Leading peace mediation organizations adopt standards to maximize their joint impact

Leading independent peace mediation organizations have agreed on standards and action points to maximize their combined impact and minimize risks of duplication or contradiction.

“We are aware that conflict resolution is a complex endeavour. Multiple engagements in the same conflict are often beneficial, and even essential. But without appropriate communication among peace practitioners, they can also confuse and diminish our common effort”, the organizations say in a statement of intent.

The organizations, including CMI, have adopted the following working practices and action points to maximize their combined impact and minimize risks of duplication or contradiction.

Working Practices

In our relationship with each other, we will:

• Communicate during planning of peace initiatives to map and coordinate respective activities
• Share information and analysis, while respecting confidentiality
• Actively explore opportunities to work collaboratively and support each other’s conflict resolution efforts
• Contribute jointly to the improvement of mediation practice by:
• Sharing our positive and negative experiences
• Strengthening mediators’ networks
• Influencing development of relevant policy, including through joint advocacy

Action Points

We will continue meeting once a year at the level of Executive Director/Senior Manager to:

• Discuss developments within our organizations, including where we work, on what and based on what vision of change
• Share concerns, lessons, insights derived from our work
• Review and, if needed, update these working practices with a view to developing standards

When our organizations engage in the same peace process, in order to ensure our endeavours are mutually reinforcing we (Executive Directors) will:

• Discuss our analysis of and engagement in a given context
• Clarify what each organization is working on for a perspective on the risks and potential benefits of engaging in the same space
• Resolve misunderstandings that may arise
• Explore possibilities of coordination, division of labour within the same setting and possible sequencing of our respective engagements
• Seek the support of a third person/organization, should both parties agree, to resolve misunderstandings
• Encourage our staff to also share analysis, discuss comparative advantages of each organization, and avoid duplication
• When opportunities arise, we will invite each other to observe our operational activities and internal reflections
• Encourage coherence and effective division of labour among donors in the field

The organizations encourage other actors to adopt the statement and signal commitment to the working practices and action points.