A leading American expert in conflict resolution says the only way to solve a conflict at any level of society -- whether in families or communities, nationally or internationally -- is to sit down and talk. He says people who can’t talk to each other will not be able to solve problems. In an interview with Voice of America English to Africa reporter John Monibah, Ambassador John W. McDonald said it takes everybody in the community and in the nation to work together to build a process that works.
Several countries in Africa are currently embroiled in seemingly intractable internal conflicts. Many mediation efforts are underway but with little apparent progress. Ambassador McDonald is head of the Washington, DC-based Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy. In the interview he says that conflicts in Africa can be resolved faster if all parties meet at the negotiation table.