Conflict over land, water, and other natural resources are at the root of many historical and modern conflicts in Ethiopia and around the world.  The UN anticipates that climate change will acerbate resource-based conflict in the coming years. 

Recognizing that constructive dialogue is the only durable solution to peace in Ethiopia, the U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia supported one-day workshops in Mekelle and Addis Ababa March 13 and 15 to introduce conflict mediation mechanisms with demonstrated success in defusing community-level resource-based conflict.  The workshops trained sixty-five government officials, university faculty, civil society leaders and think tanks working on environment on how to integrate mediation techniques into their strategies for resolving local land and resource disputes by encouraging all parties to look for shared interests that lead to pathways out of conflict and towards constructive problem solving.  

This Restorative Practices for Environmental Problems project was implemented by Mekelle and Bahir Dar Universities through a U.S. government grant.