Invitation PERMANENT MISSION OF FINLAND TO THE UNITED NATIONS PERMANENT MISSION OF BELGIUM TO THE UNITED NATIONS Report Launch: Natural Resources and Conflict: A Guide for Mediation Practitioners A collaborative report produced by the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) on Thursday, February 19, 2015, 3:00pm-4:30pm (A reception will follow beginning at 4:30pm) at The International Peace Institute’s Trygve Lie Center for Peace, Security & Development (12th floor) 777 United Nations Plaza, (corner of 1st Avenue and 44th Street) Keynote Remarks by United Nations Deputy Secretary-General H.E. MR. JAN ELIASSON Followed by a conversation with H.E. Mr. Pekka Haavisto, Member of Parliament, former Minister, Finland Mr. Michael Brown, DPA Standby Team of Mediation Experts and Professor of Practice in Conflict Mediation at McGill University Moderators Stephen Jackson, Team Leader, Mediation Support Unit, DPA David Jensen, Head of Environmental Cooperation for Peacebuilding, UNEP Please RSVP to: Elisa Leikkainen, [email protected], by Friday, February 13th. Invitation The Permanent Missions of Belgium and Finland to the United Nations are pleased to invite you to a launch of the guide entitled, “Natural Resources and Conflict: A Guide for Mediation Practitioners,” produced by the UN Department of Political Affairs (DPA) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). In an effort to provide mediation professionals with good practices and actual strategies for using mediation in preventing and resolving conflicts involving land and natural resources, DPA and UNEP have jointly produced this landmark publication. This Guide offers practical advice, drawing from decades of experience, on the mediation of natural resource conflicts. It aims to inform mediators and stakeholders addressing conflicts over natural resources—whether those disagreements are violent, have the potential to turn violent, or are part of a larger political struggle (including within a peace process). The Guide draws on the field experience of mediators and mediation experts. It also features lessons learned from UNEP’s work on environmental diplomacy in different conflict affected countries, with a particular focus on how to use impartial technical knowledge to equalize stakeholder information in a mediation process. Helping to identify paths towards resolution through mediation and third-party involvement, the Guide can be applied for localized and trans-boundary conflicts, as well as natural resource disputes that arise in the context of broader peace negotiations. United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson will deliver the keynote remarks at the event followed by a panel discussion moderated by DPA and UNEP. Speakers will discuss topics emanating from the Guide, including: • What is the potential for mediation as a tool in addressing conflicts involving natural resources? • What are the particularities of mediation around natural resource issues? What are some best practices? • How can the UN and other actors provide systematic support to mediation efforts in the particular context of resource conflicts? • How can the UN become more involved in mediating resource conflicts? What are the possible entry points for the UN? And what kind of mandates can best serve this purpose? • How can we collectively improve the implementation of provisions in peace agreements that deal with land and natural resources? What parts of the UN system should be involved? • In contending with the complexities of natural resource issues during peace negotiations, what considerations should be given to laying the foundation for future reforms? • What lessons can be drawn for strengthening attention to resource issues by UN Peace Operations? We look forward to a fruitful dialogue and hope you will be able to join us for this important event. Please note that a live webcast of the event will also be available at the following address: www.ipinst.org. Follow the discussion on twitter #NRmediation. The Guide can be downloaded here and here. Should you have any questions, please contact: Ms. Nikki Siahpoush, [email protected], or Ms. Elisa Leikkainen, [email protected].