Understanding the Role of National Dialogues in Peacebuilding in Post-Conflict Countries

National dialogues have become an integral part of the peacebuilding process in post-conflict and post-crisis countries. Despite their role, there is little documentation of the characteristics of these dialogues, their relative success and failure, as well as their long-term contribution to the peace and stability of the countries involved. The capstone project, in collaboration with the UN Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO), helped the client define national dialogues and identify key elements that determine their effectiveness. It analyzed their evolving experience with national dialogues and offered practical guidance on their future design and implementation, specifically for countries undergoing conflict and/or political transition.

The team created a conceptual framework that can be used as a real-time tool drawing on source material from available country cases, utilizing primary interviews with academicians and practitioners, as well as secondary data. The team performed two broad tasks: (1) undertook an in-depth examination of selected country cases; and, (2) developed an analytical template to clarify the determinants of outcomes of national dialogues in order to provide the basis for recommendations for future practice.