Problem setting. Ensuring constant access to humanitarian aid during military conflicts and complex emergencies has always been an important issue for politicians. Its solution is to guarantee the protection of civilians in times of danger and political instability. The practice of humanitarian negotiations led to the emergence of the concept of humanitarian diplomacy in the early 2000s. It was to persuade community leaders and high-ranking decision-makers to act in the interests of vulnerable populations in accordance with humanitarian principles. Humanitarian diplomacy is carried out by humanitarian actors and includes the organization of a safe presence of humanitarian organizations, access to negotiations with the civilian population, monitoring assistance programs, and respect for international law.
The development of humanitarian aspects of diplomacy is linked to the protection of the most vulnerable groups – ethnic and religious minorities, women, children, refugees, victims of armed conflict, terrorism and environmental disasters.
An important task facing scholars is to study the nature of diplomacy, the history of its development, as well as modern models and tools. Scholars draw attention to the need to return in international relations to the philosophy of morality and values.
In our opinion, it is expedient to define the concept of humanitarian diplomacy, to show the formation and development of humanitarian diplomacy and the institute of humanitarian law, to consider the problems of humanitarian activity in the modern world.
Analysis of recent researches and publications. K. Schmitt, H. Arendt, M. Foucault, D. Agamben, D. Butler, ES Gromoglasova, TV Zonova, OF Rusakova studied the strategic dimension of humanitarian diplomacy and humanitarian law in their works. In addition, the famous works of domestic scientists such as VF Antipenko, M. Gnatovsky, V. Gutnik, T. Korotky, A. Talalaev, O. Tiunov, I. Lukashuk, J. Zhukorska and others.
Target of research is to define the concept of “humanitarian diplomacy”, analyze the historical development of the concept of humanitarian law and diplomacy, describe the current problems of functioning.
Article’s main body. The article examines the prerequisites and features of the formation of humanitarian diplomacy and humanitarian law. The authors try to give a modern definition of “humanitarian diplomacy, analyze the historical development of the concept of international humanitarian law and diplomacy.” The role of international organizations in the implementation of humanitarian aid to vulnerable groups during armed conflicts is highlighted, the current problems of humanitarian diplomacy are described.
Conclusions and prospects for the development. Given the above, the authors can conclude that the ways of formation and development of humanitarian diplomacy were quite difficult. Only in the middle of the XIX century were the norms and principles on the basis of which vulnerable groups are protected; the first international legal acts of humanitarian law were adopted; international organizations have sprung up to provide humanitarian assistance to all those in need.
In modern conditions, in our opinion, humanitarian diplomacy is becoming a key element in providing assistance to all vulnerable groups, which is provided by many actors, such as states, international organizations, ordinary people and their initiatives.
Introductory Remarks by Tracey Begley