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ACADEMIA Letters Politics and Diplomacy in COVID Pandemic Rajeev Kunwar The COVID Pandemic is considered to be a major global public health disaster. It has either damaged or reversed global economic growth. It has put further stress on achieving sustainable development goals in developing economies. A financial largesse in the form of free vaccine jabs is proffered to citizens by the governments. But not much relief is felt unless a short, medium, and long-term recovery in the realistic package is undertaken. This global pandemic has so far been adjusted in an ad hoc manner. Technical support, help, and assistance to the need-based beneficiaries have questioned the roles of state and government in the developing world which lacks production of vaccines. A type of postmodern phenomenon is with us in these times, and waves of alleviating approaches that are different and diverse. Politics and diplomacy being the usual business have not much satiated in a domain of quotidian affairs of the state. The rise of populist government and oppositional politics were at crossfire without much legitimacy to speak on the public health system and public health issues that are generally underfunded or apathy of the state support. So the question of politics in this magnitude of health systemic crises, the blame goes to no one. No one imagined on such a global scale that the pandemic onset would wreak havoc in the mind and thinking of people. Neither the world was prepared to grapple with the sudden lockdown of the whole world nor a total standstill nor was non-movement of social humans known in human history. The 21st century marked a centennial of the First Great War of 1914-1918, whereas the shutdown of world affairs is notably rare. This has led us to a brink of time filled with deepening crises and agonies of political instability, transition, and climate change repercussions of two decades. Globalizing and capitalizing society of the world has many interpretations and analyses of politics and diplomacy in this pandemic when pundits analyze the deeper impact to global citizens not only nationals of a territorial state. Academia Letters, July 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0 Corresponding Author: Rajeev Kunwar, rky.monte79@gmail.com Citation: Kunwar, R. (2021). Politics and Diplomacy in COVID Pandemic. Academia Letters, Article 1719. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL1719. 1 The world is becoming extremely interdependent in a deepening nexus of capitalism and a democratic way of living. Its momentum has witnessed a hiatus as of now and its consequences may be felt for many years to come. The impact of this pandemic cannot be measured today. But its aftershocks are going to affect if the government and states of the world delay to execute pragmatic policy to a speedy recovery. Diplomacy to connect heads of state and government also went virtual, except in circumstances of international conclave when its aftermath seems to subside or lessen in G7 meetings in 2021. But the delivery of its pledged assistance to the Global South is still unknown when some African leaders are talking of a Vaccine Apartheid. If diplomacy is conducted to assist the vulnerable states, then can those countries withstand normal or stable business of public affairs? Piling debts and its burden is still unsure of those countries when to pay back such international loans and close the business of the AID industry. These are pertinent issues where solutions are still brainstorming for so many years but it has not been resolved permanently. A power shift in the international order is talked about much. However, a genuine rise of the Non-West theoretically exists in principle in comparison to the West that is well versed in it. In praxis, a long walk to liberty, justice, and truth is ongoing with occasional hiccups or setbacks. Once such countries are self-reliant on domestic settlement of public interest issues, can only such states rise to the occasion to hold their sovereignty and autonomy in international relations with pride but not prejudice, with principled praxis but not anarchic or agitational mindsets and with purposeful durability or sustainability in wealth creation but not in discretionary or palliative measures to assuage feeble financialization process or stimulus baggage. The Global South and the Global North, the East and the West, and the West and the NonWest relations will consolidate or undergird further if in the convergence of good governance, the rule of law, and the democratic way of life. An open, transparent, and peaceful society can endure prosperity, progress, and principles because a liberal democracy stabilizes extremes and softens polemics in a polarized within polarized society. Otherwise, the price of peace, democracy, and human civilization is going to cost us dearly and we will miss the chances to demonstrate a quality of life and living that includes and does not exclude the last person or those at the bottom rung of human society. Contemporary global public policy is spearheaded by G7 countries and its influence on many countries is manifold in their internal sovereignty. There is no escape from the policy fine-tuning and responsiveness to meet the new challenge and secure welfare, insurance, and safety nets. In these civic interests, government and governance cannot evade responsibility to serve best if not better. Criticisms are fielded too often but insiders in the corridors of power are aware of such allegations. Civil society is at the forefront of this fortress to defend Academia Letters, July 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0 Corresponding Author: Rajeev Kunwar, rky.monte79@gmail.com Citation: Kunwar, R. (2021). Politics and Diplomacy in COVID Pandemic. Academia Letters, Article 1719. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL1719. 2 democracy and keeps a vigil to check authoritarian advent or appetite in politics. Politics and diplomacy in COVID Pandemic are under the trials and tribulations during this exigent situation too when it is gripping not only a single country but also the entire states of the world. We can salvage from this crisis if the vaccination drive is total and complete including sanitary measures. Then this health emergency era immunes only for the virus to disappear and variant apprehension tactfully responded with. In brief, pandemic extirpation and climate change control must go simultaneously when new action-oriented thinking is a must to remedy the legacy of old pending problems on the table talk. Academia Letters, July 2021 ©2021 by the author — Open Access — Distributed under CC BY 4.0 Corresponding Author: Rajeev Kunwar, rky.monte79@gmail.com Citation: Kunwar, R. (2021). Politics and Diplomacy in COVID Pandemic. Academia Letters, Article 1719. https://doi.org/10.20935/AL1719. 3