Reframing as "Peace Diplomacy": The peace diplomacy sector is a global ecosystem of communities of organizations with a shared interest in resolving conflict and promoting trusted relationships, operating with varying missions, ranging from deal-oriented crisis management or humanitarian diplomacy to facilitation-based mediation to the pursuit of a more pragmatic or normative brand of peacemaking or peacebuilding.
Importance of Localized Peace Efforts: There is a critical need to support and professionalize localized peace diplomacy, ensuring they draw on global expertise while remaining rooted in local conflict dynamics.
Strategic Adaptation to Global Pressures: The sector is under pressure from a sharp increase in the number and complexity of violent conflicts that is straining institutional capacities; the anti-liberal shift that saw the dismantling of USAID, USIP, sanctions on the International Criminal Court, and the undermining of the UN; and complex competitive dynamics as donor budgets shrink.
Need for a "Peace Diplomacy Movement": To adapt to a changing strategic environment, the sector could construct a unified "global peace diplomacy movement"—similar to the Red Cross or human rights movements—to provide a collective voice, share resources, and professionalize the sector.
Focus on Constructing Foundations for the Future: The ultimate goal of adapted peace diplomacy is to construct the foundations for a peaceful, equitable, and sustainable future by preventing the worst outcomes for people and the planet.