Author(s): Magdalena Frichova Grono
2010-03-31

The EU has taken on a robust conflict resolution role in Georgia since August 2008 but its mediation efforts have had limited results to date. Assorted political and bureaucratic hurdles, unlikely to be fully addressed by the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty, have constrained its efforts. The EU has also failed to develop effective strategic links between its mediation efforts on Georgia’s conflicts and its separate bilateral negotiations with each of Georgia and Russia. Its determination to respect Georgia’s territorial integrity, while politically understandable, has impacted on the EU’s acceptability as a mediator to some of the parties. The EU should seek to engage in a more nuanced and strategic way.

Author(s): Martti Ahtisaari, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate 2008
2009-08-11

Through his constant efforts and personal commitment, Mr. Ahtisaari has demonstrated how important mediation can be for the resolution of international conflicts. This paper summarizes and brings out key issues brought out in the filmed discussion between Martti Ahtisaari and Antje Herrberg to provide insights into some of his personal working principles. It should be noted that this account is one of the multitude of approaches in mediation, thus this paper does not claim to list all essential characteristics of a good mediator or Mr. Ahtisaari himself. Please find the three short films linked to initiative at http://www.initiativeforpeacebuilding.eu/video/index.php

Author(s): Scott Cunliffe, Eddie Riyadi, Raimondus Arwalembun, Hendrik Boli Tobi
2009-06-26

Indonesia's history is littered with countless episodes of mass violence whether state-sponsored, communally driven, or separatist in nature. A decade into democratic reform, the Indonesian government has successfully negotiated several peace agreements and brought about an end to mass human rights violations. This report examines two such cases, the peace negotiations for Maluku and Aceh, with particular emphasis on issues pertaining to justice and accountability. It describes the dynamics of peace negotiations, identifies how transitional justice mechanisms such as prosecutions, amnesty, truth-seeking, reparations and institutional reform were addressed by negotiators and assesses post-agreement implementation of justice-related provisions.

Author(s): Warisha Farasat and Priscilla Hayner
2009-06-10

With the removal of the king from the political sphere, Nepal embarked upon a peace process that would ultimately bring the Maoists into government, draft a new Constitution, and declare the country a Republic. Despite commitments to truth and accountability for serious crimes committed during the ten-year conflict, impunity remains a considerable challenge. The report analyses the process through which issues of justice were addressed in the negotiations, and how they have been implemented since the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. These insights and suggested lessons may prove useful in mediating and resolving conflicts elsewhere.

Author(s): Laura Davis
2009-05-29

In Congo over the past decade, demands for justice have been largely unmet in peace negotiations: impunity for the worst crimes is entrenched, and the root causes of the conflict remain unaddressed. As the European Union, often through the European Union Special Representatives (EUSRs), is engaging in more peace negotiations around the world, this paper analyses the EUSR's role in recent peace deals in Congo and the EU's policy framework for promoting justice in peacemaking. It offers recommendations for how the EU could strengthen its role in promoting justice and human rights in peace agreements, in the DRC and elsewhere.

Author(s): Antje Herrberg with Canan Gündüz and Laura Davis
2009-05-08

Engaging the EU in Mediation and Dialogue“ authored by Antje Herrberg with Canan Gündüz and Laura Davis, are based on findings on mediation that has emerged over in the period 2008 and aims to crystallize the key challenges of EU in international peace mediation. The paper argues for a need for more systematized learning in order for the EU to upgrade its skills in the field of international peace mediation. The strengthening of the role of international peace mediation as a CFSP instrument calls for: 1) an operationalisation of a multi-track approach 2) the need to include human rights and transitional justice approaches 3) the need for strengthening mediation evaluation capacity 4) promotion of further mediation research 5) the professionalization of mediation in EU foreign policy.

Author(s): Isak Svensson
2009-04-30

The recent war in Georgia placed the unresolved conflicts in the South Caucasus in the spotlight of the EU. In a new report, The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict: Lessons from the mediation efforts, the Peace and conflict researcher Isak Svensson analyses the international mediation efforts in the conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh, with a particular focus on the period when the still ongoing cease-fire (1994) was reached. The study underlines important issues that the European Union needs to take into account in future peacemaking efforts, such as the importance of prevention of armed conflicts and the need for coordination of different mediation initiatives.

Author(s): Natalia Mirimanova
2009-01-26

The paper on official and unofficial mediation explores difference and complementarities between official and unofficial formats of mediation and dialogue, and the relevance and effectiveness of these strategies in the context of protracted violent conflicts, with particular emphasis on the conflicts in the South Caucasus. Recommendations for the EU as a political mediator and as a donor and for the European peacebuilding NGOs as regards the design and application of mediation and dialogue include flexibility of funding, development of proper evaluation strategies, and support for innovative and cross-sectoral unofficial dialogue formats, such as on second-order issues across the conflict divide, through mass media and intertwined with practical peacebuilding projects.

Author(s): Antje Herrberg
2008-11-01

The purpose of this issue paper is to reflect on the perceptions and understandings of EU policy-makers, MEP, and some key peacebuilding and conflict resolution experts, pertaining to the role of international peace mediation, and to provide recommendations on how some of these needs can be addressed in a coherent way.

Author(s): David Lanz, Martin Wählisch, Lars Kirchhoff, Matthias Siegfried
2008-11-01

This paper proposes a general framework for evaluating international mediation activities. Its main purpose is to provide a tool for observers, donors and desk officers to achieve better quality control of mediation processes, while also facilitating critical reflection and lessons learnt among mediators.

Author(s): Dr. Antje Herrberg and Heidi Kumpulainen
2008-09-01

The purpose of this mapping exercise is to portray the activities, methods, values and ways of operation of a number of ‘private diplomacy’ actors in Europe. It allows readers to consider the multifaceted nature of ‘private diplomacy’, including mediation, dialogue processes, democratisation processes or advice to parties engaged in armed conflict.