Our 10 top stories of 2020
What kind of an effect has the COVID-19 pandemic had on CMI’s work? How did we manage to adapt to the new situation? And how did CMI celebrate its 20th anniversary? Here are our 10 top stories from 2020.
Coronavirus adds to fragility in conflict countries: More help is needed in peacemaking and in building resilience
In the beginning of the pandemic, CMI’s top experts gathered to discuss the coronavirus crisis and its impact on peacemaking. It was a matter of great concern that, while Europe is facing a health crisis the likes of which we have not seen for a century, it will be conflict zones that will be the hardest hit.
The new world order will transform peace mediation
Tensions generated by great power rivalry increase the value of small countries like Finland in conflict mediation, say CMI’s Programme Director Ville Brummer and Acting Executive Director Hanna Klinge.
Women mediators’ Global Alliance growing strong despite the pandemic
The Global Alliance of Regional Women Mediator Networks, launched a year ago in New York, had their virtual annual meeting starting from 8 October. For two weeks, women mediators and experts across the globe came together in online workshops to share their knowledge, experiences and best practices while celebrating the first anniversary of the Alliance.
Creating a model for more peaceful Africa
As a sign of a new era, CMI’s longtime Senior Advisor Nureldin Satti was appointed as Sudan’s first ambassador to the US in more than 20 years. Satti says that if Sudan can transition successfully to democracy after 30 years of authoritarian rule, it will set a good example for other African countries that are emerging from conflicts.
The tsunami created the scope for reconciliation in Aceh — could the corona pandemic have a similar effect on current conflicts?
The tsunami and the calamitous devastation it caused paved the way for a peace deal that ended 30 years of violence in Aceh, Indonesia. The crisis exerted pressure for compromises at the peace talks and helped focus on what is possible. The parties to the conflict realised that they would be left isolated if there was no peace. Could the Covid-19 pandemic be such a tsunami factor concerning current conflicts?
CMI at 20 — President Ahtisaari’s vision is increasingly needed for peace mediation to meet future challenges
Nobel Peace Laureate Martti Ahtisaari created CMI in 2000, following his term of office as President of Finland, with just a handful of employees. Over the next 20 years, CMI grew to be one of the world’s leading conflict resolution organisations.
Independent, the best of Finnish mentality
As we celebrated our 20th anniversary this year, we asked our staff what CMI means for them. Watch the video to hear their answers!
Bringing a glimmer of hope for Yemenis
The challenges facing Yemen are of such a scale that they require a multitrack approach to peacemaking. CMI’s work supports broader participation of key groups in the peace process.
The coronavirus crisis is making the world more fragile — How can peace mediation build sustainable societies?
Violent conflicts are being increasingly recognised as one of the main hurdles to sustainable development. In this episode of our podcast CMI’s Peace Talks Abdulghani Al-Iryani, Senior Researcher at the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies in Yemen, and Maruan El-Krekshi, Head of CMI’s Middle East and North Africa team, discuss the relationship between peace and sustainable development from the perspective of their region.
CMI’s work continued successfully in 2020 – here are three achievements
2020 is near an end and it’s now time to look back at this year’s work. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, CMI has managed to continue its work to prevent and resolve violent conflicts. Here we focus on three key achievements of the past year.