Review Article
Role of Political Leaders to Resolve International Conflicts: Comparing President Barack Obama and President Paul Kagame
Antoine K. Nyagatoma*
Issue:
Volume 9, Issue 1, March 2026
Pages:
1-8
Received:
13 December 2025
Accepted:
25 December 2025
Published:
19 January 2026
DOI:
10.11648/j.jpsir.20260901.11
Downloads:
Views:
Abstract: International conflict is not an unintended outcome of the global system; it is primarily the result of leadership decisions that prioritise force, prestige, and unilateral authority over conversation, negotiation, and collective responsibility. Political leaders play a critical role in determining whether conflicts escalate into violence or become chances for cooperation and peace. This study is based on the premise that leadership is the fundamental cause of both conflict and conflict resolution in international relationships. The goal of this research is to critically explore the role of political leaders in resolving global conflicts through nonviolent, diplomatic means, while also highlighting the adverse effects of leadership failure. The study examines the causes and dynamics of international conflict, its negative social, economic, and humanitarian consequences, and leadership's ability to break cycles of violence. The study takes a qualitative, comparative methodological approach, drawing on historical analysis, secondary literature, and selected case studies, with a focus on the leadership of President Barack Obama of the United States and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda. The analysis indicates that wars and protracted conflicts are overwhelmingly started and sustained by leaders who misinterpret threats, act unilaterally, or prioritize narrow national interests over global security. In contrast, the data show that decisive, principled, and forward-thinking leadership can break down entrenched antagonism. The normalisation of diplomatic relations between the United States and Cuba under President Obama, as well as the reconciliation process between Rwanda and France under President Kagame, demonstrate that acknowledging historical responsibility, fostering strategic dialogue, and establishing political courage can successfully resolve long-standing conflicts. The article categorically finds that long-term peace is not achieved through military supremacy, deterrence, or institutional rhetoric, but rather through moral leadership, diplomatic engagement, and respect for human dignity. Political leaders are thus more than just actors in international conflict; they are the primary builders. Their willingness—or failure—to take decisive action for peace determined whether the world system devolved into violence or moved towards long-term stability.
Abstract: International conflict is not an unintended outcome of the global system; it is primarily the result of leadership decisions that prioritise force, prestige, and unilateral authority over conversation, negotiation, and collective responsibility. Political leaders play a critical role in determining whether conflicts escalate into violence or become...
Show More
