State Administration / 1. Enhancing the role of state
servants in the modern society
M.A. in international relations, PhD-candidate
Kussainova Aliya
L.N.Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Kazakhstan
The efficiency and optimization of
the diplomatic service in contemporary international relations
A highly professional and well organized diplomatic
service – the most important condition for the successful implementation of the
state's functions, solving policy challenges in the international arena.
The
long-term historical experience shows that the State is strong not only for its
economic strength, scientific, technological and military capabilities, but
also for its diplomacy, skilful and flexible diplomatic service, professional
and moral potential of personnel of the diplomatic corps. Exactly diplomatic
service predetermines success in solving foreign policy problems facing the
state. Especially if its development is not far behind, and is in step with the
times.
Value of efficiency, professionalism,
competence of diplomatic employees objectively increases in the crucial moments
in the history of the state, when it changes its legal framework and the
socio-political entity. That is one side.
On the other hand,
changes in management, organization, forms and methods of the diplomatic
structures caused by certain modification of the system of international
relations, globalization and internationalization of international issues,
strengthening the influence of the diplomatic process of new information
technologies, increasing the share of multilateral diplomatic activities of the
relevant institutions. The impact of all these factors will increase in the XXI
century. That naturally puts on the agenda the task of strengthening the
scientific basis of diplomacy and diplomatic service.
The effectiveness
of diplomacy can be defined in three ways:
1) The effective
diplomacy – such diplomacy, which helps to achieve the best possible results by
state authorities in conditions of limited resources. This approach can be
called “economic”. Its strong point is that it is based on objective facts.
Information on the costs of the state budget for the items “international
activities”, “foreign policy” or “international security” can be obtained over
long periods of time allowing to identify trends and analyze them with formal
models. The limitation of this approach is that it depends entirely on the
official statistical sources, primarily related budgetary expenditures.
2) Diplomacy, which
is guided to implement in practice a “national interests” formulated by the
political leaders of the state with respect to a particular historical stage. An
important condition for use of this approach is a consensus in public opinion
regarding the basic characteristics of the “national interest” in the
international arena. This approach can be called “realistic”. It can be
verified successfully, if to address to the analysis of “national interests”
providing by efforts of the diplomatic service for historically long period of
time, and for comparison to take foreign policy objectives expressed by
political leaders of the state.
3) Diplomacy which strengthens
by its activities, but does not destroy the existing system of international
relations and international law. This approach can be called a “liberal” or “rationalist”.
Research in this framework should be comparative character involving political
scientists, lawyers and economists. The main object of study – the modern
system of international relations as a single structure consisting of elements
to ensure its stability.
The most perspective
is a balanced approach that includes all three elements of the assessment of
the effectiveness of diplomacy.
The presence of a
strong personnel potential on which depends the level of effectiveness of
diplomacy could be achieved only through years of implementation of the
principle of professionalization of the diplomatic service. Of course, the only
professional, all-round education, preservation and augmentation of healthy
traditions of diplomacy determine the success of the case, that the political
and diplomatic competence, performing culture and organization come over the
years, are the fruit of many years of effort.
The main directions
of development and optimization personnel potential of the diplomatic service
as follows:
– development of
science-based short-term and long-term forecasts in the department needs a new
generation of professionals across all disciplines and specializations;
– concern for the
comprehensive development of the personality of the diplomatic employee, not
only in terms of his professionalism and moral qualities, but also the
satisfaction of his material and spiritual needs;
– creation of
enabling institutional, social and material conditions of service in accordance
with the law;
– maintenance in
collectives of unit headquarters and missions abroad moral and psychological
climate and service relationships to ensure the efficient performance of
official duties, and promote the development of creative potential of
employees;
– optimization of
departmental network training, retraining and advanced training of diplomatic
personnel.
Successful
implementation of these tasks can be achieved, as evidenced by the experience,
but on the principles of science, the concrete historical approach,
comprehensiveness, transparency and democracy. They also determine the nature
of the basic requirements for diplomatic officials.
References:
1.
Barishnikov D.N., Kostyuk R.V., Tkachenko S.L. Efficiency of Diplomacy.
Saint Petersburg, 2009.
2.
Kussainova A.M. Psychological Aspects of Diplomatic Activity. World
Applied Sciences Journal 20 (Special Issue of Pedagogy and Psychology): pp.58-61,
2012. ISSN 1818-4952. IDOSI Publications, 2012.
3.
Matlock J. What can diplomacy? // USA - economics, politics, ideology.
No.10, 1991, p.29.
4.
Nweke, Eugene. Diplomacy in Era of Digital Governance: Theory and
Impact. Information and Knowledge Management www.iiste.org. ISSN 2224-5758
(Paper) ISSN 2224-896X (Online) Vol 2, No.3, 2012, p.22.