News

Francophone African Mediators Boost Understanding of Negotiations
07 Jul 2022 - 15:01
Source: Clingendael

In June, the Clingendael Academy welcomed fifteen mediators from a range of francophone African countries for a fully French-taught training programme titled “Negotiation and Mediation as an Instrument for Conflict Resolution”. The programme was organised in cooperation with FemWise – Africa and the African Union, and is funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Having a thorough understanding of negotiation dynamics between the parties at the table, contributes to a mediator’s effectiveness. Therefore, this intensive 5-day training focused on various theoretical negotiation concepts and consequently allowed the participants to practice these tools in several mediation and negotiation simulations. During these simulated mediation processes, Clingendael trainers coached the participants to enhance the skillset that underpins their mediation performance.

The combination of both theory and practical exercises gave us a hands-on experience on mediation and negotiation under difficult conditions and has enhanced and armed us better for performance in the field.  – participant

The training provided ample time for participants to share their experiences and learn from one another. As a result of the training, participants are now better equipped to build trust among parties in a negotiation process, recognise negotiation tactics and strategically prepare for their mediation efforts throughout the different phases of a peace process.