ABSTRACT
Mediation activities conducted by multiple third parties are commonly referred to as multiparty mediation. Multiparty mediation has become a very practical solution to modern day conflicts, which require elevated levels of commitment in order to manage them. In the early phases of conflict, before parties resort to physical violence, combined interventions of non-official actors can help to defuse conflicts before they escalate. The use of coercive threats and side payments by third parties might induce conflicting sides to change their preconceived options and convince them to turn away from violence. Free riding is a very common liability associated with multiparty mediation processes. Many parties join the efforts because they do not have to bear the high costs of mediating alone and can still reap the benefits of a successful mediation. Forum shopping poses a serious challenge to multiparty mediation processes. Achieving coherence, coordination and complementarity becomes extremely difficult as the mediating coalition becomes enlarged.
