 "A Russian contract soldier listens to instructions of an officer while training onboard a T-72 tank during military drills held at a firing range amid Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the southern Krasnodar region, Russia, December 2, 2024. File Image/Reuters")
On March 18, 2025, the second day of the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi is underway.
Among the day’s crucial sessions was “Waging Peace: Looking Back to Look Ahead,” moderated by Yalda Hakim, lead world news presenter at Sky News.
The panel explored several critical questions pertinent to contemporary peace processes. The discussion saw panellists reflecting on past peace agreements, from Mali to Colombia, highlighting the commonalities and unique challenges of each process.
With current raging conflicts in West Asia and the Russia-Ukraine war, peace is the word at the tip of the tongue, yet it hasn’t materialised.
Key factors such as economic investment, political will, and sustained international support were identified as crucial to long-term peace.
The panel comprised, Moussa Mara, Former Prime Minister of Mali and member of the club de Madrid; Stephen Harper, Former Prime Minister of Canada; Espen Barth Eide, Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs; Shashi Tharoor, Member of Parliament in India’s Lok Sabha and chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on external affairs and; Comfort Ero, president and CEO of the International Crisis Group from the United Kingdom.
The session commenced with a scene-setting address by Dag Nylander, Director of the Norwegian Centre for Conflict Resolution (NOREF). Nylander, a seasoned diplomat with extensive experience in mediation, notably led Norway’s facilitation of the peace process between the Colombian government and the FARC (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) from 2010 to 2016.
Mali’s internal struggle
Mara spoke on Mali’s long history of conflict and peace agreements. He remarked, “Our country has signed at least three peace agreements in the last 30 years,” highlighting the complexity of maintaining long-term stability.
Mali’s struggles have been compounded by external interventions, including the now-defunct UN peacekeeping mission MINUSMA, which was one of the most dangerous peacekeeping deployments in UN history before its termination in 2023.
Addressing the presence of Russian military influence in Mali , he stated, “Dealing with Russia in a military issue, they feel they need to empower the military to get victory.”
However, he stated the need for local solutions, saying, “In our case, it is to focus on our situation first, to try and find internally, to solve our own problem through our own means.”
Mara also highlighted the role of international institutions, noting, “Institutions like Club de Madrid can help in solving situations in African nations.”
A Canadian PM weighs in
Harper underlined the distinct nature of different conflicts, arguing, “Conflict of mediating Sudan or Colombia is very different from the Russia-Ukraine conflict or the conflict in the Middle East, where big power players are involved.”
He highlighted that conflicts where superpowers are directly engaged require different frameworks than those involving regional disputes.
Discussing the recent shift in power and priority as projected by the administration led by US President Donald Trump , he remarked, “The reality is that the United States remains the world’s preeminent power by quite a distance. What you are seeing is a shift in the US’ role in the world.”
While acknowledging potential disruptions in US foreign policy under Trump, he said, “There may be with President Trump a discontinuity there, but I think this trend will continue.”
Harper also commented on international tariffs by the US , particularly in the context of US-Canada relations, noting that a tough but strategic approach is necessary when dealing with American tariffs: “I think it wouldn’t be easy. I think it is necessary for Canada to have a plan vis-à-vis the US. There is a difference between taking a hard position than just shooting insults back.”
Norway: The old guard of peace makers
Eide provided insights into peace negotiations, particularly regarding Russia and Ukraine. “There is no table,” he said bluntly, referencing the lack of active diplomatic engagement between all parties.
He stressed the necessity of European engagement, arguing, “We strongly believe there should be significant European contribution, because this is war in Europe.”
Norway, historically a key mediator in global conflicts, has been instrumental in peace processes in West Asia, Sri Lanka and Colombia. However, regarding Ukraine , he admitted, “We cannot take that role in Ukraine, because we are not impartial.”
Eide reinforced the principles of international law, stating, “The rules-based order is only over if we want it to be over.” He also highlighted the need for balanced criticism in global conflicts, asserting, “We criticise Russia’s violations in Ukraine, but we also criticise Israel’s use of force in Gaza. It is when we also criticise our friends that there will be uniformity.”
India as a peacekeeping force
Tharoor put a spotlight on India’s longstanding contributions to peacekeeping. “Our not being engaged in the conflicts of the Cold War was actually a major asset in the peacekeeping,” he noted, referring to India’s neutral stance and extensive participation in UN peacekeeping missions since the 1950s.
With over 250,000 Indian troops having served in UN peacekeeping operations, Tharoor highlighted India’s credibility in global peace efforts. “Look beyond Europe for your peacekeeping, that is where India could come in,” he suggested.
He also pointed out India’s diplomatic strength in engaging with both Russia and Ukraine. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Russia as well as Ukraine , remarking, “India has a PM that can book it to in Russia and Ukraine two weeks apart.”
Tharoor further highlighted historical instances of major powers violating international norms, citing the 1956 Suez Crisis as an example: “Within 11 years, the UK and France invaded Egypt,” illustrating inconsistencies in adherence to international law.
But who do you look up to now?
Ero spoke about the growing distrust in global governance institutions. “We are in an era where wars are rising, but more critically, the institutions that manage these issues are not trusted,” she observed, pointing to the weakening influence of multilateral organisations.
She particularly criticised the UN Security Council, describing it as “polarising and sometimes toxic.”
Addressing Trump’s remarks about Panama and Greenland , she warned of dangerous precedents in international affairs, remarking, “I do take seriously what Trump is saying about Panama, because it green-lights and allows other countries to jump on the bandwagon and it normalises an agenda which I frankly think is dangerous as well.”
Ero also stressed the need for consistency in international law, saying, “There is a lack of consistency in how the rules are applied.”
Throughout the session, the importance of inclusive dialogues, adaptable frameworks and sustained international support was highlighted as vital to the success of peace initiatives.
Raisina Dialogue is a premier conference on geopolitics and geo-economics hosted by the Observer Research Foundation in collaboration with India’s Ministry of External Affairs.
The event, inaugurated by Modi on March 17, featured New Zealand’s Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as the chief guest and keynote speaker.
Firstpost has partnered with the Raisina Dialogue to bring exclusive content to its viewers and readers.Anmol is a Senior Sub-Editor with Firstpost. He likes to cover stories that intrigue him, generally revolving around international polity, Indian foreign policy, human interest, environment and even the politically-charged election cycles in India. He has far too many disparate interests with a constant itch for travel. Having visited fourteen states in the Indian subcontinent, he is always on the lookout for opportunities to add more to the list. He enjoys watching Football, Tennis and F1 purely as a sports enthusiast.