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The UN Security Council considers the situation in Georgia-Abkhazia, July 2005. Source: UN Photo/Mark Garten
Accord 19: The role of incentives, sanctions and conditionality in peace processes
International actors’ responses to conflict situations involve a wide range of policy instruments to coerce or persuade the parties to the conflict. These include incentives for conflict resolution in the form of aid, recognition, guarantees and conditionalities, as well as punitive pressure and sanctions aimed at enforcing international law or other policy goals.
This thematic Accord issue (published in early 2008) will explore under what circumstances incentives, sanctions and conditionality have a positive impact upon the conflict parties’ engagement in peacemaking.
The diverse case studies in the issue (Darfur, Northern Ireland, Israel-Palestine, South Africa, Sri Lanka, northern Uganda, Georgia-Abkhazia, Cote d’Ivoire and Papua New Guinea - Bougainville) show how, in the absence of coherent and far-sighted peacemaking strategies, these policy tools tend to be ineffective or counterproductive. Yet the more positive experiences also yield lessons on how to encourage parties to the negotiating table and build momentum towards a sustainable agreement.
Building on this narrative and analysis, the editors' highlight key dilemmas around exerting leverage and influence in peace processes, identifying some general principles to inform policy and practice.
