Peace talks involve complex trade-offs that can be challenging to manage. They can also be impacted by the context, structure and composition of a conflict as well as the actors involved in its management.
Various structural barriers may derail peace processes, including: the willingness of warring parties to negotiate in good faith; inclusion of non-state actors in the process; addressing the root causes of conflict; and the commitment of negotiators to a sustained process. In addition, there are numerous strategic barriers that influence the success of a peace process such as: the efforts by warring parties to maximize bargaining power at the expense of other parties; the use of hard strategies and tactics to advance their agenda; the desire by powerful parties to bypass other stakeholders in negotiations; and the desire of the warring parties to gain military gains while minimizing their concessions.
The dynamics of peace negotiations are also influenced by the inclusion/exclusion of certain stakeholders in the peace process, such as civil society or the business community. The exclusion of these groups can create a perception of bias in the outcome of the negotiations and contribute to legitimacy issues and/or sustainability challenges once the agreement is reached. Organizational components refer to arrangements/mechanisms that promote and facilitate peace consolidation after the conclusion of the peace agreement. Substantive components refer to the substantive changes that are needed in order to address past grievances and provide a framework for future peace.