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Opinion

Hello from UNITAR: Learn negotiation skills for international meetings

by Yoko Morita, UNITAR Hiroshima Office

Nuclear disarmament and abolishment of nuclear weapons are important and familiar topics for me, born in Hiroshima. There have been good occasions for me to think about nuclear issues, such as participation in the Peace Memorial Ceremonies and meeting with survivors. However, I was not so conscious about global frameworks and the efforts put into reducing nuclear weapons until I became an adult.

It was fresh to me to see how participants were learning at last year’s UNITAR Hiroshima Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Training Programme that I supported. During the programme, government officials of member states of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) deepened their knowledge of current global trends regarding nuclear issues including adoption of the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and enhanced their negotiation skills. Toward the end of the training, the participants conducted role play assuming they were attending a Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. The questions they were faced were, do we “implement,” “reaffirm,” or “propose” one of the sections of an article? At which point of moment and to which actor should it be addressed to? Everyone tries to win a concession from other stakeholders and every word counts. To better negotiate and compromise if necessary, it is important to first understand the situation of other parties, especially those who come from very different backgrounds.

Based on the lessons learned from the previous cycle, we are working hard to hold a further elaborated programme this fiscal year. Selected participants will visit Hiroshima and learn the city’s experience in March 2019.

(Originally published on November 27, 2018)

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