The members of the Group of Friends of Mediation are committed to promoting a culture of mediation in their national policies, as well as regionally and internationally.

Furthermore, the Group aims to:

• Raise awareness of the need for and utility of mediation at all stages of the conflict continuum especially with a view to preventing conflict.
• Encourage relevant actors, including regional and sub-regional organizations, to undertake mediation activities and to engage more women in mediation.
• Highlight the importance of the full and effective participation of women at all stages and at all levels of peace processes as well as the crucial role of gender expertise in mediation.
• Provide a forum to bring together expertise and to share lessons learned between different actors.
• Create, foster and expand the network of mediators.
• Improve cooperation and coordination amongst different actors, in order to increase complementarity and coherence of efforts.
• Increase the capabilities for mediation, especially within the UN framework.
• Promote mediation-related capacity building, including through regional arrangements and networks.
• Promote the development of guidelines and/or a code of conduct for mediation, taking into account the specific nature of each conflict.
• Mobilize more resources in order to secure sustained funding for mediation activities.
• Support the development of early warning response capabilities.
• Provide political support to UN appointed mediators.

Co-chairs

Finland, Türkiye

United Nations Member States

Algeria, Austria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Denmark, Djibouti, Germany, Honduras, Hungary, Indonesia, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Morocco, Nepal, Netherlands, Norway, Oman, Panama, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tanzania (United Republic of), Uganda, United Kingdom, United States of America.

International and Regional Organizations

African Union (AU), League of Arab States (LAS), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), European Union (EU), Organization of American States (OAS), Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), United Nations (UN).

The Group of Friends meets annually at Ministerial level, usually on the margins of the General Assembly. It also holds regular meetings at the level of Permanent Representatives and Experts in New York. Additionally, a network of focal points in the capitals/headquarters of the Members has been established, in order to further coordinate efforts.

As part of its support to promoting and advancing the use of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution, the Group of Friends has advanced several General Assembly resolutions on mediation:

• In 2011, during the 65th session of the General Assembly, the Group of Friends tabled a draft, which subsequently became General Assembly resolution 65/283 on "Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution".
   
• In 2012, the Secretary-General submitted a report to the General Assembly on the implementation of the resolution, annexed with the United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation. Following this, during its 66th Session, the General Assembly adopted a new resolution (A/RES/66/291) in which it encouraged the use of the Guidance for Effective Mediation by all relevant actors and decided to continue consideration of mediation on a biannual basis.
   
• In 2014, the General Assembly, by adopting resolution 68/303 encouraged the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations to continue to develop their mediation capacities; use United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation in their efforts; increase awareness of the importance of mediation through conferences, seminars and workshops; and ensure women’s equal and full participation in all forums and at all levels of dispute settlement and conflict resolution processes. It also asked the Secretary-General to submit a report during the Assembly’s 70th session on cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations on mediation.
   
• In 2016, during the 70th session, the General Assembly received Secretary-General's report (A/70/328) on Cooperation between the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations on mediation and passed resolution 70/304 that reaffirmed the respective role and authority of the General Assembly and the Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security in accordance with the Charter. The General Assembly further requested the Secretary-General to submit a report to the Assembly at its seventy-second session on United Nations activities in support of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution. The report (A/72/115) analyses five elements of mediation support, providing examples of United Nations activities within the framework of each element.

Apart from General Assembly Resolutions, the Group of Friends has engaged in a number of activities and discussions in the field of mediation. For more information, see key documents of the Group of Friends below.

Materials provided on this page are provided by Member States