This meeting report summarises discussions from a Civil Society Dialogue Network (CSDN) Member State Meeting held on 5 December 2023 in Madrid. The meeting was organised by the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) in cooperation with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and gathered 33 participants including civil society experts, officials from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and the European Commission, and diplomats from the Spanish government. The meeting examined challenges related to inclusion and meaningful participation in peace processes, with a particular focus on the role of insider mediators.
Participants discussed how insider mediators contribute to mediation efforts through their local knowledge, social connections and access to communities affected by conflict. The discussion examined how their involvement can support dialogue, identify local conflict drivers and help implement agreements.
The report also explores challenges linked to participation, including security risks, resource constraints and barriers that limit the engagement of grassroots mediators in international mediation processes.
