A vision for global heath diplomacy in the foreign policy process: using smart power to prevent and resolve international conflict

ABSTRACT

In the twenty-first Century, the developed world attempts to provide global health assistance, to poorer countries – at least in part in the pursuit and maintenance of world order and stability. Rarely, however – and in most cases, then on an ad hoc basis – are related foreign policy tools deployed in combination with each other. Nonetheless, there is currently greater openness than ever before to such interdigitation. Not least this reflects the unprecedented challenges of modern political and security conditions – struggling to operate amidst a broader culture of global adverserialism, and conflict which conventional systems of intervention have struggled to successfully resolve. The problems presented in this regard by the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts have evolved into, and been magnified by, the limited range and availability of effective responses to contemporary threats such as the Islamic State, international terrorism, jihadism, and the Syrian civil war. The risk of further contagion to even more severe world stability concerns that these situations present calls for an urgent restructuring of the way in which foreign policy processes and initiatives work, including systems of coordination and consultation between national and international agencies of defense, diplomacy, and development.

KEYWORDS:

• Global health
• policy process
• security
• foreign policy
• diplomacy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.