The Oslo Forum

The Oslo Forum convenes senior conflict mediators, high level decision makers, key peace process actors, analysts and experts in an informal and discreet retreat to share their experiences, identify challenges and reflect on mediation practice."[1][2] The retreat is held annually in June in Oslo, Norway, and is co-hosted by the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs[3] and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD), a private diplomacy organisation based in Switzerland.[4] Participation is by invitation-only. All discussions take place under the Chatham House Rule.[1]

The Oslo Forum
StatusActive
GenreConference
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s)Oslo
CountryNorway
Established2003
Participantsc. 100
ActivityImprove mediation practice and build a community of conflict mediation practitioners
Organised byRoyal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD)
Websitewww.osloforum.org

History

The Mediators' Retreat, which in 2006 became known as the Oslo Forum, was initiated in 2003[5] as a small gathering of mediation practitioners. The first Forum only included 17 participants but the event has now expanded to around 100 participants each year. The Forum is scheduled over two days.[6]

In November 2005, a regional retreat was organised for the first time in Singapore to discuss peace processes in South and South East Asia. Since then, Asian and African regional retreats have regularly taken place to complement the global retreat organised in Oslo.[7]

Purpose

The Forum aims to improve mediation practice, by facilitating open exchange, debate and reflection across institutional and conceptual divides, analysing commonly held perceptions about conflicts and providing a safe venue for sharing experiences and best practices. The Forum also provides informal networking opportunities that encourage coordination and cooperation when needed and facilitates space for conflict parties to advance their negotiations.[8]

Participants
Dr Funmi Olonisakin, H.E. Mr Børge Brende and H.E. Mr Kofi Annan

Every year approximately one hundred conflict mediators, high-level decision makers, key peace process actors, war correspondents, outstanding analysts, thinkers and experts on specific issues attend the Oslo Forum.[9]

Participants have included António Guterres,[10] Hassan Ali Khaire,[10] Federica Mogherini,[11] Mohammad Javad Zarif, President Juan Manuel Santos,[12][13] Fatou Bensouda, John Kerry, President Jimmy Carter, and Kofi Annan,.[14] The Oslo Forum has also hosted several Nobel Peace Prize laureates.[15]

The participation of conflict protagonists has attracted international media attention. In 2015 Reuters reported that Afghan senior officials as well as Taliban representatives attended the Oslo Forum.[16] Syrian government and opposition representatives have attended in recent years.[17] Media also reported the attendance of representatives from the Philippines Government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) in the context of a resumption of talks in summer 2013.[18]

Media coverage

All discussions at the Oslo Forum are held under the Chatham House Rule of non-attribution. International media outlets have, however, covered main themes discussed at the Oslo Forum. This includes for example BBC coverage of discussions on possible peace talks with the Taliban in 2010[19] and 2015.[20] Interviews with selected Oslo Forum participants on the side lines of the event and a recap of main themes have also featured in the New York Times,[21] the Economist[22] and numerous other outlets.

Publications
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda speaking at the Oslo Forum in 2014

A summary of discussions at the Oslo Forum is available to the public through annual reports, published by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD). HD also commissions policy and background papers specifically for Oslo Forum retreats. These papers are published online upon completion of each retreat and can be accessed through the Oslo Forum website and HD website. Selected public speeches held at the Oslo Forum are available online.[9][23][24]

References
  1. "About Oslo forum". www.osloforum.org. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  2. "Norway's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Børge Brende, met with Kosovo delegation". www.norway-kosovo.no. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  3. "Governments turn to NGOs as proxy conflict negotiators". Deutsche Welle. 8 July 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  4. "Oslo Forum 2012". Overseas Development Institute (ODI). Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  5. Affairs, Ministry of Foreign (17 June 2003). "Mediators' Retreat to be held in Oslo on 18–19 June". Government.no. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  6. "Oslo Forum 2014: Engaging with radical groups in conflicts. What can we accomplish through dialogue?" (PDF). 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  7. "Welcome Remarks by Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed at Asian Mediators' Retreat". www.mfa.gov.sg (Press release). 27 November 2006. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  8. "What we do - Oslo Forum". www.hdcentre.org. June 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  9. Solana, Javier (27 June 2006). "Mediating Today's Conflicts for Tomorrow's Peace" (PDF) (S183/06). European Council. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. Utenriksdepartementet (11 June 2018). "UN Secretary-General to Norway and Oslo Forum" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  11. EU External Action Service (13 June 2017). "HRVP Federica Mogherini attends the Oslo Forum" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  12. "Santos: América Latina, el Caribe y Europa apoyan el proceso de paz". Noticias RCN. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  13. "Santos: es obsoleto recurrir a la guerra para resolver conflictos". Noticias RCN. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  14. Utenriksdepartementet (12 June 2014). "Kofi Annan og Jimmy Carter til Oslo Forum". Regjeringen.no (in Norwegian). Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  15. "The Oslo Forum 2017 Meeting Report: Peacemaking in a new era of geopolitics". Retrieved 28 January 2020.
  16. "Afghan, Taliban delegates attend Oslo talks on ending conflicts". Reuters. 16 June 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  17. "EU-sanctioned Assad adviser in Oslo for secret talks". The Daily Star Newspaper. Lebanon. 21 June 2014. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  18. "Gov't-MILF talks to resume in July". globalnation.inquirer.net. 22 June 2013. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  19. "Afghanistan peace conundrum flummoxes mediators - BBC News". BBC News. 19 June 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  20. "Afghanistan's leaders face battle for peace - BBC News". BBC News. 23 June 2015. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  21. Cohen, Roger (14 July 2008). "Scandinavia's Scarred Mr. Dialogue". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  22. "Privatising peace". The Economist. 30 June 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  23. Affairs, Ministry of Foreign (28 May 2015). "Opening Speech at Oslo Freedom Forum". Government.no. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
  24. Santos, Juan Manuel (16 June 2015). "The Oslo Forum". wp.presidencia.gov.co. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
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