Publication

This opinion paper concentrates on challenges and opportunities in the external environment of conflict mediation, the world at large, as well as more institutional and bureaucratic challenges within the UN itself. The paper discusses the UN High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change's emphasis on revitalizing UN mediation efforts. It also identifies the role of the UN as one of several actors in conflict mediation. The author concludes that the Panel's determination to increase and improve UN mediation capacity is timely, but the broad brushstrokes of the Panel's recommendations need more detailed consideration to work out what this means in practice.