Diplo Blog

Foreign policies have for many years served as countries’ compass in their relations with each other. With the fast digitalisation of most sectors of society, updating foreign policies to incorporate digital aspects – recognised both as a tool to facilitate diplomatic practice, and a theme on diplomatic agendas – is a natural progression.

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Looking back on 2020 is a bit different from our usual annual perspectives. Communication and work over the internet have taken a completely new meaning in the past 12 months.

The UN’s Open-ended Working Group (OEWG) on Developments in the Field of ICTs in the Context of International Security (UN Cyber OEWG) has established another landmark in the international negotiations about the ‘rules of the road’, and particularly the responsible behaviour of states, in cyberspace; by adopting its final report with consensus by 68 member states on 12 March 2021.

Now that everyone’s morning news frequently feature cyberattacks that cause real damage to human health, safety, economic income and threaten nations’ political stability and elections; cybersecurity is finally mainstream. This is partially due to the fact that cyberspace is increasingly used and abused for geopolitical leverage – UN Secretary General Guterres has even warned that the next international conflict may begin with a cyberattack.

Visit our page dedicated to the origins of diplomacy

In the second session of our monthly Zoom series Diplomacy and Technology: A historical journey, a masterclass with Jovan Kurbalija, we discussed the interplay between diplomacy and technology in prehistoric times. 

Amidst the current environmental, socioeconomic, and health crises, a lot has been said in regard to humanity’s existential threats. COVID-19 has exposed us. The pandemic has revealed the fragility of our societies, and how inevitable and indispensable the interdependency among one another is. As it has been said: 'No one is safe until everyone is safe!'

Diplomacy is often thought of as a practice centering on language. Yet, the visual image of diplomatic practice is increasingly important in a world in which images proliferate and videoconferencing has replaced face-to-face meetings. Diplomats need to be aware of the power of images, and need to have a sense of best practices and potential pitfalls when it comes to visual storytelling. Our 45th WebDebate 'Visual storytelling for diplomatic practice' took a closer look at this important topic.