Through the Qatar Mediation Forum, the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies advances its role as a leader in shaping innovative, sustainable approaches to conflict resolution and humanitarian diplomacy, addressing the pressing needs of an increasingly complex global landscape. The forum will cover the following sessions:
Session 1 - The Changing Landscape of Global Conflict and Mediation
In the past decade, there has been a notable decline in the number of global peace agreements, raising questions about the prospects of settling conflicts through negotiation, and the effectiveness of traditional mediation approaches. This session will examine the geopolitical power shifts underlying this decline, the changing nature of conflict and the resulting challenges facing mediators and peacebuilders. In a fragmenting global order, how can mediators address these challenges and pave the way for more effective conflict resolution strategies?
Session 2 - Technological Innovation and Conflict Mediation
This session will explore the deployment of new technologies in the context of conflict mediation and peacebuilding. Big data, Geographic Information Systems, social media, and artificial intelligence are being utilized to enable real-time analysis, accelerate decision-making, and enhance communication strategies, while also offering innovative tools for monitoring conflict and predicting potential outbreaks. But peacebuilders have also warned that technological innovation can also be used to exacerbate division, promote hate, facilitate terrorism and enable cyberwarfare. How – and to what extent – can peacebuilders and mediators counter these applications and promote the use of technologies that enhance transform conflicts and promote peace?
Session 3 - Half the Sky: Innovation in Response to Resistance
United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, adopted in 2000, committed to the "increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national, regional, and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict." Since then, the landscape of global conflict and mediation has evolved. This shift is marked by rising geopolitical rivalries, a decline in multilateralism, a greater diversity of mediation actors, and fewer peace processes, many with overlapping and competing initiatives. While these factors present significant challenges to the inclusion of women in peacemaking efforts, they can also open up new entry points for engagement. This session will reflect on the resistance to inclusion that peacemakers face and how peacemakers can navigate operational realities and limitations in their mandates, assessing what is feasible, at what stages, and with which tools to effectively address inclusion challenges.
Session 4 - Diversity in Mediation: A Matter of Approaches and Interests?
On the background of rapidly changing security landscape, peace mediation is in flux, more than ever. With increasing multipolarity of the world order, we also see diversification of peace actors in terms of geography, perspectives, and resources. Increasingly, a growing number of states are playing important roles in the international system, supporting regional peace and security efforts. The diverse actors in mediation bring in different approaches to peace mediation, potentially leading to innovation in the field. This session will reflect on some of the different strategies diverse mediation actors apply and aims at unpacking some of the lessons for the broader mediation community.
Session 5 - Humanitarian Diplomacy and the Frontiers of Conflict Mediation
Humanitarian diplomacy has been defined as the combination of negotiation, mediation, and adherence to international law and humanitarian principles institutionalized in the post-World War II system including the UN Charter, the Geneva Conventions, international human rights law, the Genocide Convention. This session will explore the challenges it faces in places like Gaza, Sudan and Syria in responding to the humanitarian consequences of today's armed conflicts. The discussion will focus on key developments impacting humanitarian diplomacy and its ability to facilitate access, build partnerships, and navigate political challenges to deliver critical aid. Speakers will assess the consequences of these developments and consider how humanitarian diplomacy can adapt to remain effective.
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