International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace

“On the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace, I call on all governments and leaders to renew their commitment to dialogue and global solutions that are the only sustainable path for peace.”- UN Secretary-General António Guterres. The commemoration of the International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace is rather timely this year given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent war. The International Day of Multilateralism and Diplomacy for Peace was established on 12 December, 2018. According to the United Nations (UN) preserving the values of multilateralism and international cooperation, which underpin the UN Charter and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, is fundamental to promote and support the three pillars of the UN: peace and security, development and human rights. Multilateralism is the process of organizing relations between groups of three or more states. Multilateralism is generally considered to comprise certain qualitative elements or principles that shape the character of the arrangement or institution. Those principles are an indivisibility of interests among participants, a commitment to diffuse reciprocity, and a system of dispute settlement intended to enforce a particular mode of behaviour. Multilateralism has a long history, but it is principally associated with the era after World War II, during which there was a burgeoning of multilateral agreements led primarily by the United States. The organizations most strongly embodying the principle of multilateralism are to be found in trade (the World Trade Organization [WTO]) and security (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Indivisibility To better understand the nature of multilateralism, it is useful to contrast it with bilateralism, a good example of which is the commercial policies of Nazi Germany, in which the German government negotiated bilateral agreements with other countries specifying which goods and services were to be traded, their prices, and the quantities to be exchanged. Diffuse reciprocity Along with, and related to, the principle of indivisibility of interests, multilateralism is considered to give rise to expectations of diffuse reciprocity among participants. In situations characterized by diffuse reciprocity, there is an expectation that there will not be an equivalence of obligations or concessions in any one exchange, but, rather, a balance is expected over an ongoing, potentially indefinite, series of exchanges with a group of partners. For example, in the collective security system outlined previously, members do not expect to be compensated for the military resources they may expend in defending a threatened member country. Their recompense lies in the knowledge that should they be attacked, they too will benefit from a collective response to that attack. Dispute settlement For the states to feel assured of the returns of treating their interests as indivisible, multilateral arrangements tend to incorporate some mechanism for ensuring that countries act in accordance with the expected norms. That principle of dispute settlement forms the third principle associated with multilateralism. The UN adds that global issues such as climate change, geopolitical tensions, humanitarian and migratory crises are cross-cutting, implicating the values and interests of nations and necessitate collective attention and action. Technological advancement has also impacted the political and socio-economic landscape and inter-state relations. Background The United Nations came into being in 1945, following the devastation of the Second World War, with one central mission: the maintenance of international peace and security. The Charter of the United Nations states that one of the United Nations' purposes and principles is the commitment to settle disputes through peaceful means and the determination to succeeding generations from the scourge of war. Conflict prevention remains, however, a relatively under-publicized aspect of the UN's work. Meanwhile, the most efficient and desirable employment of diplomacy is to ease tensions before they result in conflict, or, if conflict breaks out, to act swiftly to contain it and resolve its underlying causes. At times it appears that the more the international community advance principles to safeguard peace and foster a culture of multilateralism the more wars and conflicts erupt. However, we should not be daunted by global conflicts. Instead we should redouble our collective efforts and give peace a chance. It is time that we advocate for more women to be at the peace talks; clearly this would make a difference. There is still a place for peace and diplomacy to settle differences and as such we all should strive towards the promotion of multilateralism and diplomacy for peace. In the words of Colin Powell, diplomacy is listening to what the other guy needs. Preserving your own position, but listening to the other guy. You have to develop relationships with other people so when the tough times come, you can work together. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo ©