“The findings of this report are based on the experiences of CAD officers working in the field. Their colocation and constant engagement with communities and actors in government at all levels means that for many CAD officers their view of conflict management is often coloured by the perspective of their particular region or state, rather than the overall ‘big picture’ of the North or the South or all of Sudan. Thus the findings speak to the importance of local context, the establishment of relationships of trust, linking traditional and external approaches to conflict management and the importance of sustained engagement with communities. The findings emphasize the importance of limiting the role of CAD’s conflict management work to supporting, facilitating and advising, i.e. stopping short of implementing instead of, or on behalf of, local actors. In this
context, the importance of personalities and personal relationships in carrying out the conflict management work of CAD was stressed – the development of interpersonal relationships is essential for developing trust with counterparts, and trust is an essential pre-requisite for being open to advice and for accepting support.”
