By SOLOMON KANTHA
THE Department of Foreign Affairs and Immigration is currently reviewing PNG’s foreign policies and practices.
Foreign policy is basically a policy that articulates and promotes PNG’s national interest beyond our immediate territorial boundaries.
As PNG’s foreign policy experts deliberate on a review of our foreign policies, one of the crucial issues that will come into the limelight is the operation of PNG’s foreign posts and missions around the world.
PNG currently has 18 foreign missions, which is a significant reduction due mainly to budget cuts and the redundancy of most diplomatic offices.
Whilst this review is timely, there are a number of important considerations that the Government should contemplate to improve the operations of foreign missions.
More importantly, there must be an augmented sense of understanding what is necessary in pursuing PNG’s “national interests” abroad through foreign missions.
Perhaps it is also an opportune time to review the performance of the foreign missions and recuperate on the missed opportunities.
Can they be restructured to cater for an adequate number of staff to effectively perform their role or improve the capacity of foreign service officers and diplomats to effectively promote PNG’s national interests with an exiguous budget?
In today’s age of globalisation, a country cannot exist in insularity but needs to interact more with other countries to benefit from the much-needed foreign development assistance and foreign missions are focal points where such initial interactions begin.
Foreign missions are the porte-cochère or gateway for potential investors to PNG.
They allow the country to exhibit itself to foreign investors, multinational corporations, non-governmental organisations, inter-governmental organisations, aid agencies, and even philanthropic organisations that can assist PNG in its development endeavours.
The significance of foreign missions has too often been downplayed because of a lack of comprehension and appreciation of their role.
Even so, a large part of the inadequacies of foreign missions lie in their understaffed nature and the incapability of the few diplomatic officers to tactfully and vigorously promote the country’s interest abroad.
Diplomatic missions should be adequately staffed with officers who are capable of conducting research into areas, which the country can benefit from such as agriculture, science and technology, arts and culture, educational scholarships and exchange programmes, internship programmes, security cooperation, seasonal work arrangements, employment opportunities, project funding and international trade.
There are innumerable opportunities out there that are offered by foreign government institutions, NGOs and a myriad of other international organisations but this information will only be accessible if diplomatic officers are energetic enough to explore those possibilities for the country.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Gabriel Pepson revealed that the maintenance of foreign missions is an expensive exercise, taking up about 25% of the ministry’s annual budget.
While this may seem exorbitant, enough perhaps the focus this time should be build around the capacity of foreign service officers and diplomats, who are not only skillful but knowledgeable in exploring different areas, which can benefit the country.
All too often, the major function of foreign missions is tied down to facilitating the bona fide travel and visas for foreign travellers, which although fundamental, is a modest function in this globalisation era, where international trade and development assistance from developed countries is really crucial and tops the agenda of developing countries.
There needs to be a reorientation of the vital functions of foreign missions to be congenial in this 21st Century to address the country’s development needs.
An important consideration that the White Paper on Foreign Policy should encompass is a clear articulation of PNG’s national interests so that foreign missions are cognizant of what is required of them to promote our interests.
Over the years, PNG has lacked the foresight to fully harness the opportunities in other countries through its foreign missions abroad.
For instance, the continent of the Americas, which comprises of the US and Canada in the north and the Latin American countries in the south, is one of the important regions of the world that present a lot of opportunities for PNG.
Unfortunately, our representation there is low key.
Washington DC and New York are the main forums of world politics and the hub of the world’s major international financial institutions, multinational corporations, NGOs and inter-governmental organisations and yet the PNG Embassy and the PNG-UN Office do not have adequate staff to efficaciously explore the economic and social opportunities.
The arrangement for Cuban medical doctors to PNG and the establishment of the Clinton Global Initiative Fund in combating HIV/Aids exemplifies few of the many benefits that PNG can gain from increasing diplomatic relations in that continent.
In this globalisation era, ideological dispositions are subordinate to the goal of development for developing countries.
The Americas hold much promise in terms of economic benefits, yet we have a miniscule presence in that part of the world.
With PNG at the forefront of major global issues like climate change and a forerunner in the Coalition of Rainforest Nations, its presence and representation in the world’s political headquarters like Washington DC and the UN office in New York should be fortified to exert our political clout.
Diplomacy today is
not merely confined to diplomatic representation but the exploration of economic and social opportunities for the country.
PNG must go back to the drawing board if it has to make any sense of policies such as the export-driven strategy and align it with its foreign policy to reap the economic benefits.
Whilst the foreign policies of Look North and Active and Selective Engagement have established significant trade links and economic returns with countries of the Asian region, the Americas and Europe have been left virtually unexplored in terms of seeking greater economic and social opportunities.
PNG will need to graduate from its subverted position in the Pacific and set a new course to be a significant regional player.
To do this, PNG must move from a constricted outlook in its foreign policy orientation and explore possibilities of exerting its preponderance in the region and extending beyond in this 21st Century.
 

* The writer holds a Masters degree in Political Science (International Relations) and was an intern research fellow at the Embassy of PNG in Washington DC.