<aside> 💡 From this lesson, you must know…

1. How does conflict come to a peaceful resolution? What is the UN and what role does it play in this?
2. What do we mean by the Long Peace? </aside>

If a country is in a position and has the motivation to start conflict, it might do so in a variety of ways. War is just one of the ways that countries wage conflict. They can also:

• Impose sanctions - A diplomatic penalty on trade or status.
• Trade war - a situation in which countries attempt to damage each other's trade, usually through the imposition of tariffs or quotas.
• Economic espionage - The theft of trade secrets or intellectual property through hacking or other means.
• Cyberattacks - The use of digital tools to disrupt, damage, or steal information from an opponent.

Achieving permanent peace is difficult because power dynamics and economic interests can play a role in perpetuating conflicts. It requires sustained efforts by nations and multilateral organizations to promote understanding, cooperation, and trust among warring parties.

In order to resolve a conflict between nations, there are several options available. Multilateral organizations, such as the United Nations, work towards promoting peace and cooperation among nations by facilitating negotiations.

Achieving Peace

There are several multilateral organizations that work towards securing peace between nations. Some examples include:

• The United Nations (UN) - an international organization founded in 1945 to promote peace, security, and cooperation among nations.
• The International Court of Justice (ICJ) - the principal judicial organ of the UN, which settles legal disputes between states and gives advisory opinions on legal questions.
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) - a court of last resort for the prosecution of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.
• The World Trade Organization (WTO) - an intergovernmental organization that regulates international trade between nations.

Actions that can be taken by these organizations to secure peace between nations include diplomatic negotiations, peacekeeping missions, and economic and humanitarian aid.

The Long Peace

The "long peace" refers to the period of relative peace and stability that has existed among major world powers since the end of World War II.