From Non-indifference to Responsibility while Protecting: Brazil’s Diplomacy and the Search for Global Norms

The document examines Brazil's shift in foreign policy from traditional non-intervention toward a more active role in UN peacekeeping and the development of the 'Responsibility while Protecting' (RwP) concept. It argues that these diplomatic shifts are driven by Brazil's ambition to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. The author analyzes the practical application of 'non-indifference' in Haiti and the theoretical framework of RwP, which emerged as a response to perceived excesses in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The paper concludes that RwP is a refinement of the existing 'Responsibility to Protect' (RtoP) framework, focusing on the accountability and monitoring of those authorized to use force.

• Brazil's traditional foreign policy was rooted in the principle of non-intervention, influenced by Latin American history and codified in the 1948 Organisation of American States (OAS) agreements and the Brazilian Constitution (Article 4).
• To reconcile its constitutional non-intervention principle with the goal of obtaining a permanent UN Security Council seat, Brazil adopted the principle of 'non-indifference,' which serves as a midway point between non-intervention and the Responsibility to Protect (RtoP).
• The principle of non-indifference was put into practice through Brazil's leadership of the UN Stabilisation Mission in Haiti (Minustah), which began in June 2004 under Security Council Resolution 1542.
• Brazil proposed the concept of 'Responsibility while Protecting' (RwP) in September 2011, largely as a reaction to the perceived misuse of UN Security Council Resolution 1973 during the military intervention in Libya.
• The core of the RwP proposal is that the use of force must be strictly limited, proportionate, and monitored to ensure it does not cause more harm than it was intended to prevent.
• Brazil advocates for the creation of a monitoring and review mechanism for the implementation of Security Council resolutions to ensure that mandates are respected and to prevent actions 'ultra vires'.
• The RwP concept received a negative reception from the US and some European countries, who viewed it as an attempt to block necessary interventions, while it found more resonance in Africa and Southeast Asia.
• The author concludes that RwP is not a replacement for RtoP but a refinement focusing on the manner of response and the responsibility of those implementing the protection.

APA

Almeida, P. W. (2013). From Non-indifference to Responsibility while Protecting: Brazil’s Diplomacy and the Search for Global Norms. South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-138.pdf

Chicago

Almeida, Paula Wojcikiewicz. From Non-indifference to Responsibility while Protecting: Brazil’s Diplomacy and the Search for Global Norms. South African Institute of International Affairs, 2013. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-138.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Almeida |first1=Paula Wojcikiewicz |title=From Non-indifference to Responsibility while Protecting: Brazil’s Diplomacy and the Search for Global Norms |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=April 2013 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-138.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{almeida2013from, author = {Almeida, Paula Wojcikiewicz}, title = {{From Non-indifference to Responsibility while Protecting: Brazil’s Diplomacy and the Search for Global Norms}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2013}, month = apr, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Occasional-Paper-138.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }