Publications

Closing policy gaps to enable agripreneurship of smallholder farmers in developing countries

Saner, Raymond and Yiu.Lichia. with Roberts, Shaun

“Closing policy gaps to enable agripreneurship of smallholder farmers in developing countries”

FERDI, Paris, June 2023

This study investigates the broader context of smallholder farmers' operations and provides insights into the options that smallholder farmers in poor developing countries have when engaging in agripreneurial undertakings for additional income generation. Such personal agency when effective could support them to alleviate poverty, reduce hunger, and achieve sustainable livelihood. Yet in practice, such personal efforts are often wrought with uncertain outcomes. Therefore an enabling policy environment is necessary to ensure the success of this strategic intervention in lifting and supporting sustainable livelihoods of rural farmers struggling with the precarity of their life situation.

Negotiating independence. Switzerland in1647–48: JohannRudolfWettstein,mayor of the state (canton)of Basel City and negotiator for the Swiss Confederation

This article recounts a historical negotiation success during the Westphalia negotiations in the 17th Century. Mr. Rudolf Wettstein, the then Mayor of Basel City, was able to single-handedly obtain exemptions for the Swiss cantons from being accountable to courts of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations (HRGE), amounting to a declaration of independence. As a first step, the author describes the historical context of the negotiations and subsequently the nego- tiation process involving multi-actor international negotiations during the peace negotiations at Westphalia which consisted of multi-actor internal negotiations within the Swiss Confederation and external multi-party negotiations with the leading powers who participated in the Westphalia negotiation process. As a second step, concepts of negotiation theory are used as an attempt to make sense of Wettstein’s negotiation approach. The article concludes with a proposition for more theory building and provides initial concepts to better capture multi-actor negotiations.

Article

Business Diplomacy in Emerging Markets: Intersection of Roles between States and Multinationals

Doudou Sidibé & Raymond Saner, (2017) “Business Diplomacy in Emerging Markets:

Intersection of Roles between States and Multinationals”, in H. Ruel, International Business Diplomacy (Advanced Series in Management, Vol. 18), pp 109-122, Emerald Publishing Limited, Bingley

This chapter describes and discusses the growing intersection of roles and functions between states and multinationals in the field of diplomacy and how diplomatic skills are needed to support transnational companies in their search for markets in emerging countries.

Newspaper articles on Negotiations

20220521 Newspaper articles on Negotiations

Newspaper interviews and articles on negotiations by Raymond Saner Covering negotiations for peace and international relations.

Zoff mit der Freundin (Süddeutsche Zeitung, 16.2.1996)

Verhandeln die Schweizer richtig (Basler Zeitung, 10.3.1998)

Friendesförderung was tun was lassen (Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 24.8.2004)

Verhandlungen über Irak im UN Sicherheitsrat. (Die Welt am Sonntag, 3.3.2003)

Raymond Saner, “The professional culture of a Diplomat”.

What is needed is solid craftsmanship and openness to new ideas The diplomat as a mirror of contemporary history Involving non-state actors, not excluding them Diplomatic competence as an extended term Entrepreneurial diplomacy
Business diplomacy of multinational companies Negotiation and conflict skills Cognitive and emotional flexibility Playing roles and not falling out of character Adhere to the limits to one’s own mandate.