Embrace Modern Trend Of Diplomacy

Diplomacy is an instrument to serve and promote national interest of any state in its varied shapes and nuances. It is the sovereign right of an independent nation to continually to protect and preserve its territorial integrity and independent political identity. That is what we are told to understand the art and strategy of diplomacy. Modern diplomacy, teaches us to understand and practice its evolving trend - a trend conspicuously indicated by the current practice adopted by the international community at large, compatible with the modern-day requirements of national aspirations and ambition, which encourage and direct the conduct and marshalling of diplomacy under the shadow of complex and entangled international atmosphere.

In the early decades of the 21st century, the international and regional scenario could not be vividly understood and handled at ease. Specific and tested knowledge and skills come up as primary requisite to work and take on any initiative to further promote national interest of any state that aspires to make any diplomatic journey successful. Modern diplomacy is different from conventional diplomacy, which is primarily concerned with the political and security interest of actions and strategies to grapple with the complexity of bilateral, regional and international relationships, and dealings are needed to contribute something substantive to serving national interest for which diplomats are assigned abroad to work.

Information technology

We are aware that the globalisation and rapid development of information technology have contributed to make the world as a modern village planet. This evolution has set in the mindset of global community coming forth for the peace, stability and development to meet the demands and needs of the people. In recent years, though, the developing scenario unveils the reverse of what the world wants to move on to the extent that common masses desire for progress and prosperity. Even people with general knowledge about global scenario have now become aware of the nationalist trend steadily growing especially among super and major powers of the world. This evolving development has now been taking the content and shape of self-serving motivation forgetting and sidelining of smaller and weaker countries’ needs and interests.

Super and major powers hardly take any interest of the poor and devastated people in their quest for their own development and well-being. They never ever give any glance at the grievances of the poor people enhancing the under developed territories of the world. They just think of the poor people of the globe as consumers of their produces and providers of resources and raw materials for their own well-being. This sort of the global development is a now emerging trend which no one can deny. This undesirable concern demands crucial attention of global statesmen to manage for any equitable justice, peace and stability. If not, global stability will never, take its deep roots. 

Today’s diplomacy is revolving around the competition and corporation of science, technology and trade concerns in addition to the conventional practice of political gaming and security concerns of super and major powers with little interest taken for the underdeveloped countries, which comprise more than 75 per cent of global territories. They could hardly play any contributing roles in the development on the global scale. It is evident how the United States and China as domineering powers in both economic and technological terms wield competitive and cooperative role in their relationships. 

This is not to minimise the security concerns and political competition in their love and hate relationships. They are advancing in their own chosen paths. This has clouded their diplomatic behaviour.  It is also evident that sort of diplomatic gaming would likely go a long way between these two economic and technological leviathans with its impact on a larger scale. Such diplomatic gaming is evident in the external behaviour of the European Union, Japan South Korea and emerging big economies like India. In reality, technology and trade will unquestionably make an unavoidable journey in many decades to come. 

The technique of public diplomacy has come to occupy its due place in the international arena with diplomatic gaming. This has become a diplomatic practice which needs to be embraced for the evident reason to enhance the image and identity of the country by diplomats assigned abroad. But, how this can be done by diplomats cannot be explained as this small piece does not allow space for discussion. Diplomats are also now required to make public communication to enable them to deal with the people and the media of the host country as recurring diplomatic businesses abroad. The long-gone usual practice of diplomacy tied together with the diplomatic desks within the mission, and conversation and communication with diplomats of the host country would not alone meet the modern diplomatic challenges. 

Facing with the general public, people concerned institutions and organisations have now become a primary requisite. If not able to perform as said that makes any diplomat as a laughable stock. Public diplomacy and public communication have now emerged as ingredients needed to satisfactorily discharge diplomatic duty. At the moment, several components of modern diplomacy have figured up in the most recent practices of diplomacy as carried out in the global community, diplomacy of technology and trade. Public diplomacy and public communication have largely developed with their contributing elements to enrich the quality of diplomacy and to empower diplomats to perform the modern day diplomatic functions in an age much influenced by information technology which has grown to be friendly to and helping diplomats to fulfill diplomatic businesses through the efficient use of digital diplomacy.

Diplomacy as a discipline of social science is ever-changing and becoming more tech development friendly and more open with democratising process to advance relations with external world. Nepal’s diplomatic decision makers and practicing higher diplomats must be well-acquainted with its recent development of niceties and subtleties. Diplomacy is now more attuned to the adoption and adaptation of science and technology and becoming public spirited and people friendly. These developments are self-revealing and irreversible as the tech-development and democratisation of diplomacy have now its profound impact on the components and practice of diplomacy that cannot be ignored under any circumstances. Better aspects of its recent development look healthy and welcome it is better to pursue them with empirical approach.            

     (Shrestha is senior resource person at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, Kathmandu)