Process Design for Secret Talks

In seeking the negotiated solution to an armed conflict or political crisis, the parties involved will often have recourse to secret talks at one or more junctures.

This IFIT practice brief provides a summary of key concepts and recommendations for the effective design of such talks. It is based on a comprehensive review of existing literature, expert interviews and discernible practice.

The publication is premised on the idea that secrecy is sometimes a sine qua non for talks of any kind to take place between states, rebel groups, opposition parties and/or organised crime groups. What has been missing until now is a simple, practical guide on the main choice points for organising such talks.

The DOI registration ID for this publication is: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10475183

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