Training on Conflict Resolution and Negotiation

The Foundation welcomed fellows from the ITLOS/Nippon Foundation Capacity-Building and Training Programme on Dispute Settlement under UNCLOS

From 4-8 November 2019, five fellows from around the world took part in a training programme on Conflict Resolution and Negotiation at the Foundation offices in Heidelberg, Germany. The training served as one part of the ITLOS/Nippon Foundation Capacity-Building and Training Programme on Dispute Settlement under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 2019-2020. The programme run by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), in cooperation with the Nippon Foundation, is an annual occurrence and is attended by junior to mid-level government officials and researchers currently working on issues related to the law of the sea, maritime law or dispute settlement. Participants enjoy a unique opportunity to develop their legal skills and deepen their practical knowledge of dispute settlement in the law of the sea under UNCLOS.

The Max Planck Foundation provided the fellows with an insight to its work, with special emphasis on the implementation of the ‘Maritime Governance Project’ for the Indian Ocean, through a series of presentations by its researchers focusing on conflict resolution. This visit has become an integral part of the programme through continued cooperation with the ITLOS and Nippon Foundation.

Topics covered included the Role of UNCLOS in Managing and Preventing Maritime Conflicts, Maritime Governance, Legal Drafting and the Prevention of Conflicts, Binding Inter-State Dispute Resolution, Strengthening the Rule of Law in Conflict Settings and the Benefits of Resolving Conflicts through Mediation. These presentations were complemented by case studies from a selection of the Foundation’s project countries including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Somalia, South Sudan and Sri Lanka.

The agenda also included meetings with the Foundation’s editorial team, research tutorials and a library tour of the nearby Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law.

The participants were engaged throughout the four-day event and they had plenty of opportunities for lively discussion with the research staff.