Appraisal of the Concept of Preventive Diplomacy in World Politics

Abstract

It is an axiom that peace is priceless, terror is senseless. Every nation in world politics desires palpable peace in order to achieve its foreign policy objectives. Knowing that there can be no meaningful development in an atmosphere of rancour, acrimony and wars, states tend to pursue preventive diplomacy which prevents conflicts from occurring. However, universal interrelationships are usually done with skillful competitiveness and maneuvering because the world is made up of great diversities, and states with different capacities, competencies, skills and interests to compete. Most times, the result of this competitiveness is conflict. Diplomacy is the weapon with which states mingle, negotiate and consult each other. It is a weapon to prevent or settle disputes when they arise. This paper examines the idea of preventing conflicts from occurring amongst states in their relationships as they constantly and continually strive to achieve their various foreign policy objectives. Rather than engage in expensive methods and practice of dispute settlement, it is better to prevent conflict. This paper adopted doctrinal method where the relevant primary and secondary sources were utilized. It was found that preventive diplomacy is good and beneficial because it is better to prevent conflict from occurring than to allow it begin before looking for solution to prevent it; the world has to be proactive than reactive. It concluded that in spite of the obvious benefits of preventive diplomacy, it cannot be 100% achievable in a world where there are different capacities, competencies, skills and interest performed by varied people of different cultures, places, tribes, religion. Finally, it was recommended that stakeholders in international politics should work assiduously to make preventive diplomacy effective. States, non–state actors and other participants should adopt to tenets of preventive diplomacy since it is better to prevent adverse situations from degenerating into ravaging wars.