Why Collective Diplomacy Needs to Embrace Innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic has in many ways promoted and accelerated new approaches to diplomacy, including the use of new technologies, digital dialogues, and other innovation. Multilateral affairs have increasingly adapted to the era of digital transformation, including the omnipresence of social media for public diplomacy, artificial intelligence and big data for strategic decision-making, and other advancements. Likewise, global governance fora of the international community such as the United Nations have paid more attention to the dark side of cyber issues, the challenges of digital cooperation, and global digital disparities. This chapter looks at the changing landscape of international diplomacy in the context of new technologies and innovation at large, taking stock of recent developments and capturing emerging trends. This chapter focuses on the recent experience in the United Nations from a practitioner’s perspective, including new evidence-driven approaches to international relations, creative forms of diplomatic communication and conversations, and non-tech approaches such as cognitive and behavioral science in diplomatic practice. It argues that diplomacy needs to embrace innovation as an opportunity to co-create new solutions, nurture collective progress, and expand the greater common good of the international community.