By P M Amza –

The recently concluded Antalya Diplomacy Forum held in Antalya once again demonstrated how global diplomacy is steadily evolving beyond traditional multilateral institutions into more flexible and politically dynamic platforms. At a time when the international system is experiencing profound geopolitical uncertainty, Antalya emerged not merely as another international conference, but as an important arena where strategic conversations, political networking, and emerging global alignments were actively shaped.

For countries such as Sri Lanka, participation in such forums is no longer simply ceremonial. It has become increasingly strategic.

Against this backdrop, Sri Lanka’s representation at ambassadorial rather than foreign ministerial level — despite reports that the invitation had been extended at ministerial level — raises a broader and important foreign policy question: can small states afford limited diplomatic presence at a time when the global order itself is undergoing recalibration?

This question goes beyond protocol. It concerns how small states remain visible, relevant, and connected within a rapidly changing international environment.

Antalya and the Rise of Middle-Power Diplomacy

Over the years, the Antalya Diplomacy Forum has evolved into one of the increasingly influential diplomatic platforms connecting major powers, emerging middle powers, developing countries, policy experts, and international organisations. Unlike rigidly structured summits, Antalya has become known for informal consultations, bilateral meetings, strategic discussions, and what diplomats often describe as “corridor diplomacy.”

This year’s forum carried particular significance because it was held amid multiple overlapping international crises. The wars in Gaza and Ukraine, intensifying strategic rivalry between the United States and China, maritime insecurity in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean, disruptions to global supply chains, energy vulnerabilities, migration pressures, and debates regarding the future role of the Global South all formed part of the wider diplomatic context surrounding the discussions.

According to official forum information, the gathering attracted participation from more than 150 countries, including over 20 Heads of State and Government, more than 50 ministers, and over 40 foreign ministers alongside senior representatives of international organisations, academics, and strategic policy institutions.

Foreign ministers and senior representatives participated from countries across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, including Türkiye, Russia, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iran, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Georgia, Serbia, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Hungary, Lithuania, Moldova and Azerbaijan among many others.

The scale and diversity of participation reflected how Antalya has increasingly become a gathering point for middle powers and developing countries seeking a greater voice within an evolving international order.

Why Diplomatic Presence Matters

Diplomacy has always valued presence. In today’s international environment, however, presence carries heightened importance because personal engagement increasingly shapes political outcomes.

Foreign ministers attending such gatherings do not merely deliver prepared speeches. They hold bilateral meetings, exchange strategic assessments, explore economic cooperation, build political networks, and engage in discussions that may later influence trade, investment, tourism, development partnerships, maritime cooperation, and voting alignments in international organisations.

For Sri Lanka, Antalya represented an opportunity to engage multiple foreign ministers and senior policymakers within a single forum at a time when Colombo continues to pursue economic recovery, tourism revitalisation, export diversification, debt restructuring support, and broader strategic partnerships.

Small states seldom possess the military or economic leverage enjoyed by major powers. Their influence traditionally derives from diplomacy, strategic location, agility, coalition-building, and sustained international engagement. Visibility itself becomes a form of diplomatic capital.

In such circumstances, limited representation may carry consequences extending beyond symbolism.

Subjects Discussed and Their Relevance to Sri Lanka

The issues discussed at Antalya were not distant geopolitical abstractions unrelated to Sri Lanka. Many directly intersect with Sri Lanka’s own strategic interests and vulnerabilities.

One major focus of the forum was maritime security and the safety of global trade routes. For an island nation located at the centre of vital Indian Ocean shipping lanes, disruptions in maritime security directly affect trade, energy supplies, insurance costs, and economic stability.

Energy security and supply chain resilience also featured prominently in discussions. Sri Lanka’s recent economic crisis demonstrated how vulnerable smaller economies remain to global disruptions in fuel, food, and logistics networks. Participation in such discussions would have enabled Sri Lanka to strengthen engagement with energy-producing and strategically influential countries.

Another key theme was the growing role of middle powers and the Global South in reshaping international diplomacy. This is particularly relevant to Sri Lanka, which historically pursued a foreign policy based on non-alignment, strategic balancing, and bridge-building diplomacy.

The forum also addressed issues relating to economic recovery, development financing, regional connectivity, migration, humanitarian crises, digital transformation, and conflict mediation — all areas carrying direct relevance to Sri Lanka’s economic and strategic future.

At a time when Sri Lanka continues to seek investment, tourism partnerships, export opportunities, and balanced relations with multiple global actors, such platforms offer opportunities not merely for visibility but for practical engagement.

Sri Lanka’s Diplomatic Tradition

Historically, Sri Lanka maintained a diplomatic profile often larger than its geographical size. Colombo played active roles within the Non-Aligned Movement, advocated the concept of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, and cultivated a reputation for maintaining constructive relations across competing geopolitical blocs.

Sri Lankan diplomacy traditionally understood an important strategic reality: small states survive internationally not through withdrawal, but through engagement.

Even during difficult domestic periods, Sri Lanka invested in diplomatic outreach because policymakers recognised that international relationships constituted strategic assets rather than ceremonial obligations.

Today’s geopolitical environment arguably requires even greater diplomatic activism.

The Indian Ocean region has once again emerged as a central arena of global competition involving maritime trade, ports, logistics corridors, energy flows, digital infrastructure, and naval presence. Sri Lanka’s strategic location naturally places it within these larger geopolitical calculations.

At such a moment, diplomatic visibility matters.

Diplomacy Beyond Politics

Modern diplomacy is no longer confined solely to political negotiations. International forums increasingly function as platforms for economic diplomacy involving trade, tourism, logistics, education, investment, energy cooperation, and technological partnerships.

Many practical diplomatic outcomes emerge not only from formal speeches but also from informal meetings held during such gatherings.For a country recovering from severe economic stress, these opportunities possess tangible value.

Sri Lanka continues to seek foreign direct investment, export expansion, tourism recovery, development financing, and diversified strategic partnerships. Ministerial-level participation in major diplomatic forums can therefore contribute not only to political visibility but also to economic opportunity.

The Türkiye Dimension

The forum also reflected the growing diplomatic activism of Türkiye itself.

Over recent years, Türkiye has increasingly positioned itself as a strategic connector between Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia. Through mediation initiatives, humanitarian diplomacy, and active regional engagement, Ankara has expanded its international profile significantly.The Antalya Diplomacy Forum forms part of this broader diplomatic strategy.

For Sri Lanka, maintaining active engagement with emerging diplomatic centres such as Türkiye carries practical importance. Relations between the two countries have steadily expanded through trade, tourism, education, and political cooperation. Greater high-level engagement can further strengthen these ties at a time when middle powers are becoming increasingly influential in shaping international discussions.

The Larger Lesson for Small States

The broader lesson from Antalya therefore extends beyond one conference alone.

In an era of fragmented geopolitics, small states cannot afford passive diplomacy. They cannot rely solely on formal representation while major international conversations increasingly occur through flexible diplomatic platforms, ministerial networking, and informal strategic consultations.

The international system is becoming more fluid, less predictable, and increasingly network-driven. In such an environment, access matters. Relationships matter. Presence matters.

Sri Lanka’s traditional diplomatic strengths lay in its ability to engage multiple actors while carefully balancing competing interests. That tradition may now require renewed emphasis.

The issue is not whether ambassadorial representation was formally adequate. Diplomatically, Sri Lanka was represented. The larger question, however, is whether the country fully utilised an opportunity for higher-level political engagement at a time when the voices of middle powers and strategically positioned small states are becoming increasingly relevant in shaping the evolving international order.

For small states, diplomacy is not merely about attending conferences. It is about ensuring that their voice remains present when the future international landscape is being debated, negotiated, and quietly shaped.

*The author is Sri Lanka’s former Ambassador to the EU, Belgium, Türkiye, Ukraine and Saudi Arabia and former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.