Mediation 101

How do you set about mediating in conflict situations? What are the dos and don’ts of a successful negotiation?

Mediators met last week in Zanzibar to discuss the challenges of securing peace in Africa at a conference organised by the Mwalimu Nyerere Foundation, and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a Geneva-based conflict resolution organisation.

IRIN spoke to some of the participants, who offered the following advice.

• “Never think you walk into the room with a solution; negotiators bring out solutions … Even if I have an idea that could move the process forward, I try and make that suggestion come through the parties.” Emmanuel Bombande, executive director, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding.

• “Not everybody is going to like you, and that’s not important.” Ayodele Oke, special adviser and head of the Africa section in the Commonwealth Secretariat.

• “Mediators have the responsibility to get not just any deal, but a fair deal.” Endre Stiansen, senor adviser, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

• “Make sure you are, and are seen to be, an honest broker, and are reaching for a good agreement that addresses the real issues – that’s what you care about, and want them to believe that’s what you care about. Don’t bring any personal baggage.” Chris Coleman, chief of policy planning and mediation support, UN Department of Political Affairs.

• “Plan two steps ahead, but you are not in control so don’t think you are. You need to be able to adapt to circumstances, but if you don’t have a plan, you are all over the place. [Mediation] is a rolling thing – you just hope you can push it up the hill a bit faster.” Martin Griffiths, director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue.

• “It’s about the substance, the real issues, because it’s easy to say, ‘You take that, I’ll take this’; but that’s not a sustainable peace.” Bineta Diop, executive director, Femmes Africa Solidarite.

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See also: AFRICA: Learning the grammar of peace