitudes of Canadian officials towards international conflict mediation and towards the potential for greater official Canadian involvement in the field. The study is based on extensive interviews with Canadian officials who have been involved in mediation at various points over a 20-year period. It finds that Canada, and particularly the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), has taken a largely ad hoc approach to its involvement in the field. Prior to the initiation of this study, there had been no attempt to develop an institutional capacity in this field within DFAIT or to keep track of the personnel involved in such experiences, much less to develop a trained cadre of such individuals. This stands in contrast to the efforts of countries that have prioritized mediation as a foreign policy activity, such as some Scandinavian countries and Switzerland. Many of those interviewed pointed to these countries as potential models for Canada in this field, but it became apparent in discussions that most of those interviewees were not necessarily well-informed as to what these countries have done; there was just a general sense that these countries do it well and that Canada could learn from them. Moreover, none of the interviewees demonstrated significant familiarity with the vast literature on mediation. Those interviewed made recommendations as to how Canada might develop its official mediation capacities so as to play a more active and focused role in this field. Adapted from the source document.

Anders reviews TAMING INTRACTABLE CONFLICTS: MEDIATION IN THE HARDEST CASES by Chester A. Crocker, Fen Osler Hampson, and Pamela Aall.

An examination of the success of Scandinavians in mediations argues that even though these countries do not have immense resources their leverage stems from effective persuasion, described as the art of getting people to do what they had no prior intention of doing. Persuasion entails getting the parties perceptions of their interests in line with each other & finding the right words to express the other party's interests. Attention is given to the importance of timing, equality, & neutrality in negotiations. It is pointed out that mediators are not expected to be unbiased, especially in relation to the desired solution. Challenges to mediation dynamics posed by partnership & ownership are explored, along with the belief of Scandinavian mediators that the willingness of all parties to find a solution is the prerequisite for a successful outcome. Other matters addressed include the role of international support; the reality that conflict management agreements are sometimes the only possible course; & the need to introduce basic social changes in order to prevent renewed hostilities. Adapted from the source document.