On 15^th November, the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies organized a discussion on "Third Party Mediation in Complex Conflicts: Lessons Learned from the experiences of Qatar and Norway." It was delivered by Dr. Ida Bary, Director of Researchers for Peace and Development Institute (REPAD), and moderated by Dr. Abdulfatah Mohamed, Visiting Research Fellow at the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies.

The event focused on mediation methods in the process of conflict resolution and peacebuilding in international contexts. Furthermore, the discussion focused on the experience of Qatar and Norway in international mediation, where they both contributed to leading successful negotiations, and maintaining international peace and security.

Defining International Mediation

Dr. Bary briefly explained international mediation by clarifying its basic concepts. She presented a comparison case between the Qatari and Norway mediation models, illustrating that conducting mediation processes is no longer limited to great and powerful countries. Moreover, Dr. Bary pointed out the different motivations behind the two countries entering the field of international mediation. She argued that when it comes to the role Qatar plays in the mediation processes it hosts, it plays a facilitating role and not only a manipulative one, as it is widely believed.

The Role of Qatar and Norway in International Mediation 

Furthermore, Dr. Bary talked about some of the successful examples of mediation processes led by both countries, such as Norway's role in achieving Oslo's peace agreement and Qatar's fruitful efforts in reaching a peace agreement in Darfur. Dr. Bary concluded her discussion by presenting learning lessons and recommendations for Qatar to increase its role in mediation, such as integrating civil society from humanitarian NGOs and think tanks into its mediation processes, boosting the research budget for mediation, and conducting some training programs for mediation participants.

Q&A Session 

The discussion was followed by a Q&A session that focused mostly on the Qatari mediation role, its opportunities to resolve current regional conflicts and the perceptions of its role in the international arena. She pointed out that what distinguishes the Qatari role and its effectiveness is its integrity in this field, which qualifies it to play a sustainable role in resolving conflicts and granting the confidence of conflicted parties due to its integrity and sublime goal. In the end, Dr. Bary summed up that Qatar has the experience and high potential to participate in international meditation processes.

For more inquiries, please contact us at: chs@chs-doha.org