He has been described as the man with the toughest job in the world.
Staffan de Mistura, UN Special Envoy for Syria arrived in Scotland this weekend straight from the epicentre of the ongoing peace talks on the Syrian conflict.
De Mistura’s visit comes as part of a ?United Nations initiative in Scotland to support the role of Syrian women in the country's peace process.
The creation of the Special Envoy’s Syrian Women’s Advisory Board, consisting of 12 women from across all factions of Syrian society is the first of its kind to be established through UN-led peace talks.
?Ten members of the Office of the Special Envoy’s Syrian Women’s Advisory Board (WAB) travelled to Edinburgh on Friday for four days of talks, including a two-day conference at the Scottish Parliament.
The work relates to UN resolution 1325, which reaffirms the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of conflicts.
Earlier yesterday First Minister Nicola Sturgeon received a private briefing on the Syrian peace process from de Mistura.
She then met the women involved in the Women’s Advisory Board to hear about their views on the Syrian peace process.
?“I am proud that Scotland is hosting this event and we are delighted to welcome the women’s advisory board,” said Sturgeon. “Gender equality and a commitment to peace are our fundamentally shared values and it is crucial that women should be formally represented at the negotiating table. It’s not acceptable for peace agreements to be made by men on behalf of women, women need to have a say in shaping them.”
The women’s programme is funded by the Scottish Government and delivered in partnership with the UN Special Envoy’s Office with the assistance of the Department of Political Affairs and UN Women.
At the request of the UN the full range of the programme is confidential.
Speaking yesterday, de Mistura, thanked Scottish officials and the First Minister before outlining the shape and need for the board in the ongoing Syrian negotiations.
“I have formed a Women's Advisory Board to advise on gender perspectives on the Talks and to channel relevant civil society expertise and proposals into the peace process, said de Mistura.
“I look forward to working with the Advisory Board as the next round of talks gets under way and will continue to advocate for more seats for women in the official negotiating delegations.”
Scotland’s participation in hosting the Syrian women is being seen as something of a feather in the cap for the Scottish government. It is partly a result too of the great store put by de Mistura and the UN on Scotland’s work on gender issues.
Mark Muller Stuart, Founder of Beyond Borders Scotland who delivered the programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, and Senior Adviser to the UN Special Envoy, said: “One cannot underestimate the important of the establishment of the Women Advisory Board.
“The Special Envoy is therefore particularly grateful for the Scottish Government’s support in this regard.”
Muller Stuart continued: “As he has made clear many times sustainable peace is simply not possible without the active involvement of Syrian women, whether it be in formal peace processes in Geneva or on the ground in local communities in Syria.”
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