Influential Governments in the Agenda-Setting Process

In my previous blog, I discussed the large impact Canada had in implementing conflict diamonds onto the global agenda via their power on the UN Security Council in the late 1990s. On the Security Council, Canada was able to secure support from both the US and the UK. The Clinton Administration was slow to pick up the issue prior to 1999, but with mounting pressure the US was supportive in tightening the sanctions against UNITA. The US Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, began addressing the issue. Tony Blair's government also began to show support for Canada's interest in addressing the issue. At the Miyazaki Initiatives for Conflict Prevention in 2000, the G8 focused their attention on the issue and formed a statement. They all expressed their support for the UN's effort in ending the illicit trade of diamonds. (Nossal, 260). The support of these powerful nations helped propel the issue onto the global agenda.