Peace Commissioners and Secretariats for Peace: The Role of Government Sponsored Peace Institutions in Reducing Violent Conflicts.

In many conflict-affected countries around the world, there are a multitude of actors who are working to reduce and prevent conflicts, ranging from civil society actors to track I diplomats. Several countries around the world have created government sponsored offices and/or initiatives to facilitate peace negotiations between conflicting parties (including the government). These include institutions such as the High Commissioner for Peace in Colombia and the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process in Sri Lanka. To date there has been little research and writing about the work of government sponsored institutions in facilitating a reduction to conflict. This paper will explore how commissioners or secretariats for peace function within conflict environments, what are their roles and impacts on the conflicts. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]