Perhaps the most critical negotiation link is between peacekeepers and representatives of the various parties, factions and militia. However, negotiations also occur frequently between and among members of the New Peacekeeping Partnership themselves. Other linkages exist between in-theatre contingents and the home national government or national headquarters. Military units, aid facilities, relief sectors, civilian police are some of the many organizations which negotiate between themselves and with mission headquarters. These activities are not restricted to any particular level - they occur at all levels, from the humanitarian driver on the road, to the soldier on the outpost, to the staff officer, to civilian police and election observers.
Negotiation is a process best seen as a complex set of skills based on well established theory.
Clearly, there is a need for all members of the New Peacekeeping Partnership to become competent and knowledgeable negotiators. The course has a skills-development focus for the operational environment in the field. The participants will gain, through analysis, intensive practice and simulation exercises, the necessary theoretical grounding and practical skills to permit them to negotiate effectively in a modern peacekeeping environment. All activities of the New Peacekeeping Partnership take place within a framework of international organization Charters and bodies of international law and conventions. Furthermore, a general understanding of international public, humanitarian, and human rights law, and the issues that face these instruments is essential in the conduct of international peacekeeping efforts.