Conflict Resolution (Disputes with a Political Dimension)
We have experience of élite-level international conflict resolution following the civil war and genocide in Rwanda in the late 1990s.
From 1994 to 1997, our Principal was Executive Secretary of the Newick Park Initiative. This discreet non-governmental organisation sought to create dialogue between civil, military, religious, judicial, business and financial authorities, local and expatriate, of all political persuasions. The themes covered picked up those in the Peace Accords signed before the genocide and included the allocation of power to ensure inclusive government, the repatriation of refugees from surrounding countries, the maintenance of the rule of law in a post-war environment where many experienced judicial personnel had been killed, and the strategic priorities for development assistance to Rwanda from the international donor community to equip the new government to address these issues. A brief summary of this work can be found on the website of the successor body Concordis International - see Concordis International :: The Story So Far
From 1998 onwards, our Principal sought to continue this work at a more low-key grassroots level through a charitable trust, also called Thea (see www.thea.org.uk).
We keep informed of the situation in Rwanda and its region and our Principal visited the country most recently in October 2010.
