Power of Nonofficial Actors Pamela

¶ … Power of Nonofficial Actors

Pamela Aall, "The Power of Nonofficial Actors in Conflict Management." Chapter 27 in Leashing the Dogs of War

Since the Cold War, small and otherwise insignificant actors have played major roles in international relations and conflict resolution. Large coalitions such as the United Nations have been joined by smaller ones with a stronger regional focus. Regional alliances have provided a voice to smaller nations and their people. Similarly, non-governmental organizations have also played an increasingly important role in international relations and conflict resolution. Such organizations can easily be referred to as "unofficial" because they are not the central actors: nor do they write or sign treaties. Even as they are unofficial, NGOs possess significant power and exude clout especially in the peacemaking process.

NGOs seem to have little official power; they are not endowed with the ability to act as definitively as official actors such as the United Nations. However, NGOs wield power in a similar way as the official organizations and states they work with. NGOs are also integral to the peacemaking process because they have the ability to mediate and intervene, to step in when states are too embroiled in conflict to act within a reasonable time frame.

Understanding the role and importance of NGOs is crucial for all parties involved in the peacemaking process. Specific examples can help contemporary foreign relations specialists to create programs and plans that foster strong ties between governments and NGOs. For instance, the Henri Dunant Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HDC) helped mediate a severe conflict between the Indonesian government and the Acehnese rebels. Other NGOs have played less visible roles in mediating peace, such as by drawing international media attention toward small and forgotten regions of the globe. NGOs also work in a direct and hands-on fashion by capacity building: such as helping troubled regions develop infrastructure and make social and physical repairs after wartime. The power possessed by groups like the HDC can also be broken down into six types: informational, expert, referent, legitimate, reward, and coercive power. NGOs must capitalize on their power to implement timely and efficient conflict resolution.