Conflict Resolution and Diplomacy: Pathways to Lasting Peace in Contemporary International Relations

Abstract

This article examines the role of conflict resolution and diplomacy as pathways to lasting peace in contemporary international relations amid rising multipolarity, hybrid conflicts, and institutional challenges. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from realism, liberalism, constructivism, and peace studies, it reviews the evolution of diplomatic practices from traditional negotiations to preventive, track-II, digital, and hybrid modalities and analyzes conflict resolution mechanisms like mediation, peacekeeping, and peacebuilding through comparative case studies of Ukraine-Russia talks, Gaza ceasefire processes, Ethiopia-Eritrea reconciliation, and Colombia's accord. Findings highlight success factors such as inclusive mediation, third-party neutrality, sustained dialogue, and norm-building, contrasted with failures driven by power asymmetries, spoilers, and enforcement gaps. The study argues that effective diplomacy, when combined with transformative and inclusive approaches, transcends negative peace to achieve positive, sustainable structures despite geopolitical fragmentation. It addresses contemporary dynamics like the erosion of multilateralism and the rise of regional actors, offering policy implications for adaptive strategies in states, international organizations, and mediators to promote durable peace in an era of interconnected threats.

Keywords: Conflict Resolution, Diplomacy, Lasting Peace, Multipolarity, Inclusive Mediation, Positive Peace