Humanity is facing an unprecedented convergence of crises: the existential implications of artificial intelligence for the future of homo sapiens; the escalating emergency of climate change; the persistence of famine and poverty; and, above all, the proliferation of wars and violent conflicts that now seem to unfold as if they were routine.
In such a turbulent moment, one fundamental question demands to be asked: where is diplomacy? What role does diplomacy play today in preventing or resolving crises? And, more importantly, is it still considered essential?
My answer is a firm and categorical yes. History shows that when negotiation and the peaceful resolution of disputes prevail, societies have been able to secure a more stable and hopeful future. Diplomacy is indispensable. Modern history demonstrates its centrality in preventing and resolving conflicts.
Since the end of World War II, for nearly a century humanity has experienced one of its most peaceful eras despite the tragic conflicts that have occurred along the way. Over the past 80 years, whenever tensions escalated, political leaders have ultimately sought diplomatic and political solutions. We remember, perhaps with nostalgia, the era in which leaders consistently affirmed that “there is no military solution – only a political one.”
Across continents and decades, diplomacy has enabled ceasefires, transitional arrangements, and even the resolution of longstanding wars. These efforts were not always perfect or fully just, but they were undeniably humane, and they saved countless lives.
Today, however, trust in diplomacy has eroded to an alarming degree. It has been marginalised, dismissed, and overshadowed. Many of today’s leaders appear convinced that force alone can de-escalate tensions. The “law of force” has superseded the “force of law”.
International law, hard‑won, painstakingly developed, and essential to global order, is being pushed aside to make room for a resurgence of coercion, threats, and militarised responses. This shift undermines the primacy of international law, which provides a foundation for peaceful relations and accountability.
Even during the West’s invasion of Iraq in 2003, one of the most destabilising interventions in recent history, leaders at least attempted to seek authorisation from the UN Security Council. They failed to reach consensus, but the process itself acknowledged the importance of legality and collective decision‑making.
Today, by contrast, violence and destruction are often applauded before every diplomatic avenue has been exhausted. The exceptions are few among global leaders. His Holiness the late Pope Francis, the secretary general of the United Nations, and the president of the Spanish government are leaders who continue to uphold the principles of dialogue, restraint, and international law.
Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians, especially from vulnerable groups, pay the heaviest price for decisions made without public debate or legal oversight. A dangerous normalisation of impunity prevails in what could be described as a modern-day “licence to kill” by leaders who have a self-appointed right to kill. And the double standards exhibited by parts of the Western world undermine confidence in the international system.
Two years ago, speaking at a prominent Spanish think tank, I cautioned that the world was approaching the threshold of a systematic conflict, akin to a third world war. My intention was to jolt the West out of its complacency and highlight the peril inherent in the chain-reaction logic that fuels conflict.
That warning went unheeded. Today, we are edging even closer to a global catastrophe and a potential Armageddon not born of prophecy, but of political choices. This is precisely why diplomacy must reclaim its rightful place.
As the French statesman Georges Clemenceau famously said, “war is too serious a matter to entrust to military men.” If we continue down a purely militaristic path, the outcome is not speculation – it is certainty. And it is fatal.
Humanity still has a choice. But choosing wisely requires the courage to return to dialogue, negotiation, and the rule of law. Only diplomacy – patient, principled, and persistent – can steer us away from the abyss.
The writer is UN undersecretary-general and high representative for the Alliance of Civilisations.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 12 March, 2026 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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