The Changing Nature of International Mediation 2001 - 2021

Keywords: Mediation, Conflict management

Abstract: As warfare mutates from intra-state to infra-state, it was Clausewitz himself who created his own paradigmatic exit: War is a chameleon. From liberation movements who fought for a new socio-political agenda to fragmented rebel formations and individuals who fight for self-interests and preservation, mediators have still to adapt to the new realities. The real actors are invisible or fluid in shape and structure, and interventions tend to be mired by a lack of appropriate response mechanisms. The brewing sandstorms of new wars over a new world power dispensation without end will pose a tremendous challenge for mediators in years to come. This paper will contribute to the strengthening of mediation theory by arguing that international mediators need to not only operate with state-level instruments but also with local level cultural dialogue capacities (including early warning and early responses) and create safe spaces through integrated and complementarity approaches to interventions.