ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan

On 23 October 2023, the UNRCCA Preventive Diplomacy Academy organized a special online session for the participants from the Central Asian states and Afghanistan on “Negotiation Skills” to commemorate the United Nations Day. 

UN Day is marked worldwide each year on 24 October to celebrate the day that the Charter of the United Nations came into force in 1945.

The overall objective of the online session was to introduce the young people to the methods used in preventive diplomacy, familiarize them with modern techniques of negotiating and mediation skills, as well as clear and constructive communication methods of confronting conflict situations.

At the beginning of the session, the letter of the Secretary-General António Guterres on the occasion  of the UN Day was read out. In it, the Secretary-General wrote that “The United Nations is guided by timeless values and principles, but it must never be frozen in time. That is why we must always keep strengthening ways of working and applying a 21st century lens to all we do.”

The session provided a good opportunity for young people to be briefed on the significant role of the United Nations in  preventive diplomacy, in utilizing political and diplomatic tools and methods effectively to prevent disputes and clashes from arising and/or escalating. This role is profoundly rooted in the United Nations Charter, which provides the organization with a broad mandate to maintain international peace and security. It was noted that the negotiation skills, in this regard,  remain fundamental in making this approach successful for several important reasons.

Participant were also deeply acquainted with negotiation skills that serve as a core method to resolve conflicts peacefully. They also talked about the pivotal role of proficient negotiators in assisting the conflicting parties, finding areas of agreement and mutually acceptable solutions aimed at reducing tensions. Young people learned that these skills were essential in the context of preventive diplomacy as they pave the way towards peaceful conflict resolution.

Participants further became familiar with mediation skills, used more efficiently in preventive diplomacy. They learned that possessing the basic knowledge of mediation skills would assist conflicting parties in communicating and negotiating effectively that could ultimately push them towards a peaceful outcome of the conflicts.

Skills related to clear and constructive communication were also discussed among the session participants. They were told that preventive diplomacy was the cornerstone of the United Nations efforts, and that the different methods of negotiation skills were pivotal in this regard.

The participants gained a good understanding of various communication methods and techniques used in preventive diplomacy for reconciliation of disputes at the earliest stages.

At the end of the session UNRCCA Preventive Diplomacy Academy emphasized that PDA recognizes the vital role of the United Nations and remains dedicated to promoting preventive diplomacy through effective application of negotiation skills as these tools are invaluable in maintaining  global stability.