Dr. Warren R. Haffar, Associate Dean for Internationalization and Director of the International Peace and Conflict Resolution master’s program, spoke on “Peacebuilding and Conflict Resolution/Special Envoys” on Monday, Feb. 1, at the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia.

Recognizing that U.S. campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that military force alone cannot ensure peace in all conflicts, Haffar addressed questions such as: How can the U.S. successfully integrate the tools of peacebuilding into its statecraft? At what point do poverty, disease and climate change threaten national security? What role can non-governmental actors play in supporting government led efforts? Special envoys can help bring attention and diplomatic muscle to resolve conflicts and global challenges but they also bring with them their own “special” problems. Will the Obama administration’s reliance on special envoys increase the ability of the U.S. to deal with major international issues or complicate our diplomatic options?