True Spirit Of Parliamentary Hearings

In today's world the process of vetting has been recognised as a crucial step before confirming the appointment to certain significant positions. Also known as parliamentary hearing, this practice ensures that candidates are subjected to thorough scrutiny before taking on high positions of responsibility. The Constitution of Nepal 2015 has also enshrined the hearing process as a mandatory requirement for the appointment in positions such as the Chief Justice and other justices of the Supreme Court, ambassadors, the head of constitutional bodies and the commander-in-chief of the army. 

In the United States, vetting is conducted by the senate for significant appointments. In Nepal, however, the constitution has assigned the Parliamentary Hearing Committee to conducting the hearing of the candidates recommended by the government as per the concerned legal provisions. These hearings are meant to assess the competence, suitability, qualification and the broad knowledge of the candidates before endorsing their appointment to the recommended positions.

Formality 

Vetting and parliamentary hearings, while not entirely new concepts, have become more formalised in recent times. Their purpose is to assess whether the recommended candidates meet the minimum standards and qualification required for the position they are going to hold. The hearing process involves checking the background, qualification, authenticity of testimonials and general intellectual capacity of the candidates. Hearing mitigates risks of hiring wrong people by ruling out the conflict of interest, ensuring loyalty to the nation, verifying competence and assessing the ethical integrity and moral conduct of the candidates. 

Among all the positions requiring vetting, ambassadorial position stands out particularly sensitive and is of crucial importance. Unlike other appointments, the ambassadorial appointment requires specialised competence as it involves working in an unfamiliar environment of a foreign country with a responsibility of strengthening relations between the home country and the host nation. Ambassadors are diplomats who should be widely read and adequately exposed to the discipline of foreign relation and foreign service. People with the educational background of international relation, law, political science, history, sociology, culture and literature may arguably be best suited for the position. Previous service in foreign missions as ambassador or deputy chief of mission could be an additional advantage.

The parliamentary hearing or vetting of ambassadors should focus on assessing the candidate's grasp of global geo-politics, international law with special focus on the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (1961) and, of course, diplomatic history of the home and the host countries. The candidates must have high level of understanding and skill to identify the potential areas of bilateral and multilateral partnership and present a credible strategy for leveraging these opportunities.

An ambassadorial candidate must possess high level of proficiency in the widely spoken international languages, with strong verbal and written communication skill. Regular duties include delivering impromptu speech at functions, participation in international forums, representing home government in diplomatic dialogues, attending briefings organised by the host country's foreign ministry, writing condolence in embassy registers. In countries hosting large diplomatic community ambassadors are often active in diplomatic clubs and social gatherings, literary forums and host of other public arena where polished communication is important to stand out.  

Candidates, who lack proficiency in English or other recognised international languages, cannot communicate well, negotiate effectively, clearly articulate their point of views and persuade their counterparts. Unfortunately, the current modality of parliamentary hearing of our country does not seem to thoroughly assess these crucial areas of diplomatic functions. 

Ambassadors need to possess a deep understanding of the internal political dynamic in the home country while also navigating the political landscape in the host country.  Additionally, ambassadors must stay attuned to the rapidly changing regional and global geopolitical dynamic. This helps our missions to anticipate upcoming challenges and devise strategic response. Sometimes, missteps like use of indiscreet language or failure to articulate home government's point of view may lead to unforeseen consequence both at home and internationally. Ability to clearly articulate home government's position and precisely understanding the point of views of the host government is essential to avoid diplomatic faux pas.

Crisis management is yet another important skill an ambassador must possess. In the context of rapidly changing geopolitics, worsening impact of climate change and frequent onslaught of pandemic and escalating international tensions, crisis may arise any time. Diplomatic missions abroad must always be prepared for such emergencies, maintaining close communication with the relevant ministries at home and the key agencies in the host countries for a swift and coordinated response when emergencies occur.

Rigorous vetting

In the United States, candidates for the position of ambassadors are confirmed only after a rigorous vetting process. After nomination by the president, State Department and FBI conduct a thorough background check before foreign relation committee of the Senate scrutinises his qualification, understanding of US foreign policy and ability to represent US interest abroad. Finally their appointment is confirmed by the simple majority vote of the full membership of the Senate. Advancing the interest of the home country in foreign land is the primary responsibility of an ambassador. This responsibility can be discharged by defending the sovereignty and independence of the home country, promoting partnership in the areas of trade, investment, tourism, education, health, culture and technology.

In conclusion, the ambassadors are the mirrors reflecting the home country's personality and its core competence on the global stage. It is not a ceremonial position nor is it a reward for loyalty. It is a strategic investment in an individual who possesses the potential for emerging as a credible knowledge resource in the field of functional diplomacy.

Failure to appoint truly competent individuals risks diminishing nation's standing and credibility in the eyes of the host country. This is where the Parliamentary Hearing Committee can play a crucial role as the final screening authority to institutionalise fair and effective recruitment practices. By ensuring that selection of ambassadors is guided by merit, the Committee can guarantee that the appointees effectively represent the nation, safeguard the core national interests while providing valuable diplomatic insights and direction to the home government.

(Dr. Bharadwaj is former ambassador and former chairperson of Gorkhapatra Corporation.)