A Marketer Diplomat
Achmad DjatmikoMinister for Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi has highlighted that the Indonesian forein policy for the next five years will be prioritized on safeguarding the sovereignty of the country; enhancing the so-called border diplomacy particularly related to the maritime boundary; improving the protection of Indonesian citizens and legal entities abroad; and improving the economic diplomacy.
Apart from those priorities, there is another important point targetted in the policy concerning the performance of our diplomacy. The Minister mentioned that we should have a more active economic diplomacy so that there is a need to change the mindset of foreign service officer (diplomat). It is still not clear yet what kind of mindset would be. in addition, it is also hoped that diplomat should be a marketer.
From the perception of foreign service officers (diplomats), the policy could be regarded as no other than a direction for their five-year steps ahead. They are already very familiar with all the prioritized issues mentioned so that there is no need to get used to it since all issues are already in hand. They are to follow the direction decided with new priorities inside. Instruction-based programs and activities are with them.
According to Ronald Peter Barston (2006), diplomacy usually refers to the conduct of international relations through the intercession of professional diplomats with regard to issues of peace-making, trade, war, economics, culture, environment, and human rights. Relating to the economic diplomacy, we may say that it is the conduct of international relations through the intercession of professional diplomats on economic issues. This is to say that economic diplomacy deals with economic issues in international relations involving diplomats as intercessor.
In dealing with economic issues, as well as with other issues in international relations, all stakeholders should be there to involve, while diplomat plays its intercessional role in accordance with its profession. Within this framework, a diplomat could play as a marketer since he/she represents the interest of his/her country. It is very obvious that playing a marketer-like role is always there. However, diplomat is not the main actor and he/she is not a real marketer. All stakeholders should be hand-in-hand to support in gaining the target.
To my knowledge, the so-called supporters or stakeholders come from domestic sides, not only concerning economic actors and business community but also legal certainty, condussive business environtment, fair policy, as well as infrastructure. Diplomat is there as a marketer in economic diplomacy, playing its intercessional function with a fully supported team of domestic stakeholders.
With regard the mindset of diplomat, it is not an easy task to change. It is something to do with „the men behind the gun‟, concerning individual expertise as well as professionalism of diplomats that will affect the quality of Indonesian diplomacy in the framework of the national interest. It concerns not only intelectual and individual skills of foreign service officers but also on their knowledge and understanding of their own country.
Foreign service officers have their “old fashion” practice of having instruction-based programs in carrying out their function. This practice is no longer justifiable and not in accordance with the policy towards a more active diplomacy. The officers should move forward to have a more creative, innovative and pragmatic programs. If the “blusukan” (on the spot and spontaneous
It might be that from now on, the programs should be involving more individual dimension rather than an institutional one. Economic diplomacy should no longer be reflected in having trade expo dan exhibition programs, conducting a bazaar, and business matching activities, as well as holding a seminar. Those are all too formal. Diplomats are now challenged to perform its personal creativity, come up with new ideas and follow the „business as unusual‟ habit.
Individual capacity should be equipped more in dealing with new habits of creativity. They should be knowledgeable about all economic-related matters of the country as well as be familiar with all eonomic potentials of each province. Visiting as many provinces as possible in order to have networking and sense of economic officers is needed. It might be of our interest that before posting abroad, diplomat hould shave a visiting programs to some provinces as part of their pre-departure briefing.
It could also be of our interest that during their tenure in Indonesia, diplomats could be posted in provincial government office functioning as a mediating foreign affairs officer for the local government. On the other hand, it gives diplomats an opportunity to learn and be more familiar with eonomic interest of the region concerned. Within this framework, networking could be established more effectively between the said diplomat and local stakeholders concerned.
It is likely that diplomat could play a role of marketer, but not the real one. Professional diplomat has its own function and duty accordingly. According to article 3 of the 1961 Vienna Convention, the functions of a diplomatic mission are representing the country, protecting the interests of the country, negotiating with the Government of the receiving State; reporting and promoting friendly relations. Apart from that, as instructed by the Government, that would be an additional functionl.
To successfully play the function of marketer, diplomat should be fully supported by its domestic stakeholders. He/she is not a superhero that can do everything alone. Additional function needs additional supports to succeed. Instructing diplomat to be a marketer is not neglecting the important roles of other economic actors. All should come together in a solid team to promote economic diplomacy for the benefits of the country.
