Conflict between Somali and Ethiopia

Résumé du document

At the outset, we deliver a reminder about Somali history. Once this summary is done, we will try to understand the conflict through the "getting to yes" precepts and the situation of the Africa Horn. For each point, we will analyze what the position of each party, and what could be done better to improve the situation and lead to a fair negotiation process. We will build our work on the 4 principles of negotiation described by Roger Fisher and William Ury in their book named "Getting to Yes?: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, (New York: Penguin Books, 1983). First of all the analysis must be able to separate the people from the problem from the beginning, in order to allow place for argument and avoid passion and other feelings which could lead the negotiation to a catastrophic end. The second important principle is that parties must be focused on interests rather than positions, and move in another field to find a common grain to share. At the same time, this principle doesn't mean that one must abandon his beliefs or point of view on a problem.

Extraits

[...] These criteria could concern common reference regarding the domain of activity and what a common agreement could consist in objective criteria should be remind to parties at every stage of the negotiating process and a mean to focus on common interest and to channel energy. A good objective criteria has the same meaning and the same value for both parties, it could help reasoning. As Islamist are driven by their religion believes, and their emotion regarding their action, this is impossible for them to act under a reasoning process. [...]

[...] Moreover, the better the party's BATNA is prepared, the better chance this party has to specifically understand what the other party's BATNA consists in. Indeed, this method is a strong strategy to implement a good negotiating environment, especially if your party is the weak one. At the end, the better your BATNA is prepared the best chance your party has to see its wishes over-evaluated. The situation under a power perspective could be analyzed under different perspective. The Islamists party isn't powerful as they want to be because their represent a minority on the Somali territory. [...]

[...] The African Union wants to send military forces in Somali to stabilize the country. The African Union is an organisation created by nations of Africa which wants their independency toward international organisations, they build the independency of Africa and their aim is to manage the conflicts which occur on the Africa territory. Negotiation and conflict resolution Diane NEVEU 1B April The parties' interests analyzed under the principles of negotiation The concerned parties at the beginning are: Somali and Ethiopia Their interests in the negotiation are the following ones: Somali: To reach a political stability This interest is very important for the country as it will make it able to attract other nations for an economical development. [...]

[...] The party chooses an uncomfortable and stressful environment. The other party has to react as quickly as possible before the beginning of the negotiation to ask for a better environment to negotiate. To avoid such situation, when the party recognizes that the other party isn't in a mood to behave following fair principles of negotiation, the most efficient reaction is to put the other in front of its behavior. When the party clearly explains the other party its behavior and the consequences of it, the party shows the other one that the unfair behavior is proven and that a negotiation process won't be apply in such conditions. [...]

[...] This is named "negotiation jujitsu" to bring the other party in line, like in this sport; the party uses the strengths of the other one to win. When the party attacks with its proposal, the other party should not respond but retire to come back to the negotiated problem and before making another proposal, the party should ask for the reasons which stay behind such a proposal. Thanks to that, the party has to consider that the other really wants to understand what the party's interests are and that this one is in a listening behaviour. [...]