Roles of International Organization in Conflict Resolution

2868 Words12 Pages
What Is International Conflict Resolution? International conflict resolution is an attempt to prevent or resolve armed conflicts between States or within States through mediation. Governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or inter-governmental bodies like the United Nations (UN) carry out these attempts at mediation. Mediation efforts can also include aiding in post-conflict reconciliation, reconstruction, and internal stability. In the most basic sense, international conflict means war between two or more nations. World Wars I and II were international conflicts, as was the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. Traditional international conflicts are increasingly rare, replaced by numerous local conflicts between rival ethnic groups inside a single country. When those groups are backed by foreign powers, or when their conflict affects the wider region, it becomes an internationalized conflict. Bosnia and Kosovo are good examples of this. Finally, international conflict can be ideological. The Cold War was an ideological confrontation between the West, led by the United States, and the East, led by the former Soviet Union. Conflicts within and between States can arise from ethnic strife, religious conflicts, human rights violations, and competition for resources. They may also stem from fear of aggression, weakness of institutions, or the spread of political revolution. Mediation of these conflicts requires knowledge of the history and sources of the conflict and a commitment to resolving it through peaceful means. The UN promotes international conflict resolution through UN resolutions, which are public appeals from the international community for the parties to resolve the matter peacefully. UN resolutions may also call for a ceasefire between combatants and a withdrawal to internationally recognized boundaries. Disputants can use the services of the UN

More about Roles of International Organization in Conflict Resolution

Open Document