Ensuring cooperation and collaboration among mediation support actors is essential to support mediation processes effectively. With this objective in mind, the Mediation Support Unit (MSU) has established partnerships with several specialized institutions. Such collaboration allows MSU to draw upon the expertise of renowned specialists.

The character of the partnerships range from comprehensive multi-year programmes, containing institutionalized cooperation procedures such as desk-to-desk interactions, to more flexible work plans or specific activities without a need to formalize the relationship, and can include joint deployments. All partnerships aim at strengthening the mediation capacities of these organizations, as well building linkages which allow for more coherent and complementary approaches in specific mediation processes.

Additional partnerships are being established as needed; more informal partnerships also exist with a number of other organisations involved in mediation.