Using the Conflict Tree framework, structural root causes (like poverty and systemic discrimination) form the invisible anchor of a conflict, while the visible trunk represents the core problem. Why do international preventive diplomacy efforts often focus on addressing the visible trunk or branches rather than the underlying roots?

International preventive diplomacy efforts often focus on the visible trunk or branches of a conflict because these are typically the immediate symptoms that are easier to identify and address in the short term. Addressing structural root causes like poverty or systemic discrimination requires long-term commitment, significant resources, and often involves sensitive issues of national sovereignty, making them politically challenging and complex for external actors to tackle directly. Diplomats might prioritize de-escalation and managing overt violence (the trunk/branches) to prevent immediate harm, rather than undertaking the deeper, more transformative work needed to resolve the underlying issues.