Conflict Prevention: Mercy Corps trains communities in Katsina on Interest-Based Negotiation
By Zubairu Idris
In an effort to bolster conflict prevention and enhance peaceful coexistence, an NGO, Mercy Corps, has organised a four-day training on Interest-Based Negotiation for some selected communities in Katsina State.
Mercy Corps Senior Programme Manager, Mr Philip Ikita, said the training is being run under their Conflict Prevention, Crisis Response and Resilience programme.
The project is funded by the European Union, and implemented in partnership with the International Organisation for Migration and the Center of Democracy and Development.
It has the theme: ‘Promoting Locally-Driven Peace Initiatives and Preventing Conflict through Interest-Based Negotiation (IBN), and Community and Social Development Resource Management’.
Ikita said the programme was built on the successes of the Conflict Mitigation and Community Reconciliation initiative which sought to promote long-term peace and stability in the North-west.
He said project, focused on 48 communities in 10 Local Government Areas in Katsina and Zamfara States, would address the root causes of conflict, enhance community resilience, and strengthen socio-economic recovery.
In her presentation, a Senior Programme Officer, Ms Lynda Nkechi-Emmanuel, said the training brought together stakeholders from across Katsina State for two key capacity-building activities designed to equip communities with knowledge and tools to resolve conflict.
“This is to enable them to sustainably manage community and social development resources in their communities.”
Nkechie-Emmanuel took the participants through the Interest-Based Negotiation framework and processes during the training.
She urged them and the public to reach out to Mercy Corps for guidance through Email: info@mcnigeria.com, mobile phone: 0800 4444 1111 (Toll-free Hotline), WhatsApp: 0908 898 8350 and website: www.mercycorps.org.
Also, the Natural Resource Management Advisor, Mr Paul Mafulul, drilled the participants on three negotiation models, while one of the participants, Ma’aru Makaho-Yankara, thanked the NGO for the training and pledged to utilise it in advancing peace in their communities.
