All — hawks and doves, left and right — agree that the United States must prioritize diplomatic solutions and public diplomacy and refocus on human rights as a core priority. That means a better, smarter foreign affairs budget, recalling that all of our largest trading partners are former recipients of U.S. aid.

As the new Minister of Foreign Affairs, His Excellency, Godffrey Onyema, assumes office at the Tafawa Balewa House, Abuja  expectations are high on the future of the nation’s foreign policy and diplomacy. Nigeria needs a new foreign policy direction to remain relevant  both in Africa and on the world stage in the fast changing sphere of international diplomacy.

The International School of Protocol & Diplomacy (ISPD), which has its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium will be opening its center in Muscat by January. ISPD is Europe’s leading academic institution offering programs in protocol, diplomacy and cross-cultural communication skills, and this center will be its first in the Middle East.[...] “With powerful nation-branding efforts, Oman and the entire Middle East could project their real business and growth potential to the rest of the world."

 Russia knows that soft power requires hard power. Given the mutually hurting stalemate in Syria, the only way to convince Assad that the terms of peace will not be against his interests was to back him up militarily. 

As nationalism may seduce the masses, so may vanity have the same effect upon individual diplomats engaged in conflict resolution. While some may debate what strategic interests, conspiracies or prejudices are at play in motivating policy, too frequently it may be the egos of the personalities involved.