The Horn Mediators’ Brave New World
Nov 5, 2025
Timur Söylemez, a former Turkish ambassador and head of Türkiye's mediation unit, shares insights into the complex world of conflict mediation. He discusses the challenges mediators face today, such as rising skepticism towards multilateral efforts and the decline of effective global institutions. Söylemez highlights Türkiye's unique, results-oriented approach compared to Western methods, emphasizing its role in mediating tensions in the Horn of Africa, particularly between Somalia and Ethiopia, and its exploratory efforts in Sudan.
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Institutionalizing Mediation Capacity
- Turkey created a dedicated mediation directorate to professionalize methodology, networks and coordination across its foreign ministry.
- Timur Söylemez set it up, ran operations and prioritized internal and external coordination to make mediation sustainable.
Mediation As National Interest
- Turkey mediates because regional instability directly affects its migration, economy and security interests.
- Ankara treats prevention and mitigation of crises as necessary to protect trade and domestic growth.
Erosion Of Multilateral Foundations
- Söylemez argues conflict resolution is harder due to eroded trust in international frameworks and rising impunity.
- New actors, money and technology have created a more competitive, short-term environment for mediation.