Elitist Diplomacy vs. Public Diplomacy

Yuba Nath Lamsal

In the eyes of many, foreign policy and diplomacy are a purely elitist domain or the prerogative of the government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This belief, rightly or wrongly, is in vogue not only in Nepal but elsewhere as well.
This, perhaps, is why foreign policy is kept away from public discourse and scrutiny. The general people are not allowed to participate in the discourses and decision-making related to foreign policy and diplomacy. Only a handful of elites of the ruling class have a say in foreign policy formulation and conduct of diplomacy.
Sea change
But with the march of time, there has been phenomenal change in the individual’s thinking, way of life and the conduct of public affairs. The realm of foreign policy and the conduct of diplomacy, too, have seen and undergone a sea change and transformation at the national as well as global scale, both in principle and practice.
With the advent of democracy sweeping across the world, things are beginning to change, and a new concept is slowly but surely evolving in the realm of foreign policy and diplomacy. It is said that foreign policy is the extension of domestic policy, which means changes in the domestic politics and policy must also be reflected in the foreign policy as well.
However, this is not always true as foreign policy priorities do not frequently change. Foreign policy is guided by a country’s national interests, which remain permanent. Thus, foreign policy will not change with changes on the political front. But the interpretation of national interest may change, and national interest can be expanded with the change in the domestic situation and in the international arena. Under such circumstances, perceptions, priorities, tricks and techniques of diplomacy change.
With Nepal entering a new era of inclusive democracy, this also needs to be reflected in the conduct of its foreign policy. Foreign policy and diplomacy was purely an elitist and aristocratic domain in Nepal under the absolute monarchy. There was little participation of the general people in the foreign policy discourses and diplomatic handling during the monarchical time as the royal palace had direct control over its conduct.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs had been structured and shaped accordingly. The same system was given continuity even after the political change in 1990 that ushered in a democratic era under constitutional monarchy because no significant and fundamental changes were brought about in the conduct of Nepal’s foreign policy and diplomacy.
As far as foreign policy and diplomatic handlings were concerned under the constitutional monarchy, the players changed but the game fundamentally remained unchanged as a coterie close to the power centre kept foreign policy and diplomatic handling under its control as a privilege in the same fashion the royal palace did during the Panchayat regime.
After the monarchy was abolished and Nepal was declared a federal democratic republic, the Nepalese people have become masters of their own destiny. People are showing interest and concern in public and state affairs. In a democracy, people’s participation in public affairs is instrumental. Democracy is the system of the people, which is to be run by the people for the larger interest of the people.

As this is the era of inclusive democracy, people’s participation in all spheres of political, social and economic decision-making and governance is a must, which alone will make the democratic polity strong, vibrant and functional besides protecting the national interests.
Since foreign policy is a part of governance and the political process, there must be active and meaningful participation of the people in the debate, discourse and decision-making process in the formulation and conduct of foreign policy. Unfortunately, foreign policy has not yet been brought into public discourse and scrutiny. Even now when we have a democratic policy, the general public does not have adequate information on foreign policy issues and the conduct of diplomacy.
In the developed democracies, every individual has a say in decision-making and foreign policy formulation and its conduct. In a democratic system, multi-layered debates and discourses are conducted through different forums, agencies and institutions including the media.
The parliament is the highest political body of people’s representatives which holds thorough and comprehensive discussion on matters pertaining to foreign policy, based on which the state formulates its foreign policy and conducts diplomacy in accordance with its well-defined national interest. In this process, academic institutions and the media make constructive and critical contribution through forums, and solicit opinions of the people.
The concept of diplomacy has been broadened with the advent of democracy and liberal system. In this interwoven global state, there can be multi-layered and multi-level approaches in the conduct of diplomacy, in which the people directly or indirectly get involved in foreign policy formulation. In this multi-layered diplomacy, the government is the focal point of formulating and conducting foreign policy and diplomacy.
There are multiple channels that simultaneously conduct diplomacy on the basis of broad policies and principles framed by the government. But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is and should be the focal point which needs to monitor all the diplomatic activities and initiatives taken and carried out by different channels and organs of the state.
At the same time, track-two diplomacy is also in vogue in the world, from which Nepal can also not remain isolated. Political parties, non-governmental organisations, trade unions, professional organisations and economic and business chambers have their own contacts and relations with their counterparts in different countries, through which track-two diplomacy is conducted. In the present world, track-two diplomacy has proved effective in building the national image abroad and pursuing national interest in the international arena.
Here too, the role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can become crucial, which is required to monitor, coordinate and facilitate such activities in the interest of the country. In the absence of proper coordination, some aberrations had appeared in the past, which are now being corrected and reversed, to a large extent. Accordingly, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prepared a diplomatic code of conduct, although much still needs to be done in this area.
New system
It is high time our Foreign Ministry is restructured in accordance with the changes taking place at home and abroad to enable it to play an active and effective role to make our diplomatic handling more efficient and also coordinate the array of diplomatic activities being carried out at multiple levels and layers. We must shake off the old and traditional way of conducting diplomacy and start a new system in which the general people are the focal point.

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