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.

In this episode of the Lawyering Peace podcast, we delve into Guatemala's journey toward peace through the lens of the 1996 Peace Accords process, which concluded 36 years of internal conflict. Ambassador Donald Planty, the United States Ambassador to Guatemala during the peace process, shares his firsthand experiences from engaging in the process, emphasizing the crucial role of international cooperation, especially the strategic support of the "Friends of the Peace Process" in this context. This episode also unpacks the essential skills for successful diplomacy, such as relationship building, effective listening, and understanding diverse perspectives. Ambassador Planty illustrates how capitalizing on these skills and relying on informal confidence building measures with the parties, propelled the negotiations forward. Tune in to learn about the dynamic challenges facing an ambassador engaged in high-stakes negotiations and the practical negotiation skills that can lead to successful outcomes.

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.