Diplomacy in the Post-Covid Era: The Rise of Digital Diplomacy
Covid-19 pandemic has brings many disruptions to the habits people carry on. As in the way states deliver their messages. Diplomacy, still, becomes a vital tool of state interaction. As of the pre-covid, states — represented by the head of states, government, diplomats — tends to meet their counterparts in scheduled time and place. The way they mobilizing their messages and interests takes many shaped one of which is Shuttle Diplomacy where the carrier of the messages moved one another to stress their position on a specific issue.
Diplomacy: Une Définition
Diplomacy has transformed into modern-kind-of 21st century. Diplomacy — like many different areas — also affected by technological changes in this century especially in times of Covid19. Otto von Bismarck, the first chancellor of Germany, defines diplomacy as the never-ending negotiations of reciprocal concessions between states. If that is the case, then today we face the question of the purpose of such a time-consuming art of managing international relations. (Stanzel, 2018). We often asked the diplomacy practice, “What can you bring to the table?”. Diplomats must apprehend the issues comprehensively while negotiating with other representatives. Additionally in multilateral issues. In the issues, diplomats need to understand what their counterparts express also identify their uniqueness and distinguished needs, beliefs, fear, understanding, and intentions. This is very crucial in digital diplomacy to obtain your set of goals.
A diplomat must be able to hear what other countries have to say and find points of agreement from what their counterparts’ idea. They should also come up with clear goals and strategies for what they can trade in the deal. In negotiations, diplomats usually offer certain rewards such as new trade agreements, arms sales, or food delivery to reach an agreement. When negotiations do result in deadlock, diplomats can issue sanctions such as restricting trade, suspending financial assistance, to embargo goods or weapons. This is all done so that the other party accepts the agreement (Stick and Carrot Model).
Diplomacy is also in practice divided into Old Diplomacy and New Diplomacy. Old diplomacy, as the name suggests, was thought to have occurred before World War I which opened the sphere of the modern world. Diplomacy before World War I was mostly practiced in closed diplomacy in which the dissemination of information was only carried out by the two parties involved. The old diplomacy resulted in a bloc or alliance which tended to take the form of a military alliance and the diplomat’s role was only seen as a messenger from the head of state. This makes the special study of diplomacy not developed much. Meanwhile, the New Diplomacy is closely related to the emergence of new international agencies in the 21st century. This has resulted in one of the new characteristics, namely the summit meeting between heads of states. Although by definition new diplomacy is quite problematic, this model of diplomacy seems to reaffirm the protocol agreed upon at the Congression of Vina in 1815.
Although undergoing a transformation from old diplomacy to new diplomacy, the procedure or substance for conducting diplomacy has changed little or not at all. Diplomacy moves forward in an evolutionary manner, not revolutionary. That being said, the ways, procedures, and settings of diplomacy have changed a lot from the beginning of its identification, but the basic principles of diplomacy have not. Diplomacy is still considered as the basis for a country to negotiate. Negotiation becomes an interactive meeting between two or more actors to find common ground before reaching an agreement. In an era of digital diplomacy, the tactics of negotiation are more focused on reaching an agreement through the discourse that is made.
There are at least 3 principles in negotiating. According to Colin Powell — a former US secretary of state — these principles are power, alliance, and patience. Power is an important part of diplomacy because not all actions can be rationalized, especially when the war is over. Power becomes an instrument used before force is undertaken. A reputation is a form of power used during diplomacy to achieve political influence. The second principle of diplomacy is an alliance.
One of the major tasks of diplomacy is to form alliances with the aim that power and reputation can get a multiplier effect from their use. The success of a foreign policy can be seen from how many actors support the policy compared to those who oppose a country’s foreign policy. According to Powell, the success of American foreign policy in diplomacy, safeguarding allies, forgiving opponents, making peace with enemies, and forming international institutions to encourage trade and investment is the use of this principle since World War II. The third principle is patience. Opponents of our diplomacy need an honorable diplomatic solution for them if we as diplomats aim for foreign policy success without the use of force. From this point of view, a diplomat must be able to see that the greatest success that is supposed to happen may never be successful. Furthermore, some diplomatic opponents will take no escape route. A state leader or president must be able to see the balance of the use of patience and power.
Digital Diplomacy: A Postponed Trend?
Several academics have written about digital diplomacy for a long time since the echo has not been heard or even used, especially during the pre-Covid-19 times. Such as a study conducted by Hanson (2012) to define digital diplomacy as the use of the internet and the latest information and communication technology to achieve diplomacy goals, including its basic objectives. Digital diplomacy was initially seen as an extensive tool to achieve the goals of public diplomacy.
Digital diplomacy revolves around three areas, including:
1. Changes in the political, social, and economic environment in which diplomacy is carried out (the natural conditions and distribution of power, new types of conflict, and the natural change in sovereignty and interdependence in international relations)
2. The emergence of new political issues such as cybersecurity, privacy, data governance, e-commerce, and cybercrime.
3. The use of digital tools in diplomatic practices such as social media, online conferencing, and big data analysis.
The use of digital diplomacy during the Covid-19 pandemic highlights the utilization of technological developments as a diplomatic tools. Meetings and assemblies are now conducted in the form of online conference. Online conference or E-negotiation, which is the use of digital diplomacy, opens a new branch of diplomacy called virtual diplomacy. The use of virtual diplomacy implies that diplomacy and negotiations running virtually with the use of technology and the internet, rather than face-to-face meetings in person. The concept of Virtual Diplomacy has attempted to be defined by Richard H. Solomon (1997) president of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) who defines virtual diplomacy as “social, economic, and political interactions that are mediated through electronic means rather than face-to-face communication.”
Diplomacy faces enormous challenges amid the digital age. Virtual diplomacy acts as an accelerator in traditional diplomacy which can still carry out the functions of representation, negotiation, reporting, facilitation, and coordination. Virtual diplomacy during the Covid19 pandemic made it possible for conferences that were previously impossible to do on a network thanks to technology assistance. Diplomats and various stakeholders can also imply virtual diplomacy as an extra medium to reach the wider public (outreach).
Diplomacy in Covid-19 era: What Lost and What Remains
All activities during the Covid-19 pandemic experienced significant adaptations, including diplomacy. Diplomatic activities, especially those that took place at the United Nations General Assembly, look 180 degrees different compared to the period before Covid19. In the pre-pandemic period, the Assembly Lounge was a very crowded place, especially during the annual general assembly sessions in the third week of September each year.
Through various virtual meetings and cross-platform messaging, diplomacy tactics have also changed dramatically. When face to face, voice, and physique considered as above average are sometimes used to reduce the dignity of diplomatic opponents. Intimidation and threats are usually used in diplomacy to suppress. This technique is mostly used by diplomats from Brazil or Russia. With virtual diplomacy, diplomacy techniques mentioned above cannot be used because of meetings that are completely virtual.
The reduced role of experts in negotiation discussions, but on the other hand, “home country” can be very flexible to participate and give a signal in the discussion. The entry of the office into discussions is very flexible which greatly shortens the diplomacy time. The technique of stalling for requested time usually used by diplomats has also become less applicable because it is easy to connect with the office through digital connectivity in inquiring national positions. In addition, side-events from diplomacy that usually take place during the negotiation process are transferred to various groups on the messaging platform to disseminate the informal discussions usually talked about before entering the core discussion of an agreement.
The Covid19 pandemic makes Digital Diplomacy, which so far has been an abstract (amorphous) concept, to be more tangible and also applicable. Digital Diplomacy in its various forms — virtual diplomacy & e-negotiation — accelerates coordination with the office and with other diplomacy actors, but on the other hand, reduces or eliminates various negotiation tactics that have been used by diplomats to achieve national positions set from the home country.
Digital Diplomacy: Forecasting the Future
The world has enjoyed its first virtual general assembly on record in the 75th session of the UN General Assembly. A selected world leader who has been already in New York could deliver their statement while pre-recorded videos still become operational. Not only that, e-negotiations with VTC and the chance of getting proposals are now always done online with more coordinated efforts with the home country. The use of digitization in the context of diplomacy is something relevant. Digitalization is considered more practical, efficient, and time-saving. With all of its impetus that requires adjustment, digital diplomacy is still considered an on-going impact that surely brought in the world after the pandemic.
Lesser tactics, fewer networking opportunities, ideas that emerge when meets off the record, trust that comes at the lunch table, and non-verbal communication that occurs when face-to-face meetings are still an important part of diplomacy but faltered. Talks, dinners, and various other informal sessions to chat with each other still become an inseparable part during diplomatic sessions. As suggested in the previous statement, digital diplomacy will continue to present new forms of blended negotiations. Diplomacy is still a face-to-face business.
We only could wait and see until this world goes into normality…
References
Associated Press. (2020, December 23). UNSC to meet online to discuss post-COVID global security threats on Sept 24. Retrieved from Bussiness Today: https://www.businesstoday.in/current/world/unsc-to-meet-online-to-discuss-post-covid-global-security-threats-on-sept-24/story/414938.html
Diplo Foundation. (2010, March 3). Digital Diplomacy | E-diplomacy | Cyber Diplomacy. Retrieved from Diplo Foundation: https://www.diplomacy.edu/e-diplomacy
Fink, N. C. (2020, April 6). Diplomacy at the UN in the Time of Coronavirus. Retrieved from IPI Global Observatory: https://theglobalobservatory.org/2020/04/diplomacy-at-un-in-time-of-coronavirus/
Robertson, J. (2020, August 18). Diplomacy and global governance after Covid‑19: Prepare for change. Retrieved from The Interpreter: https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/diplomacy-and-global-governance-after-covid-19-prepare-change
Stanzel, V. (2018, November). New Realities in Foreign Affairs: Diplomacy in the 21st Century. Retrieved from Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik: https://www.swp-berlin.org/en/publication/new-realities-in-foreign-affairs-diplomacy-in-the-21st-century/hd-d26119e402
Wintour, P. (2020, September 19). Bye bye bilaterals: UN general assembly to embrace Zoom diplomacy. Retrieved from The Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/19/bye-bye-bilaterals-un-general-assembly-embrace-zoom-diplomacy
