What Makes Diplomacy Successful?

How countries engage diplomatically with the rest of the world is at the heart of the work of ministries of foreign affairs ( MFA s). In recent years, IOB – the Independent Evaluation Directorate of the Netherlands MFA – has conducted many evaluations that have addressed the country’s diplomatic engagement. These studies have yielded significant findings on what makes diplomatic engagement successful. This practitioner’s essay, with characteristics of a ‘positive evaluation’, provides an overview based on a review of recent IOB evaluations, a special case study and background interviews. The conclusion is that diplomatic success can be explained through a combination of seven factors: mission, capacity, commitment, teamwork, networking, timing and reputation.