Global South hubs are replacing traditional peacemakers in mediation

Time reports that peacemaking and mediation are shifting away from traditional Western actors toward hubs in the Global South — notably Doha, Ankara, Riyadh and Muscat — as the United States, the United Nations and European states have stepped back from sustained mediation roles. Qatar has emerged as a prominent mediator, embedding mediation in its 2004 constitution and brokering talks from the U.S.–Taliban negotiations to Israel–Hamas, Colombia and the Gaitanistas, and disputes involving the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda; it has also helped arrange prisoner swaps and reunite children separated by war.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Oman have increased their mediation efforts as well: Turkey hosted rounds of talks between Russians and Ukrainians, helped secure the Black Sea grain deal in August 2022 and coordinated an August 2024 prisoner swap of 26 people including Evan Gershkovich; Saudi-hosted talks in Jeddah have sought to address Sudan’s civil war and Riyadh has mediated to prevent escalation between India and Pakistan in May 2025; Oman aided back-channel talks that led to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal.

The report also says the United Nations’ role in peacemaking has diminished as multilateralism has weakened and major Western powers have retreated from mediation.

Key Topics

World, Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Oman, United Nations