The international community is becoming increasingly involved in conflict resolution. However, local leaders who play a vital role in ensuring that the end of one conflict is not the beginning of another, have been largely ignored. Academics and policymakers need to understand how to influence local leaders positively, in order to build lasting peace.

International organisations have the power to transform warlords into peacelords in conflict-affected areas of the world, according to research from International Conflict Research (INCORE), UK. The challenge for academics and policymakers is to understand how this potential can be harnessed.

The research focuses on Afghanistan, Kosovo and Sierra Leone. In each country, international military and political pressure has pushed former warlords into peace-building. Afghan leaders were led into cooperative politics after the United States ousted the Taliban in 2001. Kosovo’s ethnic leaders share power handed over from a United Nations transitional administration, following the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation - led war of 1999. British military intervention, and a large United Nations peacekeeping operation, allowed Sierra Leonean leaders to end a brutal civil war.

Different approaches in these countries have had very different results. In Afghanistan, a soft approach has allowed former warlords to continue to behave selfishly and divisively. In Kosovo, slow devolution has enabled local leaders to cooperate in a legislative assembly but has also slowed down political development. In Sierra Leone, selective prosecution by a Special Criminal Court has effectively monitored leadership behaviour, but also threatens to worsen ethnic divides.

The authors have used these case studies to identify potential problems:  

• Academics and policymakers seeking ‘positive leadership’ in the context of violent conflict will inevitably be disappointed.
• Local leaders are relatively powerless when it comes to the larger issues of peace and conflict.
• International pressure stimulates and sustains peace agreements; local leaders have limited independent ability to act and so cannot provide much momentum to peace processes.
• Local leaders tend to lack administrative skills and resources.
• Followers have little influence over the actions of their leaders.

Local leaders remain important facilitators of peace. But they need a motive to act in favour of peace. International bodies have the potential to influence their behaviour, by creating mechanisms of punishment and reward. Academics and policymakers need to deepen their understanding of which mechanisms work and which do not.

The research recommends that academics and policymakers:

• analyse more case studies where local leaders and international organisations have been involved in conflict resolution
• monitor the attitudes and approaches of international organisations towards local leaders
• develop the governance and administrative skills of emerging leaders early in the peace process
• harness the leadership potential of returning technocrats and business people following the end of conflict.

Source(s):
‘From Warlords to Peacelords: Local Leadership Capacity in Peace Processes’, International Centre of Excellence for Conflict and Peace Studies, INCORE Report, by Gordon Peake, Cathy Gormley-Heanan and Mari Fitzduff, December 2004 Full document.

Funded by: United Nations University, University of Ulster, Milt Lauenstein Fund

id21 Research Highlight: 20 January 2006

Further Information:
Gordon Peake
Programme Associate on Security and Development
International Peace Academy
777 United Nations Plaza, Fourth Floor
New York, 10017-3521
USA

Tel: +1 (212) 687 4300
Fax: +1 (212) 983 8246
Contact the contributor: peake@ipacademy.org

Other related links:
'Putting together a shattered state: strengthening local administration in Afghanistan'

'Diamonds endanger democratic decentralisation in Sierra Leone'

'Legitimate authority: reforming the chiefdom system in rural Sierra Leone'

'Land disputes in Afghanistan – is enough being done to end the conflict?'

The Mine Action for Peace Programme, Afghanistan: Workshop Report, Kabul, 29 April 2004

The Sierra Leone Peace Process: Learning from the Past to Address Current Challenges

UNIFEM's Portal on Women, Peace and Security