Many conflicts can’t be resolved on the battlefield, so peace talks are essential. However, negotiating peace is complex. And even when an agreement is reached, it doesn’t always last.
In the beginning of negotiations, a mediator can build trust by listening to grievances and exploring creative solutions. They can also help parties define the structure of their future relationship by providing guarantees or establishing a mechanism to enforce the agreement. But this is only possible if the parties are ready to make a concession. If they don’t, it’s hard to find a common ground and to imagine a future together.
The success of any negotiation depends on the ability to address all of the issues that lead to conflict. This is particularly important for interstate peace processes, like those in Afghanistan or Syria. For example, addressing issues such as power sharing, election monitoring, and nation building is key to structuring peace agreements that prevent conflict in the future.
But the process of bringing parties to the table for peace negotiations is complicated and often involves numerous stakeholders and instruments. Increasingly, these include civil society in all its complexity and international normative frameworks such as the 2030 agenda, the prevention and sustainable peace and the women, peace and security agenda. Moreover, peace talks need to involve a wide range of actors and be inclusive in a meaningful way. This is where Geneva can play a role: as a neutral place that’s home to diplomatic missions from around the world, it has a unique capacity for bringing different players into one space.