The Brussels 'backstage' of the Aceh peace process
Antje Herrberg
The EU's Aceh Monitoring Mission broke new ground: it was the first EU cooperation with ASEAN, and the first example of such an integrated civil-military mission. It was also key to building confidence among the parties during negotiations, and to overseeing implementation of the subsequent peace agreement. Herrberg's unique insight into the AMM describes how Brussels came to contribute such significant support to the peace process in Aceh. She draws a number of lessons from the EU's experiences, regarding inter-governmental partnerships with NGOs in peacebuilding, and investing in mediation support capacity.
