Public Policy, Diplomacy & Nation Branding in a Digital Epoch: The ‘Delinked Diplomat’ RL- CCXIII, MMVI Vol XI No XXI

Abstract

        Diplomatic missions to Western nations, at least in their traditional form, are facing a crunch of existence. The 21^st century has dramatically changed the way nations interact with each other. The speed at which information is exchanged, economic crises spiral, complex security menaces emerge and the way states communicate in real time all raise the issue whether permanent plenipotentiary & extraordinary attachés are still relevant. Gone are the days when the Treaty of Wuchalle between Ethiopia’s Emperor Menelliqué and Italy that were concluded through diplomats in the 1880s. Today, information transcends plans & frontiers, trillions move unimpeded across a global network of swifts and networks are fast swapping the pecking order. As opposed to closed-door diplomacy, media transparency is the clarion call of the day, crowding out diplomatic pride.

        In this world of instantaneous social media where leaders proclaim positions on international matters without even telling their emissaries, old-style diplomats struggle to sustain their relevance. Hence, while missions still make the bulwark of international affairs, fundamental forces that demand change include revolution in information technology, proliferation of new media, knowledge on globalization of business and finance, public participation in complex issues that transcend national boundaries. Diplomacy must be overhauled to make it more accessible, participatory, technology driven in deliberations and implementation. Ending the culture of secrecy and exclusivity is a requirement for developing a collaborative relationship with the public. Further, it is to adopt a disciplined coordination model for the conduct of diplomacy. Another immediate need is a renaissance of professionalism. The potential solution scenarios discussed in the paper are strategies for new branding of nations, governance and leadership capacity, founding independent private sector think tanks and a renewed role for embassies (Oliver, 2016).

Key words: diplomacy, public policy, information age, globalization

See lecture here or  https://www.academia.edu/28765827/Public_Policy_Diplomacy_and_Nation_Branding_in_a_Digital_Epoch_The_Irrelevant_Diplomat_-_RL-_CCXIII_MMVI_Vol_XI_No_XXI

Intellectuals analyze the operations of international systems; leaders build them. There is a vast difference between the perspective of an analyst and that of a leader. The analyst can choose which problem to study, whereas the leader’s problems are imposed on him. The analyst can allot time to come to a clear conclusion; the overwhelming challenge to the leader is the pressure of time. The analyst runs no risk. If his conclusions prove wrong, he can write another treatise. The leader is permitted only one guess; his mistakes are irretrievable. The analyst has available to him all the facts; he will be judged on his intellectual power. The statesman must act on assessments that cannot be proved at his time; he will be judged by history on the basis of how wisely he managed the inevitable change and, above all, by how well he preserves the peace ― Henry Kissinger, Diplomacy