Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute

Many who follow U.S politics are aware of President’s Trump’s desire to establish a wall on the southern border. The U.S government views    this as one of the best ways to discourage illegal migrants from entering U.S territory. Why are Central Americans making the trek through challenging terrain to reach the United States? Does the ground situation in these Central American countries have anything to do with this migration? In this piece, we will look into 3 Central American states, referred to by some scholars as the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTCA). Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala which fall into this category have, in recent years, seen waves of migration to the United States. What motivated these people to abandon their traditional lands and possessions and journey to the United States? Source: Author. Recent reports suggest that the number of people from the NTCA who have sought refuge in surrounding countries have increased by 224...

“Wars begin when diplomacy ends”, the famous quote by Adolf Hitler, has always been a forceful reminder of the imperative importance of diplomacy as a strategy in the world arena. The importance of diplomacy as a war deterrent is of significant importance in the modern geopolitical arena. In the modern nuclearized world, war is not an option.   As it was stated in the Einstein-Russell manifesto, “what assurance do we have that agreements made in times of peace, would be honored during times of war”. Furthermore recent developments in the international stage have showcased the importance of diplomatic dialogue in maintaining the stability of a region, before conflict followed by ensuing turmoil erupts. Thus, these few points alone showcase the importance of diplomacy. Niche Diplomacy is a form of strategy which comes under the category of soft power. Soft power as opposed to the hard power of military and economic strength, moves to resolve issues through the application of ...

To become successful and to stamp your mark on the modern dynamic and highly connected world, one requires skills and a perspective of the world which goes beyond what one has learned at ones undergraduate degree or field of work. Geo-political situations such as Brexit , Belt and Road Initiative and developments in the field of national security has an immense impact on our lives though most of us do not have the right set of skills to analyze these   situations and to hedge for problems and to take up opportunities. I too was oblivious to the field of diplomacy before setting foot on the grounds of the BIDTI. As a medical undergraduate of the University Of Colombo Faculty Of Medicine, my scope of study seemed far removed from the sphere of diplomacy. But having being a Prefect at school and represented Sri Lanka in many forums abroad I was interested in world affairs. I came upon the advertisement by the BIDTI on their website and applied for the course. Though I was very e...

In the present-day context, it is pretty much impossible for someone to live in complete isolation. The advancements in technology, specially that to the information and communications field has had remarkable impact on human networks and connectivity. The formidable geographical barriers of the world have largely been bridged as a result of such technology to a point where everything is just a few words and click away. It is something that you and I witness everyday when we use online social network platforms. In such a context, the importance of physical presence has somewhat diminished. You might be far away from the audience or issue you address. Whether on your computer well settled at home or on your phone on the way to or from work, the words you utter, have so much more meaning and impact in the present-day context. So much so, it might even have an impact on a global scale. It can be that you may not even realize that you are having such an impact. Individualism has ...

Competition is a natural byproduct of major powers navigating an anarchic world. Small states operating in such a milieu, however, face a policy dilemma when strategizing their foreign policy. Sri Lanka, sitting in the epicenter of the arc connecting the Persian Gulf to the Strait of Malacca, has captured international attention as a key battleground between Beijing and New Delhi in their tussle for influence in South Asia. While some scholars argue that the island is a personification of China’s “debt trap diplomacy,” others contend that it should not be a poster child of falling into a Chinese “debt trap,” as debt to China is less than 15 percent of Sri Lanka’s total external debt. Concerns over Sri Lanka’s sovereignty have been rife following the $1.12 billion debt-to-equity swap that saw Hambantota port handed over to China and the proposed lease of the Mattala International Airport to India. Sri Lanka is in no position to break off economic ties with either power. Accordi...