Mr. Obasanjo is one of the most distinguished elder statesmen of Africa. He served as President of the Republic of Nigeria from 1999 to 2007, and before that as the Head of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces from 1976 to 1979. Over his long career, Mr. Obasanjo has been involved in numerous international mediation efforts, including in Angola, Burundi, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa. In 2008 he was appointed the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on the Great Lakes region.

“In these troubled times, fraught and replete with potential and actual conflicts; of trust deficits and a sense of a world adrift, there is a critical need for renewed commitment to diplomacy and mediation to address humanity’s common challenges. A clarion call for persistent, resolute and resilient efforts at peacemaking; for waging peace.”

“Meaningful dialogue and human engagement strike at the core of what mediation efforts should seek to achieve, and are vital tools in the pursuit of peace and assisting parties on their journey toward mutual understanding and compromise. I am honored to serve on the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Advisory Board. I look forward to contributing to his diplomatic surge to help prevent and resolve conflicts, and - importantly  - their root causes.”

Ms. Machel is a former freedom fighter, the first Minister of Education of Mozambique (1975-1989), and an international advocate for women’s and children’s rights. In 1994, the then Secretary-General appointed her to lead an assessment of the impact of armed conflict on children; the resulting report still resonates today. Ms. Machel was, with her husband Nelson Mandela, a founding member of The Elders. She also founded the Graça Machel Trust and was a Member of the UN High-Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda. As a member of the AU Panel of Eminent African Personalities, Ms.

“Mediation is to a healthy world order what wisdom is to decent human interactions in peaceful communities.”

“It is an honour to have been invited by the Secretary General to join his High Level Advisory Board on Mediation. Given the raging conflicts in many parts of our world today and the tensions that threaten to break out into open conflicts or hostilities, activating and operationalising the mediation diplomacy arm of the United Nations is not only needed, but imperative. It is my sincere hope to be able to provide sound advice to the Secretary General, and to support his noble and timely initiative in conflict resolution and prevention.”

“The Secretary General’s emphasis on preventive diplomacy through strengthening mediation is both urgent and timely. Our inability to respond adequately to complex and protracted conflicts around the world has led to the largest number of displaced people since World War II. The international community has to find better ways to leverage effective diplomatic networks, work together to prevent wars, and build fairer and more cohesive societies.

“The UN can help if it can connect – our job is to help the UN connect.”

Mr. Harland has been Executive Director of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, a private diplomacy organization headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, that works globally to help prevent, mitigate or resolve armed conflicts through dialogue and mediation. Mr. Harland previously worked for the United Nations, including in Bosnia, Kosovo, Haiti and Timor-Leste, and has served as the Chair of the World Economic Forum conflict prevention council.

“Sustainable peace and sustainable development are linked like two legs of jeans, and I hope to bring my experience from realising SDGs to Advisory Board’s discussions. A peace process concerns the society as a whole, and women need to be involved. Respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights is at the core of conflict prevention and peacemaking.”