Stronger digital voices from Africa: Building African digital foreign policy and diplomacy
As Africa’s digital dynamism grows, its participation in global digital policy must increase. In this
transition, African countries have to navigate the geopolitical realities of our times.
The report is also available in French.
Science diplomacy capacity development
Diplo has a track record of more than 20 years of capacity development in diplomacy. Given the increasing relevance of science diplomacy, expanding our program to include aspects of its theory and practice felt like an organic development. We offered our ten-week Science Diplomacy course for the first time in October 2021.
International digital standards: A case for the involvement of stakeholders in the ARIN region
The purpose of this paper is to help raise awareness about digital standards among the small, developing countries in the ARIN service region. In doing so, we start with an overview of what digital standards are and where they are developed at the international level. We then look briefly at the extent to which stakeholders from ARIN countries participate in several key international SDOs. Based on the findings, we argue in favour of more participation from these countries in international standard-setting.
Digital Technologies and the Environment: a Synergy for the Future
Environment and digital technology are two pillars at a turning point of humanity’s future. Recent alarming reports on the state of the environment emphasising the urgency to mitigate climate change have included digital technologies as one of the ways to accelerate environmental efforts. With the onset of digital technologies and their potential for disruptive transformation and positive change, the link between digital developments and the environment is now becoming part of international and national policies.
Report: The geopolitics of digital standards: China’s role in standard-setting organisations
Standards for digital technologies are all around us, enabling devices to interact with each other, allowing us
to connect to mobile networks, and facilitating the exchange of information. By providing rules or guidelines
for the development and functioning of technologies, products, and services, standards foster interoperability
and enable safety and quality of service. This report provides an overview of the digital standardisation ecosystem
and explores China’s role within this ecosystem.
Improving the practice of cyber diplomacy: Training, tools, and other resources – Final study
This study analyses the capacity development of cyber diplomacy, including training opportunities, tools, and other resources, and looks at their reach, take-up, and what should come next. Why? Because although cyber diplomacy, the conduct of diplomacy with respect to a state’s interests in cyberspace, is too important to ignore, the participation of countries is far from ideal.
Digital Commerce Course: a five-year assessment
The publication evaluates the impact of the Digital Commerce Course, aimed at providing capacity building on e-commerce to trade professionals. Over the years, the course has helped trade negotiators navigate an ever more complex e-commerce agenda, which currently encompasses a vast range of issues, from trade facilitation to data protection and cross-border data flows. This course has been offered for five years (2017-2021) by means of a partnership between Diplo Foundation, CUTS International Geneva, the International Trade Centre and the Geneva Internet Platform. For more information about the course, visit Diplo's course catalogue.
Improving the practice of cyber diplomacy: Training, tools, and other resources – Phase I
Cyber diplomacy, the conduct of diplomacy with respect to a state’s interests in cyberspace, is too
important to ignore. Yet, the participation of countries is far from ideal.
2021: The emergence of digital foreign policy
While digital tools, in particular social media, have been gradually introduced to the practice of diplomacy, many open questions remain regarding the impact of digitisation on foreign policy and the environment in which diplomacy is practised. This is where digital foreign policy becomes important.
The report is available for download.
The summary and recordings of the online conference 2021: The emergence of digital foreign policy are also available.
The future of (multilateral) diplomacy? Changes in response to COVID-19 and beyond
The year 2020 marked the 75th anniversary of the United Nations (UN). It is also the year that the world was faced with responding to the emergence of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, an unprecedented global challenge that has left no area of society and no individual life untouched.
