nCa Commentary
Peace and trust share a delicate, symbiotic relationship in international relations. While peace is often defined as the absence of war, its longevity depends on something less tangible but equally vital: trust.
Without trust, even the most carefully negotiated treaties risk unraveling, and the fragile bonds between nations can fracture under pressure. Trust acts as both the glue that holds relationships together and the lubricant that smooths friction in a world where sovereignty and self-interest often collide. Let’s explore how this invisible thread is spun, strengthened, and sometimes severed—and why it matters more than ever.
At its core, trust in global politics is the quiet confidence that other actors will act predictably, honor their commitments, and balance self-interest with shared goals. Unlike personal trust, which might stem from emotion, international trust is pragmatic, forged through calculated risks and repeated interactions. It’s the reason countries honor trade agreements, respect borders, or collaborate on climate goals even when short-term gains might tempt them to act alone. Yet trust isn’t static; it evolves in stages. It might begin as transactional—a cautious dance of quid pro quo, like a trade pact—then deepen into strategic alignment, where nations coordinate on security or economic policies. At its most profound, trust becomes transformative, rooted in shared values and a collective identity, as seen in the European Union’s evolution from wartime adversaries to partners in peace.
Building trust requires deliberate effort. Diplomacy is key: regular dialogue, cultural exchanges, and confidence-building measures—like military transparency agreements—help nations grow familiar with one another’s intentions. Transparency itself is another pillar. When countries openly share information or submit to international norms, they signal reliability. Reciprocity also plays a role: honoring commitments in climate accords or pandemic responses fosters a sense of fairness. Sometimes, third parties like the United Nations or neutral mediators step in to broker trust where suspicion once festered.
But trust is fragile. A single act of aggression, a broken promise, or a perceived slight can shatter years of progress. Consider the collapse of the Iran nuclear deal, where mistrust spiraled into renewed sanctions and regional tension. Even economic protectionism, like sudden tariffs, can fray the trust that underpins global markets. When trust erodes, nations retreat into isolation, arms races escalate, and cooperation stalls—a cycle that often ends in conflict.
Trust also wears many hats. Political trust is the bedrock of alliances, as seen in the enduring Saudi-UAE partnership and some other similar alliances. Economic trust fuels global trade, exemplified by ASEAN’s regional integration. Social trust grows from people-to-people ties, like student exchanges in the EU. Humanitarian trust emerges when nations prioritize lives over politics, as the International Red Cross does in war zones. Environmental trust, meanwhile, hinges on shared stewardship of resources, as in the Antarctic Treaty. Each form of trust overlaps and reinforces the others, creating a resilient web—or unraveling when one thread snaps.
Leadership and shared norms are critical to nurturing trust. Visionary leaders like Nelson Mandela or Germany’s Willy Brandt used gestures of reconciliation to turn enemies into partners. Norms like the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals or the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine create common expectations, anchoring trust in principles rather than personalities. Yet leadership can also undermine trust: unilateral actions, empty rhetoric, or hypocrisy breed cynicism.
In today’s fractured world, rebuilding trust is not optional. Rising nationalism, geopolitical rivalries, and transnational crises like climate change demand collaboration. Strengthening multilateral institutions, fostering inclusive dialogue, and investing in soft power—through cultural diplomacy or education—can reignite trust. But this requires humility, patience, and a willingness to prioritize collective well-being over narrow gains.
Ultimately, peace without trust is a house of cards. Trust without justice, equity, and transparency is equally hollow. As we confront challenges that no single nation can solve alone—pandemics, AI governance, environmental collapse—the stakes have never been higher. Trust remains the oxygen of global peace: invisible, indispensable, and all too easily depleted. The choice is ours: nurture it, or risk suffocating the very stability we seek. /// nCa, 10 March 2025