Paradigm Shifts, Small State Diplomacy, and Negotiating for Humanity with Ambassador Elayne Whyte-Gomez

In this episode of Lawyering Peace, Dr. Paul Williams speaks with Ambassador Elayne Whyte, former Permanent Representative of Costa Rica to the United Nations in Geneva and President of the 2017 United Nations Conference to Negotiate a Legally Binding Instrument to Prohibit Nuclear Weapons that negotiated and adopted the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, which entered into force in 2021. In this episode, Ambassador Whyte argues that the world is experiencing a profound renegotiation of the existing international order rather than a clean break from it. She explores how power is becoming more crowded at the top, why small states still depend on rules and institutions, and how Costa Rica has used diplomacy, law, and coalition building to exert influence beyond its size. The conversation also examines inequality, artificial intelligence, regional dynamics in Central America, and the challenge of preserving human rights and cooperation in a more fragmented world. This episode offers a thoughtful reflection on how diplomats can adapt global governance while preserving the core principles that underpin international cooperation.