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Cuso International Partner Newsletter March 2014

On a similar note, you must read this speech from Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Minister John Baird. He is urging Canadian diplomats to engage in social media to communicate with the rest of the nation and beyond. This is one of the most well-rounded articulations of Canada’s commitment to human rights I have heard and/or read in awhile. I’m not sure of the timing, and why this articulation had to be folded into a less weighty topic, but it is welcome.

Challenging and confronting those who threaten freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law: this is where I want to see this department and our representatives abroad distinguish themselves. And as we think about what we want to say and do, it’s just as important to think about how.

The ways in which we exert an influence on the world are rapidly changing. If I was a young ambitious foreign service officer in 2014, I’d be thinking about gaining an edge in communications skills. Diplomacy is increasingly about public advocacy. You can have the best product in the world. But if people don’t know about it, if it’s not marketed, then what’s the point?

Hmmm…Canadian foreign policy as product to be bought and sold? Interesting approach, but not uncommon now. This also seems incongruous with the tight hold the Harper administration has put on bureaucrats. Here’s more from the speech:

That means being able to condense a message into 140 characters. That means finding creative, interactive, visual ways of promoting a message. That means writing and speaking in a language and style that persuades people, rather than just relaying information. Because ultimately, behind all this technology it’s all about people, and relationships. That’s how the world works.

That’s why we have greatly increased the number of roles that require foreign language fluency. And that’s why I’ve travelled over one million kilometres since becoming Foreign Minister; not because I enjoy plane food.

We’ve traditionally been good at working with people behind closed doors, now we are applying those skills to the very public arena of the digital world. Networked technologies make it easier than ever for people all over the world to share information and ideas, to assemble and organize, and to shape the course of global events.

Diplomacy is not immune to these changes. Governments are no longer the sole dominant actors in international affairs. As I said when I visited Silicon Valley last month, the closed world of demarches and summits still have a role. But in the age of viral videos, ‘twiplomacy’ and mobile apps- the old levers are no longer enough.

A lot to think about. Enjoy your Monday.