Médiation Géopolitique : Nouvelles Puissances Médiatrices vs Les Néo-Prédatrices | ESSEC Webinar

Why It Matters

Profit‑driven mediation transforms conflict resolution into a strategic tool for resource extraction and geopolitical influence, threatening the impartiality essential for durable peace.

Key Takeaways

• Mediators seek status, prestige, and visibility regardless of outcome.
• Successful mediation can yield economic returns and Nobel‑type recognition.
• Some powers use mediation to extract material benefits, like mineral rights.
• Recent US “Trump‑mediated” initiatives span Ukraine, Middle East, Africa.
• Predatory mediation blurs line between conflict resolution and business politics.

Summary

The ESSEC‑hosted webinar examined the evolving landscape of geopolitical mediation, contrasting emerging mediating powers with what speakers termed “neo‑predatory” actors. Led by Aurien Colson, director of the Iréné Centre, the discussion traced historical cases—from Oslo’s 1993 OLP‑Israel talks to Dayton’s 1995 Yugoslav settlement—and highlighted recent U.S. initiatives under Donald Trump that span Ukraine, the Middle East, and Africa.

Colson presented a three‑tier typology of mediator motivations: the pursuit of status and credibility, the pursuit of tangible returns when mediation succeeds, and the extraction of concrete material benefits from settlement terms. He cited Jacob Bergovic’s blunt assertion that mediators are “there for profit,” and illustrated how the United States embeds clauses—such as a 50 % return on investment and first‑right offers on Ukrainian minerals—into peace agreements, effectively turning mediation into a revenue‑generating venture.

Notable examples reinforced the argument: Jimmy Carter’s Nobel‑winning Camp David talks, Martti Ahtisaari’s Kosovo mediation, and Trump’s claim of ending multiple wars while securing rights to critical minerals like coltan. These cases demonstrate how personal prestige, national branding, and economic leverage intertwine in modern diplomatic practice.

The implications are profound: mediation is increasingly framed as a business strategy, blurring the line between impartial conflict resolution and geopolitical profiteering. Policymakers, NGOs, and scholars must scrutinize mediator motives to safeguard the integrity of peace processes and prevent resource‑driven predation from reshaping global power dynamics.

Original Description

Dans un monde marqué par la brutalisation des rapports internationaux et la multiplication des crises, la médiation diplomatique occupe une place centrale, et ambivalente, dans la gestion des conflits. De nouveaux acteurs géopolitiques émergent comme des médiateurs crédibles, à l’instar du Qatar, ou d’Oman, dans les crises régionales tandis que certaines puissances historiques, membres permanents du Conseil de sécurité, semblent faire évoluer leurs capacités de médiation en un véritable outil de prédation. Cette recomposition interroge la nature même et les limites du pouvoir de médiation dans les relations internationales : jusqu’où s’étend sa fonction de catalyseur dans la résolution des conflits ? Où commence l’ingérence qui, a contrario, complexifie le jeu diplomatique ? Pour aborder ces enjeux, l’Institut Géopolitique & Business de l’ESSEC et son Centre IRENE sur la Négociation et la Médiation ont eu le plaisir de réunir :

- Linda BENRAIS, Professeure affiliée à l’ESSEC Business School, Directrice du Programme IRENE Gouvernance et Résolution des Conflits

- Philippe LE CORRE, Professeur de géopolitique et études asiatiques – ESSEC Business School

- Prof. Joseph MAÏLA, Directeur du programme de médiation du Centre IRENE sur la Négociation et la Médiation, ancien directeur du Centre d’Analyse, de Prévision et de Stratégie du Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères

- Sonya REINES-DJIVANIDES, Directrice exécutive – European Peacebuilding Liaison Office

- Dr. Emma SOUBRIER, Directrice de l’initiative PRISME, Research Fellow à l’Institute for Peace and Development de l’Université Côte d’Azur, et Chercheuse-associée de la World Peace Foundation à la Tufts University

Le webinaire fut introduit par le Pr. Aurélien COLSON (directeur du Centre IRENE sur la négociation et la médiation ; co-directeur académique de l'Institute for Geopolitics & Business), et facilitée par Thomas FRIANG (directeur exécutif, Institute for Geopolitics & Business).

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In a world marked by increasingly brutal international relations and multiplying crises, diplomatic mediation has become both central and ambivalent in conflict management. New geopolitical actors, such as Qatar and Oman, are emerging as credible regional mediators, while some permanent members of the UN Security Council appear to be turning mediation into a tool of strategic predation. This shift raises key questions about the nature and limits of mediation: when does it serve as a catalyst for peace, and when does it become interference?

To address these issues, ESSEC’s Geopolitics & Business Institute and its IRENE Center for Negotiation and Mediation were pleased to welcome the following distinguished speakers:

00:00:00 – Introduction – Prof. Aurélien COLSON

00:11:11 – Intervention by Prof. Joseph MAÏLA

00:19:34 – Intervention by Philippe LE CORRE

00:27:28 – Intervention by Sonya REINES-DJIVANIDES

00:33:45 – Intervention by Linda BENRAÏS

00:39:41 – Intervention by Dr. Emma SOUBRIER

00:46:21 – Discussion and Q&A

01:28:50 – Conclusion and Acknowledgements

The ESSEC Institute for Geopolitics & Business explores how geopolitical disruptions are reshaping economic models and how corporate actors are increasingly involved in geopolitical dynamics. The Institute aims to develop more resilient, competitive, and geopolitically aware business strategies. It also examines how market mechanisms are being transformed by state-driven or state-aligned corporate power. Anchored in ESSEC’s academic excellence and global presence in Cergy-Paris, Singapore, and Rabat, the Institute positions the school as a leading voice at the intersection of geopolitics and business, through research, pedagogical innovation, knowledge development, and organizational transformation.

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Founded in 1996, the Center IRENE on Negotiation and Mediation develops interdisciplinary expertise in negotiation at the intersection of research and practice, across corporate and public spheres in France and internationally. It promotes responsible, inclusive, and sustainable agreements through degree and executive programs reaching over 4,000 participants annually. As part of ESSEC’s Geopolitics & Business Institute, the ESSEC IRENE is a recognized center of excellence, also active in geopolitics, defense, international security, stakeholder dialogue, and CSR. With activities in over 80 countries and branches in Singapore (IRENE ASIA) and Brussels (IRENE EUROPA), it is trusted by companies, public authorities, European institutions, and international organizations.

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