ACTORS IN

DIPLOMACY
BY
DONTYNOLD ONG’AYO
INTRODUCTION
Diplomacy is the means by which States throughout the world conduct
their affairs in ways to ensure peaceful relations. The main task of individual diplomatic
services is to safeguard the interests of their respective countries abroad. This concerns as
much the promotion of political, economic, cultural or scientific relations as it does
international commitment to defend human rights or the peaceful settlement of disputes.
Diplomacy takes place in both bilateral and multilateral contexts. Bilateral diplomacy is the
term used for communication between two States, while multilateral diplomacy involves
contacts between several States often within the institutionalized setting of an
international organization.
Negotiation is the one of most important means of conducting diplomacy, and in many
cases results in the conclusion of treaties between States and the codification of
international law. The aim of such international treaties is primarily to strike a balance
between State interests.
TYPES OF DIPLOMACY
There are three types of diplomacy;
1. Track one (official diplomacy) – formal correspondences between states/ can be
bilateral or multilateral
2. Track two diplomacy – this involves correspondences between states and other non
state actors such as IOs, TNCs, MNCs, civil society Organizations and NGOs/INGOs
3. Track one and a half diplomacy - Nan (2003) defined Track One and a Half Diplomacy
as “unofficial interactions between official representatives of states” (p. 9). In 2005,
Nan redefined Track One and a Half as “diplomatic initiatives that are facilitated by
unofficial bodies, but directly involve officials from the conflict in question” (p. 165).
Nan’s definitions are not dissimilar from Mapendere’s (2000) definition in that the
parties are official representatives, but facilitators are ordinary citizens.
ACTORS IN DIPLOMACY
Actors in diplomacy are divided into two broad categories;
• Non-State Actors
• State Actors
• State Actors
These refers to individuals or institutions that directly represent the
state in the pursuit of national interests in the international
arena/achieving diplomatic objectives.
CONT.
These actors include;
The head of state &Government(president, Prime Minister)
The head of state of a given state is also the chief Diplomat of the state in question –
he/she makes final diplomatic decisions regarding different aspects that are pertinent to a
particular state’s foreign policy.
This is done through representation in different forums, deliberations at multilateral
conferences. The president can sign on behalf of the state different bilateral agreements
with other states aimed at furthering the national interests of the state in question i.e.
bilateral economic agreements sign between President Uhuru Kenyatta and President
Tshekedi of DRC.
The president being the highest diplomat has to observe utmost decorum and etiquette
when engaging in the International Diplomatic arena
The president also has the power to appoint and recall diplomat/envoys
CONT.
The minister for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Service,
This is also an important role in the diplomatic arena,
He/she handles correspondences between the sending state and all its
diplomatic missions abroad.
The minister also conducts deliberations with other states on behalf of
his/her state aimed towards achieving its diplomatic objectives
Cont.
• The Bureaucracy
• This entails government institutions and ministries that are task with particular
objectives such Economics, Sports & Culture, Education, Tourism, Trade, among
others.
• These include;
• The ministry of trade and industrialization
• The ministry of Foreign Affairs
• The ministry of sports and culture
• Ministry of tourism
• Ministry of education
• These institutions help the states achieve their foreign and domestic policy objectives
CONT.
• The Diplomatic Mission
• This refers to both the staff appointed by a State to carry out diplomatic functions
in another State and to the premises in which this staff works.
• Diplomatic relations must exist between the two States before an embassy can be
opened. Diplomatic relations are established by mutual consent and may be
broken off by either State at any time. An embassy may be headed by an
ambassador or by a > Chargé d’affaires ad interim. The embassy of the Holy See is
known as the Apostolic Nunciature, and a State’s diplomatic representation to an
> International organisation as a permanent mission.
• Diplomatic activities cover all aspects of relations between governments including
political, legal, economic and financial affairs, development cooperation, social
issues as well as scientific and cultural activities.
NON-STATE ACTORS
• This constitute Track two Diplomacy
• Conventional definitions of diplomacy previously reserved for state actors
increasingly apply to non-state actors such as non-governmental organizations,
civil society organizations, and international organizations. Development policy
and intervention in the form of development aid has been reserved in the past to
interactions between state actors such donor countries (developed countries) and
beneficiary countries (developing or transition countries). While
nongovernmental organizations have always been active in the field of
development aid as providers of services, they have not openly become political
actors in the development policy field until recently. The purpose of this article is
to define the new term “development diplomacy” and to show how this
broadening of mandate affects the policy dialogue and policy negotiations in
international development
Cont.
Non-state actors such as national or international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) are adding their voices to international
development policy debates by organizing, campaigning and lobbying
across national boundaries in order to have a greater influence on
international development policy making. This trend has gained major
momentum, evidenced by the active involvement of NGOs in
international co-operation for development, by vocal criticism of
unfettered capitalism, by conflicts with multinational companies in
regard to the exploitation of natural resources, and by confrontations
with national governments on various socio-economic development
policy issues. (Raymond Saner)