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International Relations & Diplomacy vocabulary · Negotiation & Summit Language

Consensus

Meaning in international relations & diplomacy, with examples

/kənˈsensəs/nounCore term

In international relations & diplomacy, consensus means: General agreement among all participants, often reached without a formal vote because no one objects to a proposal.

In Turkish: uzlaşı, oydaşma, konsensüs

How it is used

Many bodies decide by consensus, including NATO and most UN conferences. Delegates 'reach', 'build', 'block' or 'join' consensus. Consensus differs from unanimity: a state can accept a decision by staying silent instead of voting yes.

Example sentences

  1. The final text was adopted by consensus late on Friday night.

  2. One delegation blocked consensus, so the meeting ended without a declaration.

  3. The chair spent two days trying to build consensus on the budget.

Common collocations

  • reach consensus
  • by consensus
  • build consensus
  • block consensus
  • broad consensus
  • compromiseAn agreement in which each side gives up part of what it wanted so that both can accept the result; the same word is a verb meaning to reach such an agreement.
  • vetoThe power of one member to block a decision even when the others support it; at the UN, the right of the five permanent Security Council members to stop a draft resolution.
  • negotiationFormal discussion between parties who are trying to reach an agreement, in which each side presents its position, makes proposals and may accept compromises.
  • multilateralInvolving three or more countries, or carried out through international organisations, as in multilateral talks, a multilateral treaty or multilateral cooperation.

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Negotiation & Summit Language

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