Meet the Parties – Independent Diplomat

Although institutions such as the United Nations Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council play a central role in addressing global crises, their decision-making processes are often difficult for civil society and non-state actors to access. At the same time, members of these bodies often lack the time to travel to affected regions and engage directly with people on the ground.

This is where Meet the Parties, a program run by our partner Independent Diplomat (ID), comes in. It brings people and organizations from conflict-affected regions under discussion at the highest political levels into direct dialogue with decision-makers. In confidential conversations, they can share their experiences and assessments of the current situation firsthand.

The program’s work with the United Nations Security Council has proven successful. With support from the Robert Bosch Stiftung, it is now being expanded to the African Union Peace and Security Council. This creates a direct exchange that connects practical insights from civil society with political decision-making, helping to ensure that those affected by conflict have a voice in efforts to resolve it.