The Peacemaking Unit

Peacemaking refers to diplomatic interventions intended to transform a violent conflict into non-violent dialogue where differences are settled through representative political institutions.

Peacemaking in Africa involves:

• Negotiation in current conflicts;
• Mediation in protracted conflicts;
• Promotion of national dialogue in countries experiencing crisis and low intensity conflicts; and
• The formation of inclusive national governments that recognise cultural diversity and respect the rights of minorities.

The Peacemaking Unit’s broad objectives are to implement reactive peacemaking interventions and initiate and implement proactive peacemaking interventions:

• Reactive interventions refer to those interventions initiated by continental, regional, and national organisations. In such interventions ACCORD is invited by those actors to provide support. The Institution has a rich history of engaging in reactive interventions.
• Proactive interventions entail researching on, analysing data and implementing initiatives on on-going peacemaking efforts in Africa. Key activities of proactive interventions include research and data analysis, and, subsequently, implementing confidence building engagements with parties in formal and informal peacemaking processes.

The Peacemaking Unit has several specific objectives. These include:

• Supporting peacemaking interventions such as negotiation and mediation in Africa;
• Establishing a core team of rapid deployment associates who can be deployed at a short notice in major peacemaking interventions in Africa;
• Assisting in establishing peacemaking frameworks in continental, regional and national frameworks; and
• Establishing synergy with other ACCORD’s programmes regarding peacemaking issues in the continent.

In order to realise these objectives, the Unit engages in myriad categories of activities that include peacemaking policy development seminars, capacity building initiatives such as training forums, study tours, institutional capacity building, contributing conflict analysis briefings, media engagements and contributing to peacemaking discourse in Africa.