Frontline Negotiators

Language differences can represent a real hurdle when negotiating in a context that is culturally not our own. In these situations, interpreters and local colleagues can play a key role by conveying nuanced meanings, navigating diverse body language, and bridging cultural divides. At the same time, working with an interpreter also means possible shifts in meaning, less spontaneous interactions, and a risk for misunderstandings.

In this episode, Pascal Lagneble shares some practical tips on harnessing the power of language in negotiation, turning potential obstacles into opportunities for deeper understanding and connection.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

'Red lines' are uncrossable limits you just can't push past. For humanitarian negotiators, red lines also define a delicate balance between upholding a mandate and compromising on the very principles this sector stands for.

In this episode Marika Armento reflects on the challenge of negotiating on behalf of migrants and asylum seekers within the red lines set by ethical values, legal frameworks and humanitarian norms.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

We'll be back with our next episode in January 2024.

In this episode, Maria Duncan explains why carefully composing the team and taking advantage of each member's expertise can do the trick in a complex negotiation.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

Sometimes negotiating means finding creative solutions to get around a deadlock.

In this episode we hear from Rehan Zahid - Deputy Director of the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation (CCHN) - whose expertise is lent by our partner, the World Food Programme. Rehan has been involved with the CCHN since its creation. He has agreed to share some of the most interesting negotiation processes he experienced first-hand, when creativity really made a difference for many people in crisis.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

Great negotiators know how to make tough conversations easier – for example by picking the right interlocutor, the most convincing team members, and the least controversial topics. In this episode, Julia Paola Garcia Zamora provides some great examples of how one can de-politicise a difficult negotiation by shifting its focus to more practical matters.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

When men in uniform stopped her at a checkpoint and refused to let her through, Raquel Moreno was quite surprised to see her fellow bus passengers step up to help. However, just a few years later, it was a group of civilians who blocked her truck and forced her team to flee, leaving all the humanitarian assistance behind.

Whether as sympathetic allies, tough counterparts or go-betweens, local community members play a critical role in most humanitarian negotiations. Let's hear what Raquel has learned from her experience negotiating with and for people in crises.

This episode is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

It can be hard to create rapport and find a shared interest between people who see the world very differently.

In this episode, Luca Falqui, a medical doctor with a 30-year long humanitarian career mostly spent around Asia, explains why empathy, strategic thinking, and even a white beard can help deliver life-saving healthcare in crisis situations.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

People were quickly running out of water in a camp in Iraq. The tankers stopped getting in. The authorities were tense. That's when Precillar Moyo decided to sit down with her team, analyse the situation and come up with a negotiation strategy.

In this episode, Precillar shares how teamwork and reflection can positively impact the outcome of any negotiation process.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

Stephen Kilpatrick first arrived in Tehran in 2003 to start a dialogue with the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. He did not expect he'd be left waiting for a meeting for 28 days.

We're about to hear from this former British army officer turned humanitarian professional as he recounts incredible negotiation stories from the time he spent in Iran, but also Africa and the Balkans, and the many learnings he picked up along the way.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure enviroments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org

Valerie Guarnieri is the Assistant Executive Director at the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

In this episode, we talk to her about her first experiences negotiating on the ground, her many lessons learned, and the enormous challenge of setting up institutional policies and red lines for thousands of frontline negotiators all around the globe.

This is part of the second season of Frontline Negotiators: Stories from the Field. It features personal stories told by humanitarian professionals as they negotiate to access, assist and protect people in crisis.

Across the season you will hear first-hand accounts from humanitarian workers from different backgrounds, agencies, nationalities and technical profiles who will share about the challenge of delivering aid in some of the most high-pressure environments in the world.

The series is produced by the Centre of Competence on Humanitarian Negotiation.

frontline-negotations.org