Tavari-Banian Rapprochement

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The Tavari-Banian Rapprochement is a on-going diplomatic process between Tavari Union and the Republic of Bana. The rapprochement officially started in 16th January 2024, during a multinational conference held in République C.D, Federation of the Southern Coast of Lapérouse led by FPM Jeanne Pierre. The conference being the first international visit by the new Banian PM Abayomrunkoje Gbohunmi outside of the country, post-Second Banian Coup and met with various heads of state from the Tavari Union. The initial conference in 2024 was seen as diplomatic success, as it established more direct emergency communication channels between Tavari PM office and the Banian PM office, lessen economic barriers and established cross-cultural events. With plans of holding the next conference in 2025 in Nuvrenon, Tavaris and still includes Côtois officials as mediators. While criticism from both sides was shared, particularly among the nationalistic crowd and questioning of Côtois involvement in the first place. Regardless, leaders of the Tavari Union and Bana have insistent on focusing on de-escalating tensions and focus on rapprochement with each other. As far the Côtois involvement in the rapprochement, as well their role as mediators in the process, most international relations experts generally agree that it was from Banian pressure and Côtois diplomatic disposition towards potentially risky situations. Outside conference, diplomatic ventures and dialogue has greatly increased between the two nations of Tavaris and Bana. Namely with cultural and sporting events, between the two Gondwanan powers have been planned for the coming year and mutual agreement to establish a Gondwanan native exclusive wrestling tournament.

Sports & Cultural

On the table below, is the initial planned sporting events start dates, and doesn't include dates for tournaments or events after the initial planned event.

Sport	Tournament Name (Codexian)	Location	Date
Wrestling	Banian-Tavari Grand Cage Match	Nuvrenon, Tavaris	15/6/2024
Football	Strait Cup	Newport, Bana	13/2/2025
Chess Boxing	Banian-Tavari Checkered Boxing Tournament	Good Harbor, Tavaris	20/4/2025
Ice Hockey	Banian-Tavari Hockey League	Newport, Bana	7/5/2025
Mix-Martial Arts	Côtois-Boxing Tournament	Dravai, Tavaris	29/5/2025
Hjortpasset	Norgsveltian Pole-Fighting Banian-Tavari Tournament	Bana, Bana	7/7/2026

General Public View

The general public view of the rapprochement from both sides have been fairly mixed, with some in Banian suggesting a policy more-akin to Côtois-Vistari relations with Fridge Diplomancy, in which both nations actively avoid each other as much as possible, including diplomatically, politically and economically. While some in the general public of the two nations, view the change in diplomatic standards as a positive endeavor between neighbors.

Republic of Bana

The government of Bana and most vocally prime minister Gbohunmi, view rapprochement as a key objective of his tenure as well the future of the country as well. Viewing historical rivalry between the two, as something that should stay within the historical record. PM Gbohunmi being the biggest proponent of normalizing and improving relations between the two Gondwanan powers in recent memory. Issuing a official apology for the unfortune involvement of the Banian Intelligence service within the Tavari Division Crisis but maintain their disapproval of South Hills military and nuclear bases in Tavaris. The general public view, as recording in the polls after the conference in République C.D 16th January 2024 the views have been leaning positive but mixed with 52% of those responding to the polls as 'leaning positive endeavor about potential rapprochement' while 40% of those responding preferring maintaining a current strained relations between the two.

Tavari Union

The Tavari government had last conducted a programme of significant outreach to the Banians during the tenure of Shano Tuvria, including the restoration of official diplomatic relations between the two in 2019. Those efforts, referred to by the Tavari as a "normalisation," were initially seen as successful, though in 2020 protests at the newly opened Banian embassy in Nuvrenon were the largest protests in the Tavari capital in 20 years, with some 80,000-90,000 people showing up to protest and 89 people being arrested after the protests turned violent. Later, the announcement of the Tavari nuclear programme decidedly closed the door on further dialogue in light of strong Banian disapproval, and the later revelation of Banian involvement in disrupting the 2021 Acronian independence referendum and funding the religious terrorist network known as the Fist of the Moon during the Division Crisis drove a further wedge between the two, rapidly changing what had been a moment of exceptionally good ties between the two rivals to their worst in decades.

The 2024 rapprochement has been hailed by the Tavari government, especially Prime Minister Žarís Nevran Alandar, as a "tremendous opportunity for lasting peace." Mrs. Nevran Alandar said in response to questions at a session of the Tavari Diet that while she "insisted from the very first on a formal apology from Bana for their role in the Division Crisis," she reported that she was surprised to actually receive one, and said to the legislature "I believe this is a genuine, good faith attempt at putting the past behind us as best we can, and I intend to seize upon this opportunity not just to make us safer but for the sake of the Banians, too." There has been significant pushback against the rapprochement from the right wing, including in the Prime Minister's confidence-and-supply partners, the Tavari National Party, but overwhelming support from opposition parties on the left. Bills in the Diet to allocate funding for the upcoming sports tournament passed with healthy majorities with opposition support. Mrs. Nevran Alandar also reported she was "quite impressed, even emotionally moved" at the Banian proposals for a sports tournament as an opportunity for building ties, noting that she herself is an athlete and saying "I know first-hand just how powerful sport can be at bringing people together." The Prime Minister has stated that "We still have much to discuss with Bana, and I can't promise that all of our discussions will be happy or pleasant ones, but what is most important is that now we are moving forward with a real intention of building not just tolerance but peace and goodwill with one another."

Public opinion in Tavaris has been mixed, but trending positive. Ranzalar Media Research has so far conducted three nationwide opinion surveys on relations with Bana—in January, March, and May of 2024—and found that while in January only 36% of Tavari people supported closer ties with Bana, that number rose to 45% in March and 49% in May. In these results, the percentage of those who "strongly approve" of closer ties has remained relatively steady (15% in January compared to 17% in May), with the bulk of the growth coming from those who say they simply "agree." At the same time, the percentage of those who "strongly disapprove" of the rapprochement has fallen from 20% in January to 11% in May. The Banian apology has been the primary motivator in changes of opinion, with almost half of all respondents in May answering "yes" to the question "Has Bana's apology for their role in supporting terrorism during the Division Crisis caused you to improve your opinion of Bana?" In comparison, 30% of people answered "yes" to a similar question, "Has the January 2024 international summit between the Tavari Union and Bana in the Southern Coast caused you to improve your opinion of Bana?" and only 10% said the same about Bana's change in government structure motivating a change in their opinion.