osloFORUM The Search for Peace: Perspectives on Mediation 2010-2015 A Compendium of Oslo Forum Interviews Improving the mediation of armed conflict The Oslo Forum warring parties together. By convening key actors A global series of mediation retreats from the United Nations, regional organisations and The Oslo Forum is the leading international network governments, as well as private organisations and of conflict mediation practitioners. Co-hosted by the prominent peacemakers, the retreats also provide a Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) and the Royal unique networking opportunity. Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Oslo Forum regularly convenes conflict mediators, peacemakers, high level decision-makers and key peace process Where politics meets practice actors in a series of informal and discreet retreats. Participation is by invitation only. Sessions take the form The Oslo Forum features an annual global event in Oslo of closed-door discussions, and adhere to the Chatham and is complemented by regional retreats in Africa and House Rule of non-attribution. Sessions are designed to Asia. The aim is to improve conflict mediation practice stimulate informed exchanges with provocative inputs through facilitating open exchange and reflection across from a range of different speakers, including conflict institutional and conceptual divides, providing informal party representatives, war correspondents, outstanding networking opportunities that encourage coordination analysts, thinkers and experts on specific issues. and cooperation when needed, and allowing space for Participants have included , former conflict parties to advance their negotiations. Kofi Annan Secretary-General of the United Nations; Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States; Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of the National League Sharing experiences and insights for Democracy in Myanmar; Lakhdar Brahimi, former Joint Special Representative for Syria of the United Mediation is increasingly seen as an effective means of Nations and the League of Arab States; Juan Manuel resolving armed conflicts and the growing number of Santos, President of Colombia; Martti Ahtisaari, actors involved testifies to its emergence as a distinct former President of Finland; Thabo Mbeki, former field of international diplomacy. The pressured working President of South Africa; Olusegun Obasanjo, environment of mediation rarely provides opportunities former President of Nigeria; Mohammad Khatami, for reflection. Given the immense challenges in bringing former President of the Islamic Republic of Iran; Gerry about sustainable negotiated solutions to violent Adams, President of Sinn Féin, and Fatou Bensouda, conflict, mediators benefit from looking beyond their Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. The Oslo own particular experiences for inspiration, lessons Forum is proud to have hosted several Nobel Peace and support. Prize laureates. The uniquely informal and discreet retreats of the Oslo The retreats refrain from making public Forum series facilitate a frank and open exchange of recommendations, aiming instead to advance conflict insights by those working at the highest level to bring mediation practice. osloFORUM The Search for Peace: Perspectives on Mediation 2010-2015 A Compendium of Oslo Forum Interviews Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs 114, rue de Lausanne 7. Juni-plassen/Victoria Terrasse 1202 Geneva | Switzerland PB 8114 Dep. N-0032 Oslo | Norway [email protected] [email protected] t: +41 22 908 11 30 t:+47 23 95 00 00 f: +41 22 908 11 40 f:+47 23 95 00 99 www.hdcentre.org www.government.no/mfa Oslo Forum www.osloforum.org The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) is a private diplomacy organisation founded on the principles of humanity, impartiality and independence. Its mission is to help prevent, mitigate, and resolve armed conflict through dialogue and mediation. Disclaimer: The following interviews were conducted specifically for Oslo Forum retreats and reflect events of the time. They do not necessarily represent the views of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue or the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Editors: Katia Papagianni, Paul Dziatkowiec, Christina Buchhold, Elodie Convergne Contents Foreword Conflict and peacemaking trends Negotiating with the enemy Preserving the peacemaking space Preserving 6 Foreword David Harland 8 Conflict and peacemaking trends (2015) Paul Collier, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, David Harland, Mary Kaldor, Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini and Steven Pinker 14 Negotiating with the enemy (2014) New voices on peacemaking The Irish Republican Army (IRA), the Karen National Union (KNU) and the South Sudan Democratic Movement/Army (SSDM/A) – Cobra faction actor Life as a mediator and peace process 18 Preserving the peacemaking space (2013) Mark Bowden, Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy Carter, Alastair Crooke, Elisabeth Decrey Warner, Jon Hanssen-Bauer and David Harland 28 New voices on peacemaking (2012) Fiona Lortan, David Mozersky, Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini and Theerada Suphaphong 34 Life as a mediator and a peace process actor (2011) Ashraf Ghani, Haile Menkerios, George Mitchell, Joyce Neu and Kieran Prendergast, with comments and reflections from Mohagher Iqbal and Neles Tebay On being a peacemaker 44 On being a peacemaker (2010) Said Djinnit, Graça Machel and Hassan Wirajuda 6 Oslo Forum Interviews | The Search for Peace: Perspectives on Mediation 2010-2015 Foreword Since 2003, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue the opposing side change their understanding of (HD) and the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign the issues and possible solutions? These and other Affairs convene the Oslo Forum, an informal questions invite readers to see peace processes and discreet retreat for conflict mediators, through the lens of those who are negotiating with peacemakers, high level decision-makers and key the enemy. Foreword peace process actors. In 2013 Mark Bowden, Lakhdar Brahimi, Jimmy What started out as a small retreat with only a handful Carter, Alastair Crooke, Elisabeth Decrey Warner, of mediators has developed into an annual gathering Jon Hanssen-Bauer and I were asked to discuss the widely regarded as the leading international network impact of recent international legal developments in the field. The Oslo Forum provides informal on the practice of peacemaking. Have post-9/11 networking opportunities that encourage experience legal developments made it harder to talk to sharing and cooperation, and allows space for conflict proscribed groups and alleged war criminals? How parties to advance their negotiations. should conflict mediators strike the right balance between bringing armed groups to the peace Since 2010 we have asked mediators, thinkers and table, and heeding international criminal justice peace process actors to reflect on their work or share standards and counter-terrorism provisions? their views on a current theme within the framework of This group of distinguished peacemakers and the Oslo Forum Interview. Each year these interviews humanitarian actors draws on years of practical have been distributed with other background material experience to provide advice on how to preserve prepared exclusively for participants of the Oslo the peacemaking space. Forum. This publication gathers the Oslo Forum Interviews for the first time and makes them available In 2012 we invited a new generation of peacemakers to a wider audience. to the table. How do upcoming mediators enter this line of work? What challenges do they face in The interviews provide a collage of views from our Oslo establishing themselves? How can their contribution Forum network. Through their frank replies, interviewees enrich a field that has been slow to include women offer intimate insight into the ups and downs of their and youth? Fiona Lortan, David Mozersky, Sanam daily work and invite their peers and readers to discuss Naraghi-Anderlini and Theerada Suphaphong provide the current issues in the field of peacemaking. new voices on peacemaking. The compilation starts off with a 2015 reflection The 2011 interview was an occasion to ask senior on conflict and peacemaking trends. Paul peacemakers more personal questions on life as Collier, Jean-Marie Guéhenno, Mary Kaldor, Sanam a mediator and a peace process actor. Ashraf Naraghi-Anderlini, Steven Pinker and I discuss how Ghani, Haile Menkerios, George Mitchell, Joyce Neu the nature of conflicts has changed over the past ten and Kieran Prendergast reflect on who inspired them, years and how the peacemaking field has evolved their career milestones, the mistakes they made, in response. We also offer advice on how mediators the practice of mediation and how it has evolved. can develop the necessary tools to face a rapidly Mohagher Iqbal and Neles Tebay contribute to the changing conflict landscape. discussion from the perspective of local peace process actors. The 2014 interview invited former and current members of armed resistance groups, including Similarly, Said Djinnit, Graça Machel and Hassan representatives of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), Wirajuda share intimate reflections on being a the Karen National Union (KNU) and the South Sudan peacemaker in the 2010 interview. As they look back Democratic Movement/Army (SSDM/A) – Cobra at their careers, we learn about what drives them, their faction to reflect on their engagement in peace views of the mediation field and where it is headed, the processes. What made them decide to get involved pitfalls to be avoided, the