Anticipatory Diplomacy: A Modern Framework To Address Global Challenges

When the Duke University Center for International & Global Studies launched the Rethinking Diplomacy Program (RDP) in January 2020, we had three objectives in mind: (1) to redefine the role of diplomacy in an increasingly globalized and interdependent world which requires the constant use of specialized knowledge, (2) to create a genuine diplomacy-science partnership to tackle global challenges, and (3) to employ a model of collaborative stakeholder diplomacy multilaterally and at multiple levels to reach durable responses to crises. Since then the issues of the COVID pandemic, climate change, migration, food and water security, supply chain integrity, the restoration of sustainable economic growth, and the dynamic expansion of activity in Space have proven the point. Every major issue today has a worldwide impact, and good science and multilateral collaboration form the nexus of every sound solution.

Now it is time to introduce the next step, drawing on all that has gone before. We call this step "Anticipatory Diplomacy," the need now to reach out to address issues before positions have hardened, where time may permit us the opportunity to find ways to move forward that are consensual and mutually beneficial. The world we see coming will bring us more not fewer challenges and opportunities. Diplomats, scientists, governments, representatives of the private sector and civil society in the United States and other regions of the world have a unique opportunity through anticipatory diplomacy in partnership with science to determine how and when to address these issues now. The deliberate projection of diplomacy to shape this future is not only growing in urgency, but it will be far less costly than to wait for the crises to come at us in emergency mode. The RDP will address this need with our perspectives on anticipatory diplomacy on January 25, 2022, with a kick-off event featuring Ambassador Bob Pearson who will lead the conversation with Ambassador Marcie Ries and Dr. Lyndsey Gray.