There is no doubt that changes have taken place in the international system over the past 50 years. For example, decolonisation in the 60s and 70s gave rise to a series of new States, some with large surface areas, others smaller, which are often considered as small States. The emergence of these new States has significantly transformed the system.
Generally, States are described as small (not necessarily poor or vulnerable) based on their limited geographical and population size, their modest material resources, or even their limited political influence in international relations. However, it is also true that a number of small States enjoy great prestige and international respectability, since, under no circumstances, should one equate, for example, the geographical size of a State, with the scale of its foreign policy.
Accordingly, in order to protect their interests in the international arena, small States adopt a policy of collaboration with their closest or even somewhat distant neighbours. In other words, they join international organisations and enter into strategic alliances within regional organisations. Such is the policy adopted, and it is in fact the most suitable one, to seek their interests, the security of their territories and their economic survival. In view of the abovementioned “smallness factors”, this is the surest means of achieving their foreign policy objectives.
In pursuit of these objectives, small States quite often avail themselves of the diplomatic instruments at their disposal. They place particular emphasis on the principles of international law opposed to military force. In times of armed conflicts and political upheaval, often in their quest to escape the battlefield, they are motivated to sign bilateral and multilateral agreements to protect themselves against international aggression. They are generally motivated by economic and financial cooperation with other States and entities, which are in a position to provide reinforcement and consolidate their foreign policy and alliances.
It goes without saying that despite their material weakness or economic and political limitations, many small States play a very active role in the international arena. They mobilise themselves within the international arena, and they sometimes give this precedence over individual factors or even their own State bureaucracy, in the quest for change, new diplomatic instruments, positions and decisions favourable to them. They plunge into the fray in pursuit of these objectives. Therefore, they look towards the preponderant actors in the international arena and the driving forces behind international policy. They seek to win the confidence of international actors in order to form partnerships with them. They also seek to identify the issues or powerful trends in international politics to get in tune with them. Read More

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