Comment
Mar 2013
Failed negotiations still weigh heavily on the Colombian government’s mind, and it would be difficult to justify a truce in a moment of relative strength in military arenas. Conciliation Resources' Colombia Programme Director, Kristian Herbolzheimer, looks at the impact a ceasefire could have on the peace talks in Colombia.
Dec 2012
Starting a war is easy. It is much harder to end it. Kristian Herbolzheimer assesses that the Colombia–FARC peace process has arrived at one of its most critical points. Not everyone understands and shares the decision to break from the narrative of the past and to proceed to develop a new story, one that is free of resentment.
Oct 2012
Expiry of the Millennium Development Goals is closing in but for conflict-affected or fragile states that's a technicality: they won't achieve them. As the debate gathers pace on the post-2015 framework, Teresa Dumasy highlights why a consultative process and addressing conflict drivers is vital.
Oct 2012
Mediation is often seen as a high-powered business – a skilled broker using his powers of persuasion and diplomacy to bring together warring parties. Reflecting on the recently published UN Guidance for Effective Mediation, Zahbia Yousuf suggests that a focus on quality and process is in order.
Oct 2012
What is the forecast for the Colombian peace talks following the second phase of negotiations in Oslo? Kristian Herbolzheimer, Director of the Colombia Programme for Conciliation Resources, analyses the public announcement and press conferences made by the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Norway, October 2012.
Sep 2012
Reflecting on points raised by local people during her recent visit to West Africa, Janet Adama Mohammed explores some of the key topics of concern to Ivorians. What are the issues that risk renewed conflict and how can community-level dialogue help build understanding between neighbours?
Aug 2012
In the face of social concerns within the country and a confessional system that favours entrenched elites, where does ownership of Lebanon's post-war situation and future lie? Capturing a snapshot of Beirut during the launch of issue 24 in our Accord series, Zahbia Yousuf asks how peacebuilders can meaningfully engage with those who have a stake in the status quo, and those who are hungry for change.
Apr 2012
Thirty-eight countries have signed up to a ‘New Deal’ for engagement in fragile states, which includes a commitment to prioritise five peacebuilding and statebuilding goals. Sophie Haspeslagh, our Policy Analyst, has been closely involved in the process leading up to, and at, the Busan High-Level Forum where these commitments were made. Here, she reflects on some of the things she has learned from the International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding and offers some thoughts as to where it might go next.
