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How Well Will Vaccine Diplomacy Work?
By Michael Jennings - Mar 14, 2021
A new term has been added to the Covid-19 dictionary: vaccine diplomacy. Russia, China and, to a lesser extent, India and Israel, have established bilateral deals to provide supplies of vaccines to countries across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East as part of efforts to secure influence and soft power. However, those efforts are likely to have only marginal success. On the other hand, where they will succeed is in helping expose a seam of hypocrisy on the part of a wide swath of Western nations.
The criticism of this vaccine diplomacy – which comes largely from countries and commentators in the West – is that attempt to use access to vaccines to strengthen international standing and influence is both cynical and unhelpful. But it is worth remembering that we have seen diplomacy and power politics play out over the course of the pandemic from all sides. From efforts by the former Trump administration in the US to “blame” China for the pandemic, to China’s efforts to appear globally responsible by shipping PPE around the world, or the recent spat between the EU and UK over vaccines, the virus and the response to it have provided a space for power diplomacy.The question is whether the latest engagement in virus global politics will succeed in generating influence, support and soft power.
The role of international aid as a soft-power tool has long been acknowledged. Generally, soft power is the ability to achieve national goals and interests through attraction and co-option, rather than through command or transaction. As a result, soft power rests in creating a narrative about political values, foreign-policy ambitions and the moral authority of a national government that makes other countries want to support it.
In other words, soft power emerges not from a simple transaction and exchange of goods (we will give you access to the vaccine in return, or as a reward, for a specific end), but from the creation of a narrative about the government that generates an impression of global responsibility and power that is attractive to other powers, who may therefore be more willing to offer their support when required.
By Michael Jennings - Mar 14, 2021
A new term has been added to the Covid-19 dictionary: vaccine diplomacy. Russia, China and, to a lesser extent, India and Israel, have established bilateral deals to provide supplies of vaccines to countries across Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East as part of efforts to secure influence and soft power. However, those efforts are likely to have only marginal success. On the other hand, where they will succeed is in helping expose a seam of hypocrisy on the part of a wide swath of Western nations.
The criticism of this vaccine diplomacy – which comes largely from countries and commentators in the West – is that attempt to use access to vaccines to strengthen international standing and influence is both cynical and unhelpful. But it is worth remembering that we have seen diplomacy and power politics play out over the course of the pandemic from all sides. From efforts by the former Trump administration in the US to “blame” China for the pandemic, to China’s efforts to appear globally responsible by shipping PPE around the world, or the recent spat between the EU and UK over vaccines, the virus and the response to it have provided a space for power diplomacy.The question is whether the latest engagement in virus global politics will succeed in generating influence, support and soft power.
The role of international aid as a soft-power tool has long been acknowledged. Generally, soft power is the ability to achieve national goals and interests through attraction and co-option, rather than through command or transaction. As a result, soft power rests in creating a narrative about political values, foreign-policy ambitions and the moral authority of a national government that makes other countries want to support it.
In other words, soft power emerges not from a simple transaction and exchange of goods (we will give you access to the vaccine in return, or as a reward, for a specific end), but from the creation of a narrative about the government that generates an impression of global responsibility and power that is attractive to other powers, who may therefore be more willing to offer their support when required.
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