The number of Non-Governmental Organisations which are operating internationally is estimated at 40.000.
(http://www.hmceurope.org/.)
The new diplomacy: Following your readings for, and the discussions in, seminars 5 to 7, what in your opinion is the most important aspect of the new diplomacy? Explain your reasons.
When the Iron Curtain fell in 1989, the historic event would soon prove to mark the beginning of an era of strive towards democratization throughout the world as well as a certain rise of civil society. In this way, the number of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) rose significantly following the dissolution of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, which, one may argue, since has changed the procedures of diplomacy significantly (Betsill and Corell, 2008, viii.)
With people obtaining an increased awareness of their surrounding world, many soon turned to NGOs for the trustworthiness which they may have felt that their respective governments lacked (Betsill and Corell, 2008, viii.)
This development forced governments to consider the evolving role of these new, increasingly powerful, actors on the international political scene, a fact which became evident as only 250 NGOs were involved in the The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, taking place in Stockholm in 1972, but an astonishing 3200 took part, on a variety of levels, in The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 (Betsill and Corell, 2008, viii.)
One may put forth the argument that the reason that NGOs have obtained such credibility, and subsequent responsibility, among people throughout the world, is the way in which they indeed are capable of using soft power efficiently. They positively demonstrate the work which they perform through a whole variety of channels, and they gain citizens’ trust as they prove themselves as experts in their respective fields of work (http://www.interaction.org.)
It is my argument and belief that people, who physically are in a certain situation, know the origins, the course and the potential effects of that situation, and hereby must be considered irreplaceable and essential in diplomatic negotiations towards decision-making and problem-solving of that specific circumstance.
In this way, the American Director of Public Diplomacy for the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, Bruce Wharton, proclaimed earlier this year:
“NGOs provide an incredible voice and reach beyond traditional audiences by recognizing that not one side fits all. All public diplomacy is local. People on the ground know best.”
(http://www.interaction.org.)
NGOs may not possess direct political power but the pressure which they, strongly backed by citizens, indeed are capable of putting on governments, is arguably so efficient that it can change policies and behaviours of government officials (Betsill and Corell, 2008, xi.) With this, it is arguable that the empowerment of NGOs can be considered one of the most important aspects of The New Diplomacy and that they indeed can, and should, be regarded as legitimate diplomats as they undoubtedly have a significant impact on international diplomatic relations.
Betsill, M. M., Corell, E. ed. (2008), NGO Diplomacy – The Influence of Nongovernmental Organizations in International Environmental Negotiations, MIT Press, Massachusetts.
America's Ambassadors? The NGO Role in Public Diplomacy Discussed at InterAction's 2010 Forum (2010), InterAction, A United Voice for Global Change
http://www.interaction.org/article/interaction-forum-2010-recap-americas-ambassadors-ngo-role-public-diplomay
With people obtaining an increased awareness of their surrounding world, many soon turned to NGOs for the trustworthiness which they may have felt that their respective governments lacked (Betsill and Corell, 2008, viii.)
This development forced governments to consider the evolving role of these new, increasingly powerful, actors on the international political scene, a fact which became evident as only 250 NGOs were involved in the The United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, taking place in Stockholm in 1972, but an astonishing 3200 took part, on a variety of levels, in The World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in 2002 (Betsill and Corell, 2008, viii.)
One may put forth the argument that the reason that NGOs have obtained such credibility, and subsequent responsibility, among people throughout the world, is the way in which they indeed are capable of using soft power efficiently. They positively demonstrate the work which they perform through a whole variety of channels, and they gain citizens’ trust as they prove themselves as experts in their respective fields of work (http://www.interaction.org.)
It is my argument and belief that people, who physically are in a certain situation, know the origins, the course and the potential effects of that situation, and hereby must be considered irreplaceable and essential in diplomatic negotiations towards decision-making and problem-solving of that specific circumstance.
In this way, the American Director of Public Diplomacy for the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, Bruce Wharton, proclaimed earlier this year:
“NGOs provide an incredible voice and reach beyond traditional audiences by recognizing that not one side fits all. All public diplomacy is local. People on the ground know best.”
(http://www.interaction.org.)
NGOs may not possess direct political power but the pressure which they, strongly backed by citizens, indeed are capable of putting on governments, is arguably so efficient that it can change policies and behaviours of government officials (Betsill and Corell, 2008, xi.) With this, it is arguable that the empowerment of NGOs can be considered one of the most important aspects of The New Diplomacy and that they indeed can, and should, be regarded as legitimate diplomats as they undoubtedly have a significant impact on international diplomatic relations.
Betsill, M. M., Corell, E. ed. (2008), NGO Diplomacy – The Influence of Nongovernmental Organizations in International Environmental Negotiations, MIT Press, Massachusetts.
America's Ambassadors? The NGO Role in Public Diplomacy Discussed at InterAction's 2010 Forum (2010), InterAction, A United Voice for Global Change
http://www.interaction.org/article/interaction-forum-2010-recap-americas-ambassadors-ngo-role-public-diplomay
Non-Governmental Organisations, Harvard Model Congress Europe, Date Unknown
http://www.hmceurope.org/2010/program_info/ngo.aspx
A good overview here and I am pleased to see you engaging with the academic literature.
ReplyDeleteThe possible relationship between the end of the Cold War and the explosion of the number of NGOs is an interesting one to ponder. How exactly did the end of the superpower struggle cause the proliferation of voluntary, non-profit organisations?
Or is their rise due more to the advent and spread of the new media and social networking, which significantly reduces the costs of their operations. If the latter is the main explanation for their rise, then if the Cold War had stumbled on for another 25 years we would still have experienced the explosion in the number of NGOs. But whether they would have had the same impact in a bipolar world concerned about nuclear threats is another matter.