Paper details
| Paper authors | Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation |
| In panel on | The politics of humanitarian negotiations |
| Paper presenter(s) will be presenting |
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Abstract
Drawing on insights from its global community of practice and ongoing operational research, this contribution explores how humanitarian negotiators perceive and navigate power asymmetries in complex and politically sensitive environments. Grounded in field-informed findings from the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN), it reflects on how negotiators engage with a wide range of actors — including political authorities, armed groups, bureaucratic institutions, and international stakeholders — and how these interactions are influenced by broader political, institutional, and operational dynamics.
The discussion will consider how shifting political conditions — such as changes in leadership, territorial control, or policy direction — reshape negotiation environments and challenge conventional assumptions about legitimacy, leverage, and influence. It will examine how humanitarian actors adjust their strategies in the face of evolving power dynamics, often with limited guidance.
The contribution will also explore how humanitarian negotiations intersect with diplomacy, particularly as national and local staff increasingly take on prominent roles in politically complex dialogue. Through practitioner insights and comparative reflections, the session will examine how power is interpreted, contested, and navigated across different negotiation settings. It will also explore how trust- and relationship-building are used to navigate asymmetries and sustain principled outcomes.
