Brazil and the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control: Global Health Diplomacy as Soft Power

One of the key developments in international relations during the early twenty-first century is the ascendance of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) (see Box 1 for terms and definitions). While their rising status stems largely from their demographic and economic growth (together accounting for about 40% of the world’s population and 40% of global GDP [1]), also important has been what international relations scholars refer to as the growing use of ‘‘soft power.’’ The term ‘‘soft power’’ was coined by Joseph Nye during the 1990s to describe ‘‘how power is changing in world politics’’ since the end of the Cold War. He argued that, while military force and conquest remain important, power derived from technology, education, and economic growth have increased in significance. The result has been ‘‘a general diffusion of power’’ to a broader range of state and non-state actors. Given that ‘‘the solutions to many current issues of transnational interdependence will require collective action and international cooperation,’’ Nye argued that governments must use an appropriate balance of ‘‘soft power’’ (co-option and attraction) and ‘‘hard power’’ (coercion and payment) when pursuing their interests [2]. This paper examines the process by which Brazil asserted influence in the negotiation of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) as an example of soft power. Implemented under the bylaws of the World Health Organization (WHO) [3], the FCTC has been the product of multi-level and multi-actor negotiation processes that define ‘‘global health diplomacy’’ [4–6]. A fuller understanding of Brazil’s contribution to the FCTC provides insights into the pursuit of global health cooperation alongside broader foreign policy objectives, as well as the emerging practice of global health diplomacy.