Peace talks are a vital component of efforts to resolve a conflict. They provide a forum where disputing parties can meet and discuss ways to establish a peaceful solution that addresses all their interests. Often the most difficult challenges during peace talks are how to address the underlying roots of the conflict and create structures that allow for sustainable peace.
The Security Dimension
Creating a sense of security is an important first step for many conflict parties during peace talks, as it is widely believed that without a basic level of security, good governance and provision of public services is not possible. This is a major reason why the security aspect of a peace process receives a lot of attention and resources during peace negotiations, especially from donor countries.
The Political Dimension
Getting a party to the table is often a challenge in itself, but once there, how the peace talks are structured plays a critical role in whether they succeed or fail. How a peace process is designed can include the creation of an institutionalised coordination platform that helps alleviate the adversaries’ information asymmetry and commitment problems, sets guidelines to protect the negotiations from exogenous shocks (crises in other areas of politics or sporadic acts of violence), and allows for broader issues to be discussed that increase the chances of community buy in and addressing root causes.
It is also important to ensure that a gender perspective is included in peace talks, which can include having a dedicated gender adviser on the mediation team as well as training for technical experts on the impact of their work on women and the implications for the overall deliberations and text of a peace agreement. This can help to break down silos that are all too often present in the peace processes of the world and stall progress.