Negotiating Ceasefires: Lessons from Mediators

Ceasefire agreements are essential to the sustainability of peace settlements says  Luc Chounet-Cambas in Negotiating Ceasefires, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue’s (HD Centre) latest publication for peacemakers.

 

The publication, the third in the Mediation Practice Series, also claims that ceasefire agreements, although only part of a larger peace process, can significantly reduce tensions and prevent incidents from escalating.

 

However, mediators face serious challenges in helping to negotiate ceasefires, such as: dealing with the differing interests of the conflict parties; the way in which a ceasefire may be integrated into a wider peace process; and whether the disarmament of armed groups should be addressed in the framework of ceasefire agreements.

 

Negotiating Ceasefires looks at such challenges mediators face in attempting to achieve ceasefires, and the practical options available to them. By examining the purpose of ceasefire agreements, how ceasefires are mediated by third parties and how they may facilitate the transition from war to peace, it aims to be a useful tool for mediators.

 

“Ceasefires are a critical stepping stone for achieving lasting peace” said Luc Chounet-Cambas.

“While parties to a conflict might be motivated by different reasons and objectives when negotiating a ceasefire - which do not necessarily imply giving up on arms and military power - a ceasefire will at the very least suspend the cycle of violence and provide each party with time to reflect on their opponent’s intentions” he said.

“I hope that the practical options provided in this publication will help practitioners deal with some of the issues at hand when supporting the negotiation of ceasefire agreements” he added.

The Mediation Practice Series draws on contributions from mediators and their teams. It is a collection of short publications intending to help mediation practitioners prepare for the demands of mediation in armed conflict by providing insight into how challenges have been addressed by others. It also intends to address the general lack of adequate reference material available in this field.

Negotiating Ceasefires is available for download at

http://www.hdcentre.org/files/HDC_MPS3_EN_web_0.pdf