What’s more, these conflicts are unlike anything we’ve seen before.
Countries are grappling with escalating internal strife, fueled by technological advances and the worsening impact of climate change. In this rapidly shifting landscape, traditional diplomacy often falls short. It raises the urgent question: What innovative conflict resolution strategies can lead to lasting peace?
Enter “Track-Two Diplomacy” — a form of unofficial diplomacy where academics, retired officials, NGO leaders and other societal figures can explore fresh ideas, build relationships and seek new paths forward without the constraints of formal commitments.
University of Ottawa Professor Peter Jones is an expert in this emerging and evolving field. His experience with the Canadian government launched him into a career researching this unique form of diplomacy, which he now uses to address current conflicts.
Uncovering an unofficial practice dating back decades
Professor Jones began his career negotiating arms control treaties and working on mediation and dialogue efforts for the Government of Canada.
During this time, he noticed that officials often struggled to engage in meaningful dialogue while adhering to rigid instructions and protocols. “I wondered if there was a way for people to talk unofficially and explore alternative approaches,” he says.
Driven by this curiosity, Jones left government service to work at a research institute in Stockholm. There, he began facilitating informal discussions between individuals close to their respective governments — people who understood the issues but weren’t bound by official roles.
“I didn’t realize, back then, that the term for this work was Track Two diplomacy and that it had a history,” says Jones. “By the mid-90s, we knew these quiet, behind-the-scenes discussions were happening, but there was little in the way of research on how they worked, their best practices or their challenges.”
Studying the past to support resolution in the present
Determined to develop a formal body of knowledge about this practice, Jones has devoted his career to studying unofficial forms of conflict resolution and dialogue and to the practice of these processes.
A key part of his research involves analyzing past instances where progress was made in seemingly intractable conflicts. “Take Northern Ireland or South Africa, for example,” says the Faculty of Social Sciences professor. “They didn’t exactly become peaceful, but they significantly reduced major fighting. What lessons from those situations could help resolve present-day conflicts?” he asks.
Jones also explores the recurring challenges of unofficial dialogue. “As a field, we must show that we adhere to high ethical standards of practice.”
One major hurdle is translating ideas from Track Two dialogues into formal diplomatic efforts, a process known in the field as transfer. “To ensure these dialogues are not just talking shops, it’s critical to identify clear paths for transferring ideas to where they can make an impact,” says Jones.
Measuring the effectiveness and impact of these dialogues poses yet another challenge. “How do we gauge the success of what is typically a long-term, hidden process?”
One solution Jones proposes is to incorporate some level of official representation into unofficial dialogues. “This increasingly popular approach, often called Track 1.5, bridges the gap between official and unofficial diplomacy, enhancing credibility, transferability and effectiveness,” he explains.
Jones also underscores the importance of involving civil society in conflict resolution. “Known as Track Three, public advocacy ensures that peace efforts are inclusive and truly transform societies in conflict.”
Putting theory into practice
For Jones, making an impact means extending his research beyond the lab and into the field. That’s why he founded the Ottawa Dialogue, a research and action organization at uOttawa dedicated to dialogue-driven conflict resolution around the world.
Closely related to its practice work, the Ottawa Dialogue has an ambitious research and publications program, which focuses on Track Two. “We take the view that practice and research inform and shape each other,” Jones says.
The Ottawa Dialogue’s efforts have led to international recognition. Two years ago, it was admitted to the Mediation Support Network, a United Nations sponsored grouping of the world’s leading conflict resolution and mediation NGOs. The Ottawa Dialogue is the only Canadian organization in the MSU.
“Since our establishment in 2007, we’ve facilitated conflict resolution initiatives between India and Pakistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, Iran and the USA, in Afghanistan, and Israel-Palestine.”
Among these, the India-Pakistan dialogue stands out as one of the longest-running and most successful. “The project began over 15 years ago, addressing their complex military and nuclear relationship. Through a series of discreet meetings, our work and relationship has continued and evolved to address other challenges as well.”
Professor Jones and Ottawa Dialogue are also active in countries where conflict resolution skills are urgently needed. “We’re running a training program in Myanmar, where various conflicts are happening between different religious, ethnic and political groups,” says Jones.
“These intertwined conflicts are complex, and the lack of institutional knowledge about how to facilitate these kinds of dialogues adds another layer to the challenge. Those who ran such dialogues in the past have either been put in jail or fled the country.”
With support from the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Jones and his team are working to identify and train people who could run such dialogues in Myanmar in the future, with a particular focus on women and youth — two groups traditionally under-represented in peace process efforts. “It’s about capacity building so that if and when the country is ready to begin a peace process, there will be a network of trained people ready to step in.”