Uitdagings en geleenthede in die bedryf van diplo-masie - Voor, tydens en ná Covid-19 Challenges and opportunities in practising diplomacy - Before, during and after Covid-19
Authors: Eksteen Riaan 
Published: April 2022

OPSOMMING Die wêreld beleef onstuimige tye en nie eens diplomasie kon veranderinge ontsnap toe Covid-19 die wêreld in Januarie 2020 getref het nie. Hedendaagse diplomasie verander teen 'n ongekende tempo en word gekenmerk deur nuwe rolspelers, nuwe vraagstukke en verantwoordelikhede en ook om diplomasie op digitale wyse te bedryf. Ou benaderings wat vir dekades, selfs eeue gegeld het, het drasties verander. Diplomasie kon nie verwag om steeds op sy eie voort te gaan asof niks gebeur het nie. Benadering tot en toepassing en bedryf van diplomasie is in die afgelope twee jaar tot in sy wese geraak. Die velerlei onderwerpe waaraan diplomate hul aandag moet skenk, neem steeds toe in omvang en intensiteit. Gevolglik kan alles nie in die bestek van 'n enkele artikel beskryf en uiteengesit word nie. Daarom is parameters gestel waarbinne bepaalde onderwerpe sinvol aangespreek word. Bykomend hiertoe word gepoog om die wesentlike probleme wat diplomate oor 'n wye veld in die gesig staar aan te spreek in die lig van die buitengewone omstandighede wat hulle moet hanteer. Die vraag is nou hoe diplomate vir hierdie nuwe wêreld in hul beroep voorberei en geskool word. Deesdae word van hulle verwag om internasionale adviseurs te wees en om nou meer as ooit tevore betrokke en instrumenteel in besluitnemingsprosesse van vrede en nasionale veiligheid te wees. Hierdie interdissiplinêre rol is 'n uitdagende een wat baie dinamika vereis. Met Covid-19 is die belangrikheid van multilaterale diplomasie herbevestig. Die digitale rewolusie stel nie net 'n magdom meer inligting beskikbaar nie, maar vereis spoedeisende besluitneming. Kennisbestuur is die doeltreffende hantering van inligting en hulpbronne binne 'n bepaalde organisasie. Kennisdiplomasie en die toepassing van 'n kennisbestuurstelsel is belangrik omdat dit die doeltreffendheid van 'n instelling se besluitnemingsvermoë verhoog. State is nie meer die enigste internasionale rolspelers in die steeds groeiende diplomatieke toneel nie. Die aantal rolspelers wat by buitelandse aangeleenthede betrokke is en diplomasie op een of ander wyse bedryf, het die afgelope dekades geweldig toegeneem. Hoe langer die pandemie aanhou, hoe meer verander die wêreld. Gepaardgaande met die snelontwikkelende metodes om data te verwerk en te versprei, het die kwessie van kuberveiligheid eksponensieel toegeneem. So is wetenskapdiplomasie, insluitende ruimtediplomasie, ook belangrik om van kennis te neem. Die uitdaging waarvoor diplomate te staan kom, is om hierdie veranderinge oordeelkundig en met nuwe vaardighede te bestuur. Trefwoorde: binnelandse beleid; buitelandse aangeleenthede; Covid-19; digitale diplomasie; digitale tegnologie; geopolitieke verhoudings; kennisbe-stuur; kennisdiplomasie; korporatiewe diplomasie; multilaterale diplo-masie, wetenskapdiplomasie ABSTRACT There is no doubt that the world is currently experiencing turbulent times. Not even diplomacy could escape change when Covid-19 hit the world in January 2020. Old approaches that have been in place for decades, even centuries, changed drastically, and diplomacy could not expect to continue as if nothing had happened. Approach to and application and operation of diplomacy has essentially been affected. In the era after Covid-19, countries and diplomats will still have to pay attention to these variables and will hardly be able to return to a previous era. Furthermore, domestic politics play an important role when considering strategic foreign policy decisions due to the threats that are expected or are already being carried out in connection with national security issues. Decisions on foreign affairs must therefore be evaluated in a certain domestic context because they develop mainly within national borders. In recent decades, the link between the two has become closer. The concepts of national interest, national security, domestic politics, and foreign policy have now become even more intertwined. Consequently, the question arises involuntarily: how are diplomats prepared and trained for this new world. Nowadays, diplomats are expected to be international advisers. Geopolitical views and applications have become more and more important, and the world is more interconnected than ever before. Understanding the global system is an inevitable requirement. The era requires people who can make difficult decisions and who will not worry about fine protocol rules being strictly enforced and adhered to anymore. These international advisers are now more than ever involved and instrumental in decision-making processes of peace and national security. This interdisciplinary role that these advisers must play is a challenging one that requires skilful dynamics. Contemporary diplomacy is changing at an unprecedented pace and is characterised by new role players, new issues, and new responsibilities. Multilateralism, which was the key to diplomacy since World War II has only gained momentum in the last 30 years, and with Covid-19, the importance of multilateral diplomacy was reaffirmed. In the span of two years, Covid-19 has revealed itself as a great equaliser, proving how interdependent the whole world really is. Covid-19 has unequivocally proved that the future of diplomacy is multilaterally driven. In addition, Covid-19 prevents personal contact and meetings, but foreign policymakers have been forced to adapt to a new digital norm. That digital revolution not only makes a wealth of information available, but also increases the speed at which decisions must be made. Diplomats similarly benefit from gathering and sharing knowledge, and this knowledge is made available at an unprecedented rate and needs to be managed. Knowledge management is the efficient handling of information and resources within a particular organisation. Knowledge diplomacy and a knowledge management system are both important because they increase the effectiveness of an institution's decision-making ability and ensure that all employees have access to overall expertise within the organisation. Knowledge management is consequently the conscious process of defining, structuring, retaining, and sharing knowledge and experience of employees within an organisation. The term knowledge diplomacy is becoming more and more popular and is used in different ways. Knowledge diplomacy, therefore, understands the role that international higher education, research, and innovation can play in strengthening relations between states. The impact of technology on the practice of diplomacy in the time of Covid-19 also inevitably emphasised the growing importance of conducting diplomacy digitally. Diplomats need to take a proactive approach to digitisation and acquire the skills needed to further promote domestic diplomacy through digital platforms as an important new component of future public diplomacy. The fight against the emergence of digital disinformation must, due to the nature of the decidedly negative implications of fake news, also receive pertinent attention. The subject of cyber security is most important and may not be ignored. Science diplomacy has become increasingly important. Another important aspect that diplomats should actively consider is how corporations continue to grow in their ability to practise public diplomacy. States are no longer the only international role players in the ever-growing diplomatic scene. Therefore, in order not to run the risk of becoming an endangered activity - which may become increasingly irrelevant because of increasing technological advances - diplomatic representation in the digital age must be intensified in order to increase diplomatic engagement and become a critical tool in an era of complex interdependence and globalisation. The number of role players involved in foreign affairs and diplomacy in one way or another has increased tremendously in recent decades. The longer the pandemic lasts, the more the world changes, and the challenge for diplomats is to manage these changes. The role of China and Russia in following their own world vision is an aspect of growing importance and demands constant vigilance. Keywords: corporate diplomacy; Covid-19; digital diplomacy; digital technology; domestic policies; foreign affairs; geopolitical relations; knowledge diplomacy; knowledge management; multilateral diplomacy, science diplomacy