On February 19th and 20th, the Initiative on Emerging Threats at the NYU SPS Center for Global Affairs hosted its 6th Annual International Strategic Crisis Negotiation Exercise in collaboration with the US Army War College. The exercise exposes participants to the process of and complexity inherent in the conduct of international diplomacy and intra-nation strategic-level negotiations. This year, over 50 Masters’ students from NYU (Center for Global Affairs, International Relations, Wagner), Fordham, and Seton Hall negotiated the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan representing the interests of delegations from Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the SPLM-N rebel group. The exercise covered a number of issues including border demarcation, disarmament, oil, security sector reform, and humanitarian assistance. Ambassador Dennis Jett served as the UN/AU Special Representative facilitating the negotiations. Professors Mary Beth Altier, Christopher Ankersen, Olajumoke Ayandele,
Sylvia Maier, Jens Rudbeck, and WPS Sidhu and Ambassador Maureen Quinn served as faculty mentors. According to Mary Beth Altier, Clinical Associate Professor and Director of the Initiative on Emerging Threats, “The exercise provides students not only substantive knowledge of regional issues, but the ability to hone their negotiation and diplomacy skills as they prepare for careers in global affairs. The purpose of the War College in running the exercise is to develop these soft skills among future leaders in the hopes of avoiding conflict escalation and the use of military force.”