Concordis International was launched as an independent charity in 2004 building on work by Relationships Foundation International in Sudan and Rwanda. They are currently working in the Central African Republic, Mauretania, Cote d’Ivoire, South Sudan and the Abyei Administration Area (AAA) which lies between Sudan and South Sudan and whose status as part of Sudan or Sudan Sudan is unresolved.
Their mission is to work towards the prevention and transformation of violent social conflict by:
- Creating the stable conditions necessary for social and economic development
- Engaging hostile groups in community level peace processes
- Developing peacebuilding skills in communities where tensions run high
- Positively influencing the outcome of high-level peace processes
- Being committed to impartial, inclusive and sustained long-term engagement
Their approach is around the premise that informed dialogue between influential people on different sides of conflict:
- Builds trust across lines of conflict and social divisions
- Facilitates consensus-building on the basis of shared interests
- Contributes positively to negotiation processes
- Creates the climate for more general peaceful relations.