The Institue for Integrated Transitions (IFIT)
Established2012 (2012)
FoundersMark Freeman
TypeNon-governmental organization
Legal statusCharity
PurposeAid transitions to democracy
HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
Key people
Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi (Chairman)[1]
Websitewww.ifit-transitions.org

The Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) is a non-governmental organisation based in Barcelona. It focuses on helping states transition out of cycles of war, crisis and authoritarianism. The organisation played a key role in the Colombia-FARC accords in 2015, and is active across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Founded by Mark Freeman in 2012 following the onset of the Arab Spring, IFIT serves as a resource for local parties negotiating, establishing short-term priorities and setting long-term goals. It hosts several initiatives and practice groups.

Objectives

Founded in 2012 after the Arab Spring, the institute aims to help fragile and conflict-affected states transition sustainably out of war, crisis or authoritarianism.[2][3][4] It hosts policy and consensus-building lessons to support locally led efforts at reducing polarisation and breaking cycles of conflict or repression.[5]

Donors include the governments of Ireland, Norway, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the European Commission. Private donors include the Ford Foundation, Sida, Robert Bosch Stiftung, the European Endowment for Democracy, and the United Nations Development Programme. The institute is active in Afghanistan, Libya, Mexico, Nigeria, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.

Organisation Structure

IFIT operates globally through a decentralised group of 300 experts working as members of staff or within governance bodies, thematic practice groups, country brain trusts, regional programmes or global initiatives.[6] It is headquartered in Barcelona.[7] It's a part of the UN's Mediation Support Network, alongside the Alliance for Peacebuilding, and the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office. Their international council includes John Carlin, Nasser Saidi and Shaharzad Akbar.

Initiatives

Brain Trusts and Colombia peace process

The institute introduced brain trusts in 2016, with 15-18 members with expertise and influence.[8][9][10][11] It was also heavily involved in the Colombia peace process after 2012, serving as the international counsel to the Colombian delegation during negotiations with the FARC rebel group in Havana, leading to accords in December 2015.[12][13][14][15][16] The first brain trust was set up in the aftermath, and is used to facilitate policy discussions. Each receives policy support from IFIT to help achieve strategic goals, such as shaping policies and fostering alliances. The institute also runs the Middle Belt Brain Trust in Nigeria and a brain trust in Venezuela.[9][17]

Initiatives

IFIT has several initiatives, global and regional. Globally, the Peace Treaty Initiative seeks to develop an international law on peace negotiation,[18][19] the Global Initiative on Polarization seeks to propose a definition of what polarisation is and how to tackle its negative effects,[20][21] in collaboration with Ford Foundation, and the Initiative on Apex Court Appointments seeks to create a global protocol for the election of supreme court judges.[5][22]

Regional initiatives

IFIT initiatives modelled after national brain trusts but with a regional focus. Launched in 2022, the first regional initiative is The Regional Programme for Latin America and the Caribbean, with council members including Mariana Aylwin, María Ángela Holguín, Óscar Naranjo, Leonardo Padura, and Tania Pariona Tarqui.

References

  1. ↑ "Institute for Integrated Transitions appoints Prof. Gyimah-Boadi as President of Board of Directors". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  2. ↑ "A Look Behind Closed Doors: Interview with Mark Freeman". Harvard International Review. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2024-01-09. The Institute for Integrated Transitions was set up at the onset of the Arab Spring. It was very much motivated by the idea of creating a think tank that would make easy and accessible key lessons about negotiations––and in particular transitions––available in the context of the Arab Spring, and more generally, to countries that might be emerging from conflict or authoritarian rule.
  3. ↑ Carlin, John (2016-09-27). "How the seeds of corruption are sown in Spain's junior soccer leagues". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2024-01-09. the Institute for Integrated Transitions, which helps countries make the transition from war and dictatorship to peace
  4. ↑ "Constitutional reform, communications & political transformation: An interview with Mark Freeman". Groundviews. 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  5. 1 2 "What do we really know about polarization? Q&A with Mark Freeman". Ford Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-09. we launched the Global Initiative on Polarization to deepen understanding of the diverse causes and consequences of severe polarization in democratic and nondemocratic settings
  6. ↑ LaReau, Renée (2021-05-20). "Master of global affairs students awarded Hesburgh and Offenheiser Fellowships". Keough School - University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  7. ↑ Coll, Bernat (2016-09-30). "Freeman: "Si no se investiga el amaño, lo denunciaremos"". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  8. ↑ Nigeria, Guardian (2021-10-07). "Benue pensioners protest against alleged unpaid pension, gratuity". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  9. 1 2 "Creating a Favorable Environment for Negotiations in Venezuela". WOLA. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  10. ↑ "Effectiveness of Humanitarian Exceptions to Sanctions: Lessons from the Syria Earthquake - Syrian Arab Republic | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  11. ↑ "The Peace or Justice dilemma in Ukraine - Fundación Rafael del Pino". Rafael del Pino Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  12. ↑ "Maduro y oposición buscan "amigos" en el extranjero". diariolasamericas.com (in Spanish). 2017-05-13. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  13. ↑ "A Look Behind Closed Doors: Interview with Mark Freeman". Harvard International Review. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  14. ↑ "Colombia, Sri Lanka and referendums: Interview with Juanita Goebertus". Groundviews. 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  15. ↑ tcruvellier (2018-10-30). "Mark Freeman: how you can negotiate justice and peace". JusticeInfo.net. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  16. ↑ "Diàlegs a Casa: 'Pau a Colòmbia', amb Mark Freeman i David Bondia". Casa Amèrica Catalunya. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  17. ↑ Attah, Solomon (28 Jun 2021). "PMB's approach to insecurity reduce rates of poverty, unemployment, ensures peace – Sule".
  18. ↑ Jo, Hyeran (2023-10-10). "Peace in Sudan is elusive for any would-be mediators – but a new window of opportunity has opened for outside intervention". The Conversation. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  19. ↑ BARCELONA, L. D. / (2016-05-27). "Mark Freeman: "Barcelona tiene el potencial para ser un centro de referencia para el bien común a nivel global"". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-09. Beyond our international activities – such as the launch of the practical advisory group Law and Peace –, since September 2014 we have been collaborating with the BCN International Policy Sector Action Plan, which aims to make the city a place of attraction for NGOs
  20. ↑ "PressReader.com - Digital Newspaper & Magazine Subscriptions". www.pressreader.com. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  21. ↑ Torreón, El Siglo de (2023-09-09). "El debate sobre la polarización: una actualización". www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  22. ↑ "Ford Foundation: frontline organizations and private/public partnerships hold keys to global COVID-19 recovery". Ford Foundation. 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09. The Global Initiative on Polarization – a unique multi-year collaboration between The Ford Foundation and the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) – aims to bring a more global, practice-driven and solution-oriented perspective to the complex problem of polarization. Ford's Playbook recognizes this growing threat to democracy and peace, and highlights how stemming the rise of polarization is critical to an equitable recovery
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