Second Annual Meeting of Frontline Humanitarian Negotiators

5-6 December, Geneva, Switzerland

The second Annual Meeting of Frontline Humanitarian Negotiators was held from 5-6 December in Geneva, Switzerland. The main goal of the Annual Meeting was to identify and address a set of critical challenges and dilemmas faced by frontline humanitarian negotiators today. It also sought to further strengthen the community of professionals engaged in such negotiations. The meeting offered an occasion for the different stakeholders involved in frontline humanitarian negotiations to reflect on how the Centre can serve as a platform to facilitate peer support within this community in 2018.

Event details

5-6 December 2017

Crowne Plaza Hotel, Geneva, Switzerland

Closed event

5-8 years of experience in humanitarian negotiations required

This year’s Annual Meeting explored frontline negotiations in a number of contexts, from Myanmar, Colombia, South Sudan, to the Lake Chad and Middle East regions. Cross-cutting issues such as engagements with non-state armed groups as well as the negotiation of protection arrangements were also analysed. A High-Level Segment of the Annual Meeting examined the interactions between humanitarian negotiation and political mediation.

Panels and group discussions offered opportunities to engage in practical and grounded exchanges on the challenges and dilemmas of negotiating in particular operational contexts, as well as reflections on the strategies of humanitarian negotiation. Additional transversal sessions addressed cross-cutting issues such as negotiating protection arrangements, engaging with non-state armed groups, or the relationship between humanitarian negotiation and political mediation.

The Second Annual Meeting of Frontline Negotiators was a closed event with a limited capacity of 120 experienced participants. Field practitioners played a critical role in the debates at the Annual Meeting. A minimum of 5 to 8 years of relevant experience in humanitarian negotiation was expected from all participants so as to be in a position to contribute to the deliberations.