Independent Diplomat

PAST PROJECTS

Croatia

Independent Diplomat has previously worked with the Republic of Croatia on its European Union accession process. ID provided independent external analysis and advice and acted as a supplementary source of information on what the EU sources were thinking on both general and very specific issues in Croatia's accession process.

Membership in the EU will be the culmination of Croatia's progress towards peace, security and development following the conflicts of the 1990s. ID staff have extensive experience in EU and NATO accession; with access to a wide network of senior EU diplomats, based both in Brussels and members' capitals, with which to access the best "inside track" expertise and knowledge.

Kosovo

Independent Diplomat’s first project was to advise the government, and later the multi-party negotiating team, of Kosovo before and during the so-called “final status” process, which culminated in Kosovo’s independence in 2008.  This process was managed by the UN, but was steered politically by the Contact Group, a small group of six countries which dominated international decision-making on Kosovo and the South East European region.

Under the terms of the UN Security Council decisions on Kosovo, the Kosovo government was not permitted any diplomatic representation or a foreign ministry, limiting its ability to gather information and interpret this sometimes secretive process which was nonetheless crucial to Kosovo’s future. 

ID provided Kosovo with detailed information, analysis and advice on the intentions of and dynamics within the Contact Group and the various UN bodies involved, including the UN Special Envoy appointed to run the negotiation process, Martti Ahtisaari.  One of ID’s successes was to help the Kosovo Prime Minister address the UN Security Council for the first time on his country’s situation, a privilege which had previously been denied to Kosovo's representatives.

The Republic of Somaliland

ID advised the democratically-elected government of Somaliland, which seeks international acceptance and diplomatic recognition of the state of Somaliland, from 2006 to 2010. The international recognition of Somaliland will consolidate the peace and security that Somaliland has achieved, remove the grounds for future Somaliland-Somalia conflict and assist Somaliland's development by improving the conditions for both private sector investment and development assistance.

Through its network of offices in Addis Ababa, Brussels, London, New York and Washington, ID explored the Somaliland issue with diplomatic contacts and deepened the government of Somaliland's understanding of the views of international interlocutors, both in governments and international organisations. Independent Diplomat helped the government of Somaliland to develop its diplomatic strategy, prioritise its targets and get its message across more effectively.

ID organised or assisted with arrangements for diplomatic visits for Somaliland's President and Foreign Minister to Brussels, London, New York and Washington. With Independent Diplomat's help, Somaliland won additional support in Africa and gained increased attention in the wider international community. A number of African states have argued at Ministerial level at African Union Summits that the African Union must positively address the Somaliland issue.

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus

Independent Diplomat worked with the Office of the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, H.E. Mehmet Alit Talat, from 2007 through 2010 to provide independent and expert information and diplomatic advice on the negotiations process, which followed the failure of the 2004 United Nations (Annan Plan) reunification plan. ID offices utilised their network of diplomatic contacts to keep abreast of political developments on Cyprus, monitoring closely the positions of EU member states and institutions, the UN secretariat and other engaged international actors. ID also advised the TRNC on public and diplomatic presentations of its case, and on particular issues concerned with lifting the international isolation of its people.

ID provided advice on diplomatic strategy to the TRNC President in his efforts to negotiate, under UN auspices, a bizonal, bicommunal federal state on the island of Cyprus. ID advised the TRNC leadership on the European Commission's strategy for dealing with the Turkish Cypriot community. ID also reported and analysed the positions taken by key international actors, closely following the EU's internal institutional changes and its developing relationship with Turkey, and facilitated the clients' communication with them, including hosting meetings between the Turkish Cypriot leadership and senior EU member state officials.

ID supplied input on particular issues as they arose in the negotiations process, including research on specific constitutional arrangements in federal states and EU practice in terms of adapting the Treaties to fit and reflect particular local needs, research on electoral colleges as a means of consensus-building in divided societies and guidance on cases where specific local security arrangements (as sought by the Turkish Cypriots in the settlement process) have been incorporated into the European Union's structure. ID also advised on relations with the European Commission in general and in particular on the course of the "Orams case" in the British and European courts (a key development in the property rights debate).

NGOs and other Organisations

Organisations ID has advised on diplomatic aspects of their work include:

• ActionAid International Somaliland
• Human Rights First
• The Elders
• The Free West Papua Campaign UK
• The International Center for Transitional Justice
• The Oxford Research Group
• The Western Sahara Campaign UK
• World Wildlife Fund