Diplomacy isn’t what it used to be. True, it was never easy, back in the original Great Game, nor was wading through the intricacies of the Cold War child’s play. But the complexities of a unipolar matrix the likes of which the world has never seen before, coupled with extremely powerful multilateral trading blocs (again, virgin territory) have made diplomacy an extremely complicated, specialised craft.
It is sad to note that the incumbent government has continued with the practice of appointing non-career envoys to other countries. In the last two years, the PPP-led government has appointed a total of 15 individuals who do not belong to the Foreign Service as ambassadors. These include that manifestation of the pound of flesh that we have to dole out a portion of everything i.e., the retired general. But these also include businessmen, agriculturists etc. In the past, the country had faced an embarrassing situation when several countries had objected to our penchant for sending soldiers as envoys. But it isn’t just the former military men that are the problem. Since jobs are a popular ode of political patronage in the country, diplomatic appointments are used in situations where the usual green pastures for jobs health and education, unfortunately just won’t cut it. Hence, the presence of the family members of political heavyweights in missions the world over.
In addition to the non-career diplomats not being able to handle the subtleties and nuances of diplomacy, there is the principle involved as well. Cadres like the Railways Service, for instance, have long been shortchanged by others within the civil services when it comes to key assignments within the railways. This is extremely demotivating for career railways officers, in the same manner as the career Foreign Service diplomats, and there are quite a few, get demotivated by the appointment of non-career diplomats on key assignments. Lateral entry into diplomatic corps is present the world over. But, say, in the case of the US State Department, the incoming official has to undertake not only an entrance examination but is also trained and thus becomes a bona fide member of the department. If the throes of desperation really do require some outsider, perhaps that model could be emulated.
