In the Field

Promoting non-violent resolution of conflict at all local levels will be essential to bringing, and sustaining, peace and stability to Afghanistan.  In Afghanistan's recent history, the most effective agents in advancing peace and security at the local level have been indigenous structures such as shura and jirga councils, as well as Maliks.

Ted Feifer and Mike Lekson of the Education and Training Center/ International conducted the Institute's seventh workshop on negotiation skills in multilateral diplomacy for the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna, June 8-10, 2009.

More people have died in tribal violence in southern Sudan in recent months than in the western Darfur region of Sudan, the United Nations special representative to Sudan, Ashraf Qazi, said this week. Creating a peaceful environment before the national elections in 2010 and a referendum on southern independence set for 2011 should be a top priority for the world and Sudanese authorities, Qazi emphasized. USIP has been actively working on the ground to help create a peaceful setting with its USIP training programs on non-violent conflict resolution and election workshops.

 USIP has been actively working on the ground in Sudan to help create a peaceful setting with its USIP training programs on non-violent conflict resolution and election workshops.  

In March and April 2009, the ETC-I/CAP team brought the electoral violence prevention (EVP) program to South Sudan. In Juba, the participants included up to ten members of the South Sudan parliament, leaders of youth and women’s organizations, journalist and political party representatives. Participants in Yei were local clergy, civil society organizers, police and security services, and even a local chief.