Make Room: NGO's and the New Diplomacy

For me, the most significant change in the nature of diplomacy is the role played by Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's) and Non-State Actors. Previously, international affairs had been dealt with solely by diplomats and ambassadors; specialists, officially assigned to deal with a state's negotiations. NGO's were relegated to the 'back benches' of politics and had little influence over the political sphere. However, with the end of the Cold War and the 'Great Power Rivalry' came change. NGO's began to emerge into the forefront of world politics and many international matters began to bypass states altogether and instead be dealt with by the NGO's themselves. One example of this can be seen in the Ottawa Convention. A group of NGO's and human rights campaigners came together with a view to banning the use of anti-personnel landmines. They organised themselves under one big NGO called the ICBL (International Campaign to Ban Landmines) and with the help of a few small and middle power states called their own meeting to seek the ban. Subsequently, a treaty was produced within fifteen months, and was created without the agreement of many high power states such as the USA and China. (Davenport, 2002) This was previously unheard of.

The success of the Ottawa Convention acts as a good example for the New Diplomacy and also enables us to see the evolution of diplomacy itself. Negotiations have gone from secretive and exclusive to open and inclusive since the end of the Cold War. Most notably of all however is the influence NGO's and collaborations of similar-thinking states have had in international affairs, and also their ability to set agendas both internationally and domestically. In the case of the Ottawa Convention, the NGO's were the lead actors in orchestrating the ban, and their pressure was the determining factor in the outcome. In fact, it can be argued that without the ICBL's use of New Diplomacy tactics, the use of anti-personnel landmines may not have been prohibited, merely limited, and any possible treaty would have taken years to come into effect. In addition to this, there are many other instances where NGO involvement has been pivotal to effecting change, the creation of the International Criminal Court (ICC) is one example.

In conclusion then, it seems that over time diplomacy has evolved greatly, and in today's world NGO's and other non-state actors have carved themselves a vital role in matters of international politics, with their use of the New Diplomacy being central to their success.

Alex

Davenport, D. (2002) The New Diplomacy. Policy Review. Issue 116 (p.17). [Online] Available at: http://0-web.ebscohost.com.emu.londonmet.ac.uk/ehost/detail?vid=3&hid=108&sid=71886b8d-0211-409d-b8f4-7adf63d5490f%40sessionmgr113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=8645016db=aph&AN=8645016 [Accessed on: 18th February 2010]