This Week in Peace #9: November 17

Welcome back to This Week in Peace, our weekly series covering global peacebuilding. 

This week, we discuss “panda diplomacy”, Russian peace activists who remain steadfast despite facing , a rare instance of a military deployment building peace in South Sudan, and continued international efforts to negotiate a ceasefire or “humanitarian pause” in Gaza. 

The US and China

U.S. President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a summit in San Francisco on Wednesday, for their first meeting in over a year. The two discussed a wide variety of topics, and in a positive sign, were able to reach a consensus on a wide variety of topics. The meeting was an important diplomatic step to reduce tensions, especially as disputes over the status of Taiwan and territorial boundaries in the South China Sea have raised fears of future war. While the talks did not resolve all disputes between the two states – and Biden stated that he still sees Xi as a dictator – it did result in some positive developments that will help to reduce the threat of a potential future conflict  between the two nuclear superpowers. Crucially, the summit resulted in the agreement to reestablish military-to-military communication, which is highly important to reduce the risk of miscommunication leading to escalation and potential conflict. While the status of Taiwan remains a major issue, Xi was adamant that China does not have plans to invade Taiwan, despite increased military activity around the island. Such a war would be extremely destructive and likely draw in the U.S. and other regional actors, avoiding it is crucial to maintaining a peaceful environment in the East Pacific. 

In lighter news, the meeting did result in at least one positive development. Xi seemed open to giant pandas returning to American zoos, calling them “envoys of friendship between the Chinese and American people”. Whether or not “panda diplomacy” can lead to a more peaceful sort of competition and cooperation between the world’s two largest economies remains to be seen. Along with China’s decision to invite thousands of Americans to China for study programs, this sort of cultural diplomacy can help to build positive personal connections between both societies and reduce the risk of war in the Pacific. 

Peace News has published a number of stories focused on U.S. peacebuilidng, which you can find here. 

Russia

Russia’s war in Ukraine continues, accompanied by continued repression at home and in occupied areas of Ukraine. The prospects for peace remain distant, as anti-war voices within Russia find themselves silenced or persecuted by the state security forces and justice system. This week, an artist named Sasha Skochilenko was sentenced to seven years imprisonment in a penal colony, for posting anti-war messages in a supermarket. Following Russia’s invasion, draconian laws outlawed many forms of protest against the war. Skochilenko, who had been detained since April, was convicted of “discrediting the Russian army”, and is one of many activists and journalists given harsh sentences for speaking out in support of peace, or opposing the regime. In the last week alone, Russia instituted new restrictions on the media ahead of next year’s presidential elections, and added three imprisoned lawyers, who represent jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny, to a list of “extremists and terrorists”. As the war in Ukraine continues, many Ukrainians are fleeing Russian-occupied territory, where they face oppressive military rule. That occupation remains the largest impediment to peace, 

Peace News has covered the Russian invasion of Ukraine, along with the preceding conflict in the Donbas, and will continue to highlight efforts to build peace in the region. You can find our past coverage here, and keep an eye out for future stories on the subject.  

South Sudan

This week in South Sudan saw one of the rare cases where a military deployment actually helps build peace. Since the end of a destructive civil war in 2018, the resulting unity government has struggled to fully implement the peace agreement that ended the fighting. An important aspect of the peace deal was the incorporation of former rebels into the armed forces. This week, the first unified battalion was officially deployed for the first time. This was an important step to ensure that the peace process remains on track, in advance of the first-ever presidential election in 2024. It combines forces loyal to President Salva Kiir, and Vice President Riek Machar, former enemies who now serve in a unity government together. Five years after the end of the destructive civil war, in which 400,000 were killed and many more displaced, further progress is necessary to ensure free and fair elections next year, and a peaceful first transition of power in the world’s youngest country. 

Peace News has extensively covered South Sudan in the past, you can find our previous stories here. 

Israel Palestine

Global pressure continues to build for a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel’s ground campaign continues. Peace remains out of reach, and while the broad international consensus on the need for a permanent resolution to the wider conflict in the form of a two-state solution is welcome, it has done little to bring an end to the current fighting. Qatar has been attempting to mediate a deal between the two sides that would see 50 hostages released from Gaza and a three-day truce implemented. French President Emmanuel Macron remains one of the most prominent global voices calling for a ceasefire, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau strongly emphasized the need for Israel to show restraint in order to protect civilians in Gaza. Biden continues to reject calls for a ceasefire, but in a significant development, the UN Security Council approved a resolution calling for “dayslong humanitarian pauses” to save lives in Gaza. The resolution calls for the protection of civilians, especially children, and for the release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas. While the resolution will likely not be implemented by either side, it is a positive sign that there is growing global consensus around the need to end civilian deaths in Gaza, and prioritize the protection of civilians. 

Unfortunately, this week also saw the confirmation of the death of Vivian Silver, a renowned peace activist who was killed by Hamas on October 7th. Silver was the founder of Women Wage Peace, and dedicated her life to finding a peaceful resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This news is yet another reminder that civilians have suffered the most from this conflict, and that unless a permanent peaceful resolution to the wider conflict is found, the cycle of violence will continue. The work of Silver, and of a new generation of Israeli and Palestinian peacebuilders, is crucial to making that happen, and 

You can read more of our coverage of this topic here, and check out our recent story on peacebuilders working to build bridges between Israelias and Palestinians here.