Hare Writes Letter to the Editor of The Economist on COVID & Diplomacy

Ambassador Paul Hare, Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University, published a letter to the editor in the July 11, 2020, edition of The Economist. His letter touches on diplomatic reform, the coronavirus pandemic, and the future of the United Nations (UN).

In the letter, Hare discusses how global leaders are more willing and able to engage in finger-pointing online through social media making consensus building more difficult. However, in an era where many facets of society are moving to virtual formats, Hare argues that diplomacy should follow suit, particularly the UN.

An excerpt:

Platforms of diplomatic engagement do not evolve accidentally. We knew before covid-19 that the UN needed to reform; the pandemic has shown that diplomacy needs new options for constant real-time interaction.

The full letter as well as others featured in the July 11, 2020, can be read here.

Ambassador Paul Hare was a British diplomat for 30 years and the British ambassador to Cuba from 2001-04. He now teaches classes at Boston University on Diplomatic Practice, Arms Control, Intercultural Communication, and on Cuba in Transition. His novel, “Moncada — A Cuban Story,” set in modern Cuba, was published in 2010. His book, “Making Diplomacy Work; Intelligent Innovation for the Modern World” was published in 2015. Learn more about him here.