Diplomacy

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Diplomacy is defined as the profession, activity or skill of managing international relations, typically by a country’s representatives abroad and it is the main instrument of foreign policy that guides a state’s interactions with the rest of the world.

What are the main functions of diplomacy?

Diplomatic recognition. Itis a unilateral declaration of a state that acknowledges the status or existence of another state or government accorded as part of the international system.

Maintaining relations. It is also defined as the art and science of maintaining peaceful relationships between nations or with and between international groups.

What are the methods in conducting diplomacy?

Bilateral diplomacy refers to the conduct of diplomatic relations between two states and is important in advancing a country’s relations and interests in part of the core in the building block of international relations or the way a pair of countries deals with each other.

Multilateral diplomacy is a diplomatic approach in which many nations join in an organization and work together to address common international issues and to engage in dialogue and negotiation to achieve shared goals and to promote cooperation among nations.

Conventional diplomacy refers to conducting negotiations with representatives of a foreign country to help a sending government pursue its foreign policy objectives and to protect its national interests on a government-to-government basis.

Regional diplomacy is the conduct of relations between states that belong to an identifiable geographic region that has become a strong force in international relations where globalization and interdependence have made all the regional states can benefit from a grouping.

What are the types of diplomacy?

Political diplomacy is the attempts by states to secure its national interests as defined in its foreign policy to promote friendship and co-operation as well as to justify the state’s political actions in the international system.

Public diplomacy is a government sponsored effort aimed at communicating directly with the citizens of other nations or foreign publics to convince targeted sectors of foreign opinion to support or tolerate a government’s strategic objectives.

Economic diplomacy refers to a form of diplomacy that uses the full spectrum of economic tools of a state such as trade, investment, aid, import-export, banking or financial assistance designed to enhance the country’s global economic positions.

Preventive diplomacy includes all measures and actions including negotiations or interventions aimed at preventing existing disputes from escalating into conflicts and at preventing conflicts from spreading further.

Climate diplomacy is about prioritizing climate action with between nations thru diplomatic dialogues, public seminars and conventions which include the external policy of states towards a more ambitious climate action.

Gunboat diplomacy is an aggressive foreign policy action when a country employs its military power or might to force other nation(s) to do what it wants them to do and the action began in the 19thCentury but is still used today.

Cyber diplomacy refers to a strategy that attempts to prevent conflicts in cyberspace from developing into bigger geopolitical problems and states are compelled to agree on an International cyber governance that include cyber laws, treaties, and regulations.

Maritime diplomacy encompasses a number of activities ranging from friendly port visits, sea exercises, naval deployment and coercion as well as humanitarian assistance pursued by navies, coast guards or civilian vessels of other states.

Environmental diplomacy is the attempts by states through negotiation and persuasion to address the environmental concerns of a region such as the contacts between Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore through mediation to address cross-border pollution.

Language diplomacy refers to the use of language in the conduct of international diplomacy including negotiations, communication and dialogue. In this regards, English language is spoken in almost 40 countries by almost 20 percent of the world population and is an important UN language together with Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish.

Space diplomacy refers to the cooperation and collaboration between states to share knowledge, technology and legislations in space science and explorations such as the establishment and maintenance of the International Space Center and Moon explorations.

Cultural diplomacy preciously is the exchange of ideas, information, art, language, music, food and other aspects of culture among nations and peoples in order to foster mutual global understanding and cooperation.

Digital diplomacy also referred to as eDiplomacy, is defined as the use of the Internet, multimedia and new information communication technologies to help achieve diplomatic objectives.

Energy diplomacy channels economic and trade relations of a state with other states and organizations to safeguard energy security through availability, reliability and affordability and energy security grew its importance and complexity in the world today.

Sports diplomacy involves utilizing sporting events to strengthen relations between two nations or address political differences and promote collaboration such as the famous “ping pong diplomacy” between the US and China in the early 1970s and “cricket diplomacy” between India and Pakistan.

Health diplomacy involves using health-related issues to build relationships, foster cooperation, and promote peace and stability between nations and bring together the priorities of global health in foreign affairs.

Panda diplomacy is the practice of sending giant pandas from China to other countries as a tool of diplomacy, wildlife conservation and to serve as a sign for China’s role in international diplomacy and soft power projection.

Power diplomacy is a foreign policy option that include the use of soft power such as culture and ideological influence in international relations hard power diplomacy the use coercive policies, economic sanctions, military action and military alliances for deterrence.

Diaspora diplomacy is about engaging a country’s overseas community to contribute to building relationships with foreign countries and according to the International Institute of Migration, there are about 480 million diaspora now living overseas.

Hostage diplomacy according to the Wilson Center is the use of hostages for diplomatic purposes including the arbitrary arrest, detention or sentencing of foreign nationals by a state to exercise leverage over a foreign government.

Migration diplomacy In international relations refers to the use of diplomatic tools, processes and procedures to manage cross-border population or mobility due to wars, conflict or human degradation like poverty and famine.

Science diplomacy is the use of scientific collaborations among nations and international organizations to provide scientific advice and evidence to inform and to support decision-making in foreign and security policies.

Education diplomacy aims to utilize diplomatic skills with both educators, educational institutions, individuals and organizations with an agenda of promoting accessible education to all populations of the world.

Oil diplomacy refers to the use of oil as an instrument of foreign policy that has been a uniquely important commodity in world affairs especially as oil is a vital raw material for warfare and economic development and of its uneven distribution.

Crisis diplomacy is a condition of extremely bad relations between two or more states, so bad in fact that the outbreak of war between them cannot be ruled out and diplomacy and negotiations are the best policy to avoid conflicts.

Sanctions diplomacy refers political, economic or military measures taken to express disapproval or displeasure as the imposition of sanction by the big power or the UN directed to punish certain states over a political behavior that brings negative effects to a particular region.

Currency diplomacy is defined as the conduct between governments including inter-governmental organizations such as the EU with regards to issues of currency policy such as the fixed exchange rate or floating currency or common currency between governments.

Shuttle diplomacy In international relations refers to the action of an outside party in conflicts in serving as an intermediary to handle a dispute between states without direct principal-to-principal or inter-states contacts.

Track II diplomacy or “backchannel diplomacy” is the practice of non-governmental, informal and unofficial contacts and activities between private citizens or groups of individuals or non-state actors to assist in dispute resolution in contrast with the official Track I diplomacy.

Military diplomacy is generally defined as a set of activities carried out mainly by the representatives of the defense department or other state institutions aimed at pursuing the foreign policy interests of the state in the field of security and defense policy.

Face-to-face diplomacy in international politics is the attempts by the top political leaders to meet and to build political trusts in the midst of diplomatic tensions in an interpersonal bonding and to build trusts.

Personal diplomacy is a kind of diplomatic engagement basically as direct leader-to-leader encounters in less formal situations such as direct occasional telephone conversations between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

Shadow diplomacy or rogue diplomacy are volunteer diplomats who work from their home countries to promote the interests of the foreign governments that appoint them and this form of diplomacy is threatening the rule of law around the world.

Deterrence diplomacy means discouraging unwanted behavior through the threat of significant punishment or the threat by a state or organization to discourage the other party or state to act on certain issues such as to avoid a conflict.

Citizens diplomacy is the idea that individuals have the right and responsibility to help shape a state’s foreign relations through person-to-person interactions with citizens of other countries.

Freelance diplomacy is a form of self-financing diplomatic representation to be present in other countries and used by countries, who as a general rule, could not afford to hire diplomats full-time.

Science diplomacy is the use of scientific collaborations among nations, international organizations and non-profit organizations to address common problems by using scientific capabilities or knowledge and to build international partnerships.

Multi-Track diplomacy outlines a holistic approach to resolving conflicts through the involvement of multiple sectors in society, including government, business, politicians, public sector, academicians and civil society.

Development diplomacy is a form of diplomacy that builds bilateral relations on the basis of promoting the development and wellbeing of developing countries mostly done by rich nations as well as the UN and its specialized agencies.

Debt-trap diplomacy is a term to describe an international financial relationship where a creditor country or institution extends debt to a borrowing nation partially or solely to increase the lender’s political leverage.

Infrastructural diplomacy is the gifting of large-scale projects worldwide by mainly rich countries by developing ports, roads, railways, stadiums or government buildings to enhance bilateral relations as China’s role in the development of infrastructure in Africa.

Cloud diplomacy is the use of multimedia technology by countries to develop strategic objectives and goals as well as to carry out diplomatic functions by the use of a variety of electronic instruments to promote a country’s interests in other countries.

Coercive diplomacy is the use of military power or force by a country such as by a small invasion to create a political change in a country as the political system in that country is not consistent with the invading country.

Monetary or dollar diplomacy refers to the use of money, for example, loans to achieve state’s goals often creating an economic enslavement of the small states and submission to the domination of large foreign banks and the industrial companies.

People’s diplomacy is a historically continuous process of communication, mutual knowledge, influence and enrichment of cultures and people of two or more different countries.

Intermediary diplomacy is one of the means for peaceful settlement of disputes between states through a series of negotiations with the participation of a third state.

Neutral diplomacy is a foreign policy position that a state remains neutral in wars and conflicts or a military non-involvement in wars and among the neutral European countries are Austria, Finland, Ireland, Sweden and Switzerland.

Alignment diplomacy refers to a strong political connection of a country with other country which also include military cooperation or joint economic effort.

Non-alignment diplomacy refers to a group of countries or NAM which are not formally aligned with any power bloc and it is the second largest block of countries after the UN with 120 members.

AI diplomacy is about the impact of Artificial Intelligence on diplomatic agenda as international relations has become very complex that needs data analysis and scenario predictions in helping in foreign policy decision makers to make quick and fast decisions.

Intelligence diplomacy involves the sharing of military intelligence by states especially among the big powers or regional powers who are in a joint cooperation in signals intelligence.

Nuclear diplomacy refers to attempts to use the threat of nuclear warfare to achieve diplomatic goals especially by the nuclear weapons states or the use of negotiations among nuclear powers in nuclear limitations talks.

Who manages foreign policy?

A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with one or more states or international organizations who are responsible for representing and protecting the interests and nationals of their sending state.

What are the functions of diplomats?

Representing a state. The most crucial functions of diplomats is to represent and to protect a state’s interests in the receiving state and they are the members of foreign services or diplomatic corps of various nations of the world

Active negotiators. Diplomats are negotiators and taking part or representing the state in all negotiation processes are the vital part of diplomacy.

Gathering Information. Diplomats are also entrusted to gather information that is vital to the sending state in line with the objectives of the foreign policy of sending state..

Enhancing diplomatic relations. Diplomats are entrusted to enhance the gathering of political, economic, and cultural aspects of bilateral diplomatic relations.

Enforcing international law. Diplomats are also legal facilitators in drafting international treaties as well as enforcing the laws in a wide range of legal issues including border, territorial dispute and cross border pollution.

Is diplomacy regulated by international law?

Generally diplomatic relations are legally enhanced by the Vienna Convention of Diplomatic Convention (1961) as the law codifies the principles of diplomatic immunity on diplomats and premises and universally ratified and observed by all nations.

Has the world’s best international relations schools?

From sources across the web, among the best schools for international relations studies are Australia NU, California (Berkeley) Cambridge, Columbia, Freie (Germany), Georgetown, George Washington, Harvard, John Hopkins, LSE, MIT, Oxford, Princeton, Science Po (France), Singapore NU, Stanford, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Washington and Yale universities.

Which countries have the most diplomats abroad?

According to Lowy’s Institute, the countries having the most diplomats abroad in 2024 are China 274, US 271, Turkey 252, Japan 251, France 249, Russia 230, UK 225, Germany 217, Italy 206, Brazil 205 and India 194.

What are the problems of diplomacy in the 21st Century?

A Complex world. Diplomacy plays a crucial role in fostering international cooperation but it is undergoing significant transformation in the 21^st Century presented by an interconnected and a more complex world.

Digitalization. The rise of digital diplomacy dominated by technology and social media enables diplomats to communicate directly with the citizens but the multimedia revolution also poses a host of problems.

Multiple actors. Diplomats are engaging with a wide range of international actors including NGOs, pressure groups, civil society groups, radical groups, IT specialists and businesses.

Myriad of changes. The 21st Century has brought forth a myriad of global challenges such as climate, terrorism, military interventions, intelligence gathering methods, cybersecurity, famine migration, starvation and pandemic that transcends national borders.

Proactive approach. Diplomats have to adopt a more proactive and solution-oriented approach that emphasizes cooperation over competition in the increasing interconnected global politics and economy.

Multitasking. In the highly connected world, diplomats are tasked with promoting trade, attracting investments, facilitating economic cooperation and fostering economic ties on top of their role in fostering diplomatic relations.

Soft power approach. The ability to attract and persuade through cultural appeals, values and policies has gained a significant role alongside hard power in particular in the 21^st Century international affairs.

Managing crisis. Diplomats must also respond swiftly to international crisis, ranging from armed conflict and humanitarian emergencies through diplomatic intervention and mediation and to restore stability.

Difficult conflict resolutions. Diplomats in charge of multilateralism are facing the most difficult time in managing world conflicts due to the existence of geopolitical issues.

Critical thinking. As diplomats are required to safeguard the interests and promote the political, economic, cultural or scientific relations they are required to have the ability to communicate, negotiate, analyze and to think critically.

Intelligence gatherings. Diplomats are also facing new methods of intelligence gathering such as the use of IT, multimedia and the “cloud approach” in information gatherings and transmissions.

New pro forma. Diplomatic treaties. International treaties, agreements, alliances and other manifestations of international relations are usually the result of serious and time consuming diplomatic negotiations and processes.

“Diplomacy is like jazz, endless variations on a theme” – Richard Holbrooke: US diplomat.

Abdul Halim Saad is head of Asia Pacific Risk Consultancy, studied politics at LSE, peace studies at Bradford and taught international politics at Sultan Idris Education University and the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations, Malaysia. (Article No 135). ***