Peace talks are the negotiations that seek to formally end conflict. They are often structured around a series of steps and include both procedural and substantive components. The former include setting the time and location for future direct negotiations, determining how to conduct those talks, and establishing who aside from the warring parties will participate.
The latter are the issues that define WHAT is going to change as a result of a peace treaty and include everything from the distribution of power to how natural resources are managed. They are often highly complex and require substantial compromises. While these are the primary factors in a successful outcome, other factors can also play important roles.
For example, it is often a good idea to involve third-party mediators who can provide support for community buy in and to help address underlying root causes of the conflict. It is also critical to incorporate women’s perspectives into the deliberations and text of a peace agreement. Women’s participation in a peace process increases the probability of an agreement lasting two years by 20 percent and by 35 percent for an agreement that lasts 15 years.
In the case of Syria, the latest round of peace talks are taking place in Kazakhstan’s capital city of Astana, just a few weeks after President Bashar al-Assad’s forces drove rebels out of Aleppo. The hope is that this new round will be different. But we have seen such optimism before and it has rarely proven to be true.