Hamad Bin Khalifa University’s (HBKU) College of Public Policy (CPP) hosted a public lecture by Dr. Erin McCandless, Distinguished Visiting Professor Of Public Value, CPP, and Senior Researcher, Global Institute for Strategic Research, which considered prospects for the development of enduring and sustainable peace agreements.

Dr. McCandless detailed how and why peace agreements are often short-lived, citing how the increasing complexity of modern conflicts combined with intersecting crises of a humanitarian, environmental, or economic nature leads to a breakdown in relations and a reversion to a state of war.

She also drew from her time researching and evaluating policies and facilitating strategic policy-relevant processes as a consultant for the United Nations and other organizations to give a grounded perspective on the realities that shape peace agreements. Utilizing her three decades of experience working on and in transitional settings in over 20 countries, Dr. McCandless presented existing evidence on how the adoption of promising negotiation practices could lead to lasting peace agreements that foster inclusive development. She also explored the critical roles that rising non-traditional, non-Western actors such as Qatar and South Africa are playing in shaping a dynamic and evolving mediation- and peace process hosting- ecosystem.     

Commenting on the seminar series, Dr. Leslie Pal, Founding Dean, CPP, said: “We were proud to welcome Dr. McCandless as our Spring 2024 Eminent Visiting Policy Scholar. Her deep understanding of political dynamics across the Arab world provided invaluable insights to the dialogue surrounding these issues from a public policy context here at the College.”

CPP aims to become one of the leading public policy schools in the region and the world and a center for teaching and researching responses to policy questions of local and global relevance. The College actively leverages local and transnational synergies and collaborations with distinguished international partners to facilitate expertise and build capacity in Qatar and beyond.