Would tracks one and two suffice in terms of peacekeeping?

It is the inadequateness of track one diplomacy gave birth to the multi-track diplomacy. Although the states are the most powerful actors in the international system, the government to government diplomacy does not suffice to answer the issues in the international system, or to solve conflicts within or between states. Inclusion of non state actors are vital for a sustainable peacemaking.

What is track-one diplomacy?


Initially, only one approach existed in the international peacemaking arena, and that is the peacemaking activities exercised among official or government bodies i.e. track one.
Track one refers to the diplomacy at state to state level. It is regarded as the primary tool of a state's foreign policy for promoting peace. Interactions in track one diplomacy adhere to a set protocol to which each state representative should follow. Diplomats, state ministers, heads of state, and other government officials carry it out. Track one is supposed to be effective because it possesses political power, which allows it to influence negotiations and even wage wars if necessary to protect its interests. It also has the necessary financial resources and knowledge of foreign policy.

Why was the track one diplomacy not enough?

Despite its strengths, the track one peacemaking process does have its downsides; Imbalance of political power increases disparities between powerful and weaker states. Underlying issues of weaker states might be suppressed by the power of powerful states and make peace agreements in their favor. Additionally, the electoral cycle, or the mandate time associated with a particular level of power, also has an impact on their operations.
Furthermore, because it is done according to a specific protocol, it is not very innovative. Because of the strictness, the actors who exercise this diplomacy might not have the liberty to do what is necessary.

The most visible peacemaking Inter Governmental Organization in the world is the United Nations. However it also has limitations; Five permanent members of the UN security council has been granted the veto power which means that they can say no to any substantive resolution. Furthermore, the UN charter does not allow the UN to intervene in intrastate conflicts. Thus it is fair to state that the government bodies alone are not equipped to handle conflicts within states. Moreover, the United Nations and other government personnel who are committed to serving the people propose solutions that fail to resolve conflicts within communities. They emphasized the concept of "focusing on people and a peaceful, decent life for all" at the UN's 72nd annual general assembly. They saw having a local presence and knowledge as a solution. To accomplish this, they station high-ranking officials in major cities, where staff are disconnected from the communities they are supposed to serve. And they can't see the real issues in communities just by looking out the window of a white UN car.
Therefore, it is critical to recognize the importance of non-governmental contributions to peacemaking.

Emergence of Track Two Diplomacy

The diplomats and other professionals in the conflict resolution arena realized that they don't see the whole picture. They realized that these interactions among governments alone cannot and does not promote peace. They need the assistance of other organizations, non governmental bodies. Thus, in 1982, the idea of  "track two" was introduced by Joseph Montville of the Foreign Service institute.
This notion highlighted the diplomacy that was being practiced by various community circles such as religious groups, educationalists, business professionals, scientists etc. to resolve conflicts. More people from different backgrounds stepped in to contribute to promote peace.

Track two diplomacy refers to unofficial, informal interactions between non-governmental organizations and individuals in order to resolve conflicts with or without the presence of a third party. Unlike track one, which follows a strict protocol, this method resolves conflicts by inviting conflicting parties to communicate, understand, find common ground, and collaborate. Allowing the two parties to communicate freely reveals the root causes of the conflict, identifies their underlying needs, and provides solutions. It aids in the development of relationships between opposing parties and the removal of barriers between them. Track two diplomacy can be conducted by any non-governmental entity, either individually or collectively. Although, most people who are professionally involved in areas such as research, academics, law, religious groups, and so on unofficially participate in conflict resolution. They emphasize coercive, civilized, interactive, and mutually empowered conflict resolution methods. They promote peace by holding seminars, conferences, training events, and building institutions, among other things. It can also be one-on-one diplomacy. It has been a successful approach to resolving many conflicts, including those between Israel and Palestine, Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, India and Pakistan, and others. Track two diplomacy is a risk-taking, challenging, and innovative approach that is willing to do what authorities are reluctant to do; however, it has drawbacks such as limited political power, resources, funding, and questionable accountability. Furthermore, they have only a slim chance of influencing a conflict's war stage.

Emergence of Multi-track diplomacy

Multi-track Diplomacy. (2019, November). Iasscore. [Image]https://basix.in/stadmin/uploads/images//862.png
Multi-track Diplomacy

Despite the drawbacks, every type of person, whether a housewife, farmer, influencer, or a scientist, can and should participate in the peacemaking process. The diverse range of these contributors could not be confined only to 'Track Two Diplomacy.' Thus, Ambassador John McDonald, Dr. Louise Diamond, and their colleagues devised the concept of "Multi-Track Diplomacy."
There are nine tracks in Multi-Track Diplomacy, each with its own primary goal. For instance, the primary goal of a business is to make a profit. However, collectively, each of these tracks shares a common goal: to maintain and promote peace. These tracks can be viewed as a series of functions to achieve peace.
Thus, multi-track diplomacy is viewed as a systems approach to peace.
Since the very early ages, people has been gathering in forms of circles, to hold peace talks. (People used to gather in a circle around fire) As circle has been known to be a symbol of peace for years, the 9 tracks are also represented in a circle.
The eight points of the circle represent the eight tracks of diplomacy, with the inner circle indicating communication (the ninth track) which connects all of them. These nine tracks are, government to government, professional conflict resolution, business, private citizens, research and education, activism, religious, funding, and communication.

How do the remaining tracks function in the system in parallel with track one and two?

Track three; Business
Business relationships break down barriers and expose to new friendships, cultures, and experiences. It has the financial power, it strengthens the country's economy, allowing it to provide services needed, which reduces conflicts that can arise as a result of poverty. Businesses have the ability to make much larger contribution to peacemaking. For example, recently, 35 CEOs joined the welcome US CEO council and raised millions of dollars to help refugees fleeing the Ukraine war and the Afghanistan refugee crisis.

Track four; Citizen
Citizen diplomacy is the practice of promoting peace on a personal basis. Exchange programs, private nonprofit organizations, special interest groups, etc. are used for this. This might, however, operate independently of track one rather than in hand in hand with it, in contrast to other parts of the system.

Track five; Education
Track five involves promoting peace through education; Research, Education, and Training, etc.  They contribute to peace through, training programs, which aim to train participants in practical skills like negotiation, mediation, conflict resolution, etc. And it also facilitates cross-cultural studies, peace and world order studies, and conflict analysis.

Track six; Activism

It is the role of the activist to use political action to change systems, mindsets, and policies. By eradicating political, environmental, and economic injustices, activism fosters peace. It focuses on shedding light on and striving to resist those behaviors and laws that are wrong, unjust, or disturbing the peace.

Track seven; Religious groups
This track explains how religion can promote peace. It focuses on the role that morality, love, and compassion play in transforming society into a peaceful, conflict-free one. Moreover, Religious activities can influence citizens from grassroot levels. Thus, they have the power to significantly alter communities that are at odds.

Track eight; Funding
Funding is the act of promoting peace by providing resources. This entails giving back to the community by supporting the foundations and donors who fund many of the initiatives carried out by the other tracks.

Track nine; Communication

This track is about the media and communications that link everything together, often known as information-based peacebuilding. This is the domain of the people's voice: how the media, social hubs, electronic systems, etc. shape and convey each other's opinion.

In the current context, track one diplomacy has the greatest potential to influence the Ukrainian conflict. However, it is clear that it has failed to prevent the Ukrainian war from escalating. But nonetheless, it is true that multi-track diplomacy has been working to mitigate the effects of the conflicts.

Conclusion

When Track One diplomacy and other tracks work together, the system can mitigate the drawbacks of each track. The system of multi-track diplomacy has grown exponentially over the years, collectively contributing to peacemaking. To conclude, if each component of the system runs smoothly, the process of peacemaking and conflict resolution would be much easier.

References

Image References

Comments

Post a Comment