The idea first caught on in Somalia. Before that the international community still showed only a modest interest in seriously investing in diplomacy and mediation. Mogadishu Parliamentarians drew their inspiration from federal legislation in the US that had been on the books since the late twentieth century. The idea was simple - before escalating a dispute first refer it to mediation. It had long ago become common practice in domestic divorce law where it is now mostly those cases that involve violence that ultimately go to court. Somalia had a lot to teach the world about how to wage war - now they were teaching the world a lesson in how to wage peace.
Parliament passed a law that before any decision is taken to use or support the use of force (by the government or any of its member organisations), there is a constitutional requirement that nonviolent alternatives must be explored and exhausted. The guardians of these standards were women, men and youth who formed part of an elected National Peace Council. Within a decade, similar laws were adopted across Africa and Asia and comparable bodies were created. By 2040, the African Union was the first multilateral body to adopt its own legislation. Within five years the European Union followed suit. What started as national efforts to promote alternatives to violence, resulted in local, national and international institutions being created or strengthened in the area of mediation and dialogue. Today we see the full spectrum of what was called 'soft-power' and is now known as 'Peace Diplomacy' - properly resourced and working effectively.
Author: Andy Carl