The role of actors and processes in tile conduct of diplomacy in conflict resolution; a case study of Somalia national reconciliation; 2002-2003

Abstract

The interests in the 'conduct and practices of diplomacy' are the roots on which this study has developed. The interests in this area of study were necessitated by the unique and protracted conflicts in Somalia. The fact that several peace initiatives could not manage to resolve the decade plus old fighting in the region despite international community invested efforts and resources in the conflict without achieving success, made it necessary for me to develop an investigative idea leading to an establishment as to why fighting could not be contained. The study attempts to examine the role of actors as they pursue their interests through mediation and negotiation while applying diplomacy as the art of achieving their interests within conflict environment. This study took off with reading conflict and diplomacy materials from relevant institutions like Institute of Diplomacy Library, Nairobi Peace Initiative, Life and Peace Institute, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Institute of French Research in Africa, among others. Primary data was collected through personally conducted interviews and observation at the Somali National Reconciliation Process at Mbagathi-Kenya. Participants at this workshop comprised representatives from states, Inter-governmental Organizations, Peace Research Institutions, and diplomatic consultants and advisers among others. Findings of the study were that unabated conflict can escalate affecting international community. Conditions for protracted conflicts were clanism, availability of arms, high level of illiteracy and a tradition of suspicion rooted in history of imperialism and colonialism. Power struggle in Somalia by use of the gun is basis of livelihood and style. It was also found that previous peace initiative approaches were wrong. The current

all inclusive, with the workshop _approach,recognizing the equality of all participants, and ??? analyzing key issues as causes and remedies to conflict while taking into consideration

diplomacy which applies tact and patience and managed to sustain the peace talks for one

year without major explosions that characterized the previous peace initiatives that led to /

stale-mate and fierce fighting.

The conclusion drawn from the study was that as much as the conflicts in Somalia remain unsolved, guns unsilenced, illiteracy level alleviated and backdoor funding of faction groups by external beneficiaries of the war like drug and arms dealers and other nations playing double standards to achieve their altruistic ends; the international community will remain challenged through refugees, unabated firearms and drugs trafficking among other social mis-conducts and lagging behind in economic, technological and social-political development. In the globalization era, when the world defines itself as a global village a destabilization in the system renders the system dysfunctional. Hence dialogue, tact, understanding, patience are applicable to achieve world peace for development. In the academic circles I recommend for further research to ascertain a possible theory blending the analytical problem- solving approach with realism and idealism as a synthesis of diplomacy in maintenance of communications and successful negotiations for achievement of successful outcomes of protracted conflicts .