|
Introduction
Small states are viable and active partners within the international community. A common characteristic of small states is the thrust and nature of their diplomacy, which puts a higher premium on persuasion and consensus building as distinct from power play in the conduct of international relations.
Small states are highly dependent on developments beyond their own borders. For example, in the environmental field, small island states are highly vulnerable to the adverse impact of climate change and natural disasters. Most small states are highly sensitive to the state of the global economy including global trade arrangements (WTO), investment policy and monetary developments (IMF/WB). When it comes to security, small states are quickly and deeply affected by regional and global conflicts and instabilities, ranging from critical infrastructure, health alerts, drug and small arms trafficking to the impact of terrorism on tourism and the economic sectors.
Such factors make small states natural supporters for international cooperation. Diplomacy is the main vehicle which gives small states a voice in the global arena to ensure that common goals, issues and problems are properly addressed for large and small, developed and developing countries alike.
How can small states employ diplomacy to help build the global stability vital for their own existence? How can they influence global processes that, in turn, strongly affect them (e.g. climate change, environmental pollution, water scarcity)? How can they be heard on the global scene given their limited human and financial resources?
The Malta Conference will set the stage for a year-long project on the Diplomacy of Small States which will include seminars, training and research projects. The conference programme aims to map relevant fields for the diplomacy of small states and to present case studies illustrating successful small state diplomacy.
For more information please contact conference coordinators at conference@diplomacy.edu.
|
