(MENAFN – NewsIn.Asia) By Gitanjali Marceline
Colombo, August 14 (newsin.asia) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is looking for the private sector to hire mid-level diplomats in the public and private sectors. PPP preparation.
Currently, there is a shortage of professionals in various fields of diplomacy, including technical, scientific, trade and investment issues. Professional diplomats are trained in the art of diplomacy, but not so much on the topics they face. Therefore, it invites bidders for the supply of:
Sign up for us WhatsApp Channel for the latest updates on the news you want to know
But I have mixed feelings about this step. Before you make a decision, let me first remind you of Sri Lankan Foreign History before explaining the reasons why the government should consider the pros and cons of doing so.
The Sri Lankan Foreign Service (SLOS) was recruited on October 1, 1949, as the Clones Overseas Service (COS). A.D. In 1972, the Republic of Sri Lanka became known as the Foreign Service of Sri Lanka. Elections and training have gone through a rigorous process following a test conducted by the Good Election Department. Many of the early members of the ministry were experienced officials in the civil service who first learned about the island. Some were graduates of Oxford and Cambridge, and many distinguished themselves in other fields.
However, over time, it was felt that special training in international affairs and diplomacy was needed to develop professionalism. The Bandaranik International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDT) was established in September 1995 with the aim of providing advanced training courses in diplomacy and international relations. The institute was the first in Sri Lanka. The first director general of the BDT was Dr. Vernon LB Mendis, who was born in Desetia.
In general, Sri Lankan diplomats from the 1950’s to the 70’s were the second-largest in the world. It was indeed a “golden age” in Sri Lankan diplomacy. Among the leaders were Sir Edwin Wiejrat, Ambassador to France and Switzerland, Dr. G. Malasicara, Academic, Scholar and Ambassador of the Soviet Union, Canada, the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and the United Nations Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, Dr. TB Jahyah, Academic, Politician and Citizen. The first High Commissioner, Sir Cloud Korea, was a political leader, just like Dr. Jahiah, two years before he became independent in 1946 before he became the representative of Ceylon in the United Kingdom. He is best remembered as a diplomat among cognoscenti. Sir Cloud freely served as an ambassador to the United States. Deshamanya Gamani Corea, renowned Economist and Civil Servant, Ambassador of Ceylon, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Trade and Development Conference and Secretary-General of the United Nations, Janata Danapala; And Dr. Vernon Mendes, known as the United Nations Special Envoy to the Middle East and the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka to Canada, the Ambassador to France, and the ‘Father of Sri Lankan Diplomacy’.
Unfortunately, in recent years, successive governments have weakened the professional foreign service by appointing relatives and friends, acquaintances, and political figures.
Returning to the question of whether it is a good idea to recruit intermediate diplomats through the PPP program, as I see it, the answer is yes and no. Yes, because corporations such as MS, Brands, Highways, and John Kells have qualified and trained professionals in the areas identified in the Sunday Times article. But they lack understanding, training and experience on protocol and government issues, especially in the current context of geopolitical tensions between countries, particularly the United States and China. Can you handle that without ruining everything? Can you play a central role? Do they have the strategy and patience to do so? The answer is no! In my opinion, the skills they have gained over the years are not enough to fulfill their own diplomatic role in knowledge, competence, training and international relations.
When appointed ambassadors in most developed countries, in addition to being qualified in international relations, they must know the language of the country in which they are to be posted, and have a deep knowledge of its political, economic and socio-cultural environment.
I have carefully considered the MAS fields and fields of choice for recruiting for diplomatic posts: they include international trade, finance, investment promotion (posting in Dhaka, New York, Shanghai or Tokyo). Environment and Climate Change (to post in Nairobi); And Renewable Energy (Stockholm for Prototype); “Creativity and Skill Development (posting in Berlin or Beijing).
While it is undeniable that these corporate companies have a very high level of dominance in the areas of ‘Environment and Climate Change’ and ‘Renewable and Sustainable Energy’, the question is, are they sufficient to handle diplomatic posts? In the case of the New York and Shanghai International Trade, Finance, and Investment Promotion Areas, some corporate recruiters may have general interest in pursuing interest in Sri Lanka. Both the United States and China are important for Sri Lanka’s trade and investment. Balancing the conflicting claims of those countries and maintaining the interests of Sri Lanka can still be a challenge.
In addition, corporations often ask, “What if governments change?” They think. Does the change in governments lead to instability in PPP arrangements? Does the instability in the cadre due to the above political changes affect the stability of the diplomatic team?
the end
Read more –
No lock Additional restrictions are expected in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka – People in Trouble
Join our Whatsapp team for similar articles, recent updates. – Click here
Ministry of Economy and Foreign Affairs. Ministry PPP in Sri Lanka
MENAFN14082021000191011043ID1102624093
Disclaimer – MENAFN provides no “guarantee” that the information is “as is”. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legitimacy or reliability of the information contained in this publication. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, please contact the provider above.
.