Lawyering Peace Dr. Paul R. Williams

In this episode of "Lawyering Peace," we delve into the intricate dynamics of peace negotiation delegations, with a special focus on the critical roles played by women leaders in the Syrian opposition delegation. Our guest, Betsy Popken, brings insights from her tenure as the chief legal advisor during the Geneva peace talks (2015 - 2017). Peek into the rigorous training and strategic planning that goes into preparing a delegation for high-stakes negotiations, and learn how roles and responsibilities are assigned to harness the strengths of diverse team members, particularly the leading women. This discussion offers a unique glimpse into the challenging yet fascinating process of negotiating peace, and the vital aspects of training and leading a negotiation team effectively.

Ambassador Donald Planty has extensive experience in peace negotiations, having served as the former United States Ambassador to Guatemala. This episode draws upon Amb. Planty’s instrumental role in the negotiation and facilitation of Guatemala’s ceasefire and the historic 1996 Peace Accords, which marked the end of a 36-year internal armed conflict in the country. This episode provides deep insights into the “Friends of the Peace Process” - an informal group adjacent to the negotiations who were key in providing assistance at crucial points of the peace process - of which Ambassador Planty, on behalf of the United States, was a member.

Robert Perito is an expert in security sector reform and governance and has been involved in post-conflict processes in regions and states across the globe, including Angola, Haiti, Liberia, Bosnia, Kosovo, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya.  This episode explores Bob’s career as a Foreign Service officer with the U.S. Department of State, during which time Bob chaired the US delegation to the Angolan peace talks that ended in the signing of the Bicesse Accords. This episode provides deep insights into the role played by third parity delegations in peace talks and the challenges that come with seeking peaceful solutions to entrenched conflicts.

Matt Simpson has been engaged in several peace and post-conflict processes around the world, and is now Co-Chair of the Private Equity Practice at Mintz. This episode delves into Matt’s role as the Principal Legal Advisor to the Darfur Delegation in the Doha Round of Peace Negotiations, which aimed to resolve the Darfur conflict. In this position, Matt led a team of over two dozen international legal and policy advisors, and was charged with advising on the full range of issues that presented themselves during the negotiations, including power sharing, security arrangements, demilitarization, wealth allocation from natural resources, and the return of displaced persons. In this interview, Matt discusses the challenges and intricacies of his role, providing insights into the reality of peace negotiations as well as lessons learned for other contexts.

Dr. Patrick Maluki is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nairobi and Kenya’s top expert in peace and diplomacy.  Dr. Maluki has extensive experience in the peace and conflict mediation arena. He holds a PhD in Peace and Conflict Studies from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kenya and is an expert trainer and researcher in international negotiation, mediation, human rights, governance, and peace building issues. This episode focuses on Dr. Maluki’s in-depth knowledge of the causes of conflict, conflict prevention, and conflict mitigation.

Yoonie Kim is a former PILPG-er, and is currently a Senior Political Affairs Officer and the Gulf Team Leader at the United Nations. This episode explores Yoonie’s time serving as Senior Advisor and Special Assistant to the UN Special Envoy Jamal Benomar on the Yemen peace process, examining the ways in which mediation teams operate when supporting challenging and complex negotiations, and the importance of collaboration between the various actors involved in peace negotiations when pursuing durable peace.