by George I. H. Cooke
Charles
Darwin irrefutably claimed that “it is not the strongest of the species that
survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to
change”. The first half of 2020 proved
that the rate of change can and does intensify, and it is entirely in the hands
of individuals, communities, states, regions and the entire world to either
adapt to the change, ensure relevance and thrive, or get engulfed, submerged
and subsequently sink.
In
the foreign policy arena, the cataclysmic changes that have been experienced
owing to the pandemic, have resulted in the need to adapt, adjust and keenly
strategize to respond to growing concerns, tackle hitherto unseen issues and
more importantly be ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead. States and
their decision makers face the daunting task of having to adjust and do so in a
timely manner to ensure their responses are relevant, their actions are prudent
and their decisions prove visionary.
In
Sri Lanka, the election of a new President at the end of 2019, signaled the
dawn of a new age, as has been the scenario since independence. The election of
a new leader is an opportunity to formulate and implement policy through a new
vision, which, it is expected, accounts for the domestic environment, the
regional concerns and the global circumstances, in which the decisions are to
be made. 2020 has revealed the daunting nature of such policy formulation and
implementation, but has provided a platform from which policy relevant for a
new age, could and should be the main focus.
Sri
Lanka’s presence on the global stage is not of a country that is making a debut
or one that is attempting to make a mark on the map. It is a country that has
for centuries played varying roles, in the South Asian region and beyond, and
needs to firstly rely on its ancient connectivity, relate this to the modern
context and ensure relevance and significance in the long run. This rich and
dynamic past, is undeniable. Whether during the times of the ancient kingdoms,
or even the periods under colonization, the island enjoyed a special and
favoured position. This was also experienced for most of the second half of the
last century. How was this possible? What factors contributed? Which polices were
effective? Similarly, it is relevant to reflect upon instances in which the
country erred, faced obstacles, and examine their origin and cause, and the
measures adopted to overcome them.
Formulating
and implementing an effective foreign policy is in itself a daunting task, yet
one that can and must be achieved if a country is to progress and prosper. The
adoption of a clear strategy, based on practical and sustainable aspects, is
the key to an effective foreign policy.
REVIEW
In
light of the aforementioned introspection, it is important for Sri Lanka to
take a long hard look at the past, critically analyse that which has occurred, study
the triumphs, avoid a repetition of the errors, and strategize for the future. Whilst
theorizing on foreign policy is often understood to be easier than the
practical aspect of the subject, it is crucial to focus primarily on reviewing
that which has occurred to flesh out that which is and isn’t possible, while
noting that which has and hasn’t been done.
Any
project requires a system of review at intervals to assess its success or
failure. In the realm of foreign policy, all too often, policy is formulated
and implemented but a process of reviewing does not occur systematically. This
has led to situations in which countries have often failed to acknowledge weak
areas, and have also ignored new developments which directly impact such
policy. This has been to their detriment and resulted in the creation of deeper
problems and fresh challenges. It is for this purpose that a structured process
of data collection would be necessary.
The
gathering of data should not be limited merely to collecting statistics from
missions around the world. The gathering of material needs to be done with a
‘Sri Lanka-first’ objective, which ensures the centricity of Sri Lanka but
accounts for the realistic position of the country vis-à-vis neighbours and
counterparts across the globe. The input should include positions that could be
adopted, new avenues that could be explored and fresh opportunities that have
hitherto remained untapped. This would clearly require analysis given the need
for comprehensive data.
Statistics
in the form of raw data needs to be humanized to comprehend its impact and
potential. This would lead to a clearer understanding of all bilateral and
multilateral forms of engagement, and lay the foundation for formulating a
foreign policy that is rich in terms of heritage, acknowledges the country’s
strengths and weakness, and explores new areas of opportunity, which would be timely.
It is at this juncture that Sri Lanka needs to explore opportunities for
reigniting old connections, build on past successes and situations, commemorate
long standing ties in a meaningful way, and ensure the remembrance of
assistance that was given in times of need, among many other aspects, which remain
crucial in this first part of the process.
RESTRUCTURE
Secondly,
a restructuring of the entire system, process and means of delivery is
essential to ensure that Sri Lanka is not left behind or even lags behind other
countries, and is capable of utilizing innovation at the very core of decision
making. For too long the ministry-mission system has relied on particular processes
and positions, some of which have worked effectively and others that have not.
This has resulted in unpreparedness in facing new challenges, seen the adoption
of short term, temporary measures, caused an increase in the logjam that is
often experienced, and increased the tendency for bureaucratic processes to
hinder growth and development.
It
is through a restructuring of the system, both within the ministry and through
the network of missions, that bold decisions are required to ensure that
neither is ill-equipped, ill-prepared or poorly informed, and instead the
decisions made and implemented are timely and not long overdue, proactive and
not merely reactive measures, and intensely strategic in nature and scope. This
would ensure that Sri Lanka is able to recapture most of the lost glory, but
more necessarily become a country that is viewed in positive light and is
acknowledged for her potential and vibrancy which are key factors in Sri
Lanka’s armoury.
Within
the Ministry, it would be necessary to prioritize areas of operation, taking
note of sectors of importance and giving impetus to their structure. This
impetus needs to come from above, whereby stronger and deeper focus is given to
countries and not merely regions as is the present form. One can’t be accounted
for at the expense of the other. Instead due recognition to both individual countries
and those operating with regions need to be included. While, for example, a
division of South Asia is relevant to relate to regional issues, it is
important for emphasis to be placed on the bilateral connectivity, without
allowing it to dovetail into one of regionalism. The focus on regionalism is
relevant in dealing with regional entities.
Heightened
emphasis on specific countries with which Sri Lanka enjoys particularly vital
relations, is crucial, owing to the systems of operation found in such
countries, wherein due emphasis is placed on Sri Lanka. Whilst resources might
be a challenge, it is one that needs to be overcome if the full potential of
bilateral connectivity is to be achieved. Until and unless Sri Lanka looks at
optimizing output with the given resources and explores ways of enhancing such
resources, the country will not be able to ensure deeper and stronger
relations, which make Sri Lanka the optimal choice and not another option.
This
process of changing Sri Lanka’s position from an option to being optimal also
requires immense input from the vanguard of diplomatic engagement, in the
missions around the world. While it would be beneficial to look at more
missions in strategic locations, it is important to start with optimizing output
from the current system, and in the long term explore means of opening new
missions. There are many countries out there with which Sri Lanka hardly
engages, even on a monthly basis.
Political
engagement at the highest level, through the creation of opportunities for
leaders to meet continuously is paramount. This engagement augurs well for bilateral
ties, and lays a strong foundation, which was one of the strongest factors in
Sri Lanka’s foreign policy establishment in the decades gone by. Despite the challenges of travel, leaders in
the first half of Sri Lanka’s independence years, engaged regularly. The
engagement was brought to fruition in numerous forms, wherein they met on State
Visits, on the sidelines of international gatherings, wrote to each other
regularly highlighting critical issues and maintained close lines of
communication, especially through their choice of emissaries.
Economic
engagement through missions, require an enhancement of interaction with the
Department of Commerce, by allocating a team as opposed to a single officer,
which would be capable of reaching out and interacting with the economic
community in their respective countries of residence and accreditation. Drawing
in investment needs to be undertaken in a structured manner and not on an
ad-hoc basis. Often trying to grab at any form of investment, as long as it is
an investment is detrimental on many fronts. For enhanced economic engagement
to take place a pre-requisite is a national plan of action, in line with
national interests, which clearly identifies projects of relevance and then efforts
are made to garner such forms of investment. It results in Sri Lanka growing
through clear initiatives which are based on nationals needs and also gives the
investor great confidence to enter and engage with the country.
The
process of restructuring the system in its entirety, though time consuming,
would be one of the most rewarding endeavours undertaken by the political and
bureaucratic leadership in conjunction with academia and professionals from the
connected fields. The resulting factors wherein Sri Lanka grows, by leaps and
bounds, through consistent and comprehensive measures will yield a beneficial
output that generates decisive results. It is change in the form of
restructuring that is required to obtain such desirable results.
Sri
Lanka has a large and extensive network of countries with which diplomatic
engagement has been signed and sealed. The short fall occurs in the practical
aspect of engagement. Several features have to be considered in this
sphere. With numerous countries
accredited to single missions, the task becomes overwhelming, resulting in a
loss of mutually beneficial engagement. Similarly connectivity is sought often
at times when elections or resolutions of various forms are taken up within
multilateral bodies. Furthermore, a lack of knowledge of the connections that
exist and ignorance of the intricacies of the bilateral relationship, either
sour ties, or more often, result in the full potential not being explored,
leading to missed opportunities.
When
considering the degree of engagement with host countries and their communities,
it is essential to consider the diversity that exists within each of these
countries. This diversity spreads from the political spectrum, where it is not
only the governing party and its members, in that respective country that
requires connecting with. The political milieu needs to be studied and
sufficient engagement sought with all across the board. When considering the
sciences, or culture and the arts, academia, and the economic sphere, the
actors are numerous and painstaking attention is required to spread one’s
interactions with a cross section of the society in which one serves. This then
needs to extend to the countries of accreditation as well, and visits by
ambassadors and high commissioners to such countries shouldn’t be curtailed to
credential and national day ceremonies.
On
the second point, Cardinal Richelieu meticulously explained centuries ago that
diplomacy should be a continuous process aimed at creating durable relations
rather than a process that consists of opportunistic advances. The key
take-away is the ability to sustain relations through differing times and not
be seen to approach or engage only in times of need. All too often adhoc
encounters, meetings sought for campaigning, or sudden attempts to garner
support for or against procedures, reveal a lack of genuineness, and display
opportunism, which must be avoided at all times. Sri Lanka has enjoyed long
standing ties with countries, some of which predate the colonial period. It is
these connections that need to be especially pursued and every attempt made to
strengthen the degree of engagement, while boosting ties established post
independence.
The
third aspect is the need to fully comprehend the historic perspective of the
connections, understand relations in the contemporary period, and deploy
mechanisms to highlight both the past and present to build a sturdy future. Within
the first stage of reviewing that which has been, it is possible to fully
reveal all that has occurred and be able to utilize such knowledge for the
betterment of the country.
In
addition, in the phase of reaching out, it becomes imperative to identify key
windows into regions. These are countries with which historic ties, religious
congruence, or even language and cultural attributes provide a deeper degree of
connectivity which could be a leveraging factor for Sri Lanka in engaging with
other countries in that particular region. Considered a prudent policy and
implemented by many others, this approach is ideal for countries like Sri Lanka
which possess limited resources and may look to such ‘windows’ to resuscitate
diplomacy. These ‘windows’ prove beneficial in multilateral organisations and
in regional groupings. In multilateral organisations, such ‘windows’ would play
pivotal roles to support Sri Lanka at crucial times. In regional organisations,
the inability to be physically present in each and every country, would be
augmented through strategic presence in key ‘windows’ which in turn act as
intermediaries with countries with which Sri Lanka doesn’t enjoy long standing
or strong ties.
Diplomacy
today has evolved to cover a plethora of areas where all forms of engagement
possess the ability to contribute to the bilateral relations of two countries.
With military diplomacy extending to specified areas and including air and
naval diplomacy, the role and function of peaceful military engagement deserves
more indepth study and emphasis. Similarly diplomacy based on religion and
philosophy is another opportunity to explore new forms of engagement. The
abundance of spheres indicates the plurality of diplomacy in the 21st
century. It is for countries to enhance diplomacy by harnessing such spheres.
Within
this phase it is noteworthy that opportunity exists to expand, enrich, and
diversify connectivity. Requiring acute strategizing at the very highest level
and trickling down to all levels of diplomacy, the implementation of this stage
of the four ‘R’ approach widens the scope and ambit of Sri Lanka
internationally and augurs well for the foreign policy of the country. By
reaching out to existing partners, identifying ‘windows’ into regions, and
seeking new connections and new forms of diplomatic engagement it would be
possible for Sri Lanka to generate innovative opportunities, which would stand
the country in good stead.
READINESS
For
Sri Lanka to remain on firm footing in the foreign policy arena, abreast of the
latest developments, whilst being in tune with the past, it is essential that
the country remains ready for all eventualities. Such readiness can only be
achieved if adequate measures have been taken to make informed decisions,
implement sound policies, and review that which has been implemented, while
remaining in sync on all levels. Resorting to adhoc decision making to satisfy
a fresh development, is a trial and error system, which becomes a gamble. It
works effectively at times, but can also be significantly disastrous.
This
aspect of readiness relates to effective decision making to obtain plan A, but
also having a plan B and even C if required, whilst taking into consideration
all foreseeable outcomes. It might be that plan B is not as effective as plan A,
yet the compilation of alternate plans and policies are paramount to avoid
failure. These plans have to drawn up as short, medium and long term strategies
of foreign policy and address pressing problems, and provide recourse to new
challenges that may arise in the future.
Acute
strategizing becomes crucial at this stage, as Sri Lanka prepares for the
growing challenges that the pandemic has brought, and all other forms of
obstacles that would arise in the short to medium term. Such developments need
to be addressed using the foreign policy mechanism, especially in responding to
threats and challenges emanating from outside, or deciding on joining or
distancing oneself from alliances, or even exploring new forms of revenue
generation and investment for the country. Irrespective of the arena of
activity, Sri Lanka must have the plans drawn up, the contingencies at the
ready, and the ability to resort to these varied options in the face of
challenges, instead of groping in the dark, adopting adhoc measures or
introducing temporary schemes to tide over periods of uncertainty.
Through
an effective and efficient system of strategizing it is possible for Sri Lanka
and her decision makers to arrive at well structured, knowledge-driven, prudent
decisions and to formulate policies that are Sri Lanka-centric, economically
beneficial, and which prove the efficacy of the trouble taken in the first
place. Furthermore through the process of implementation, the returns would
highlight the suitability and efficiency of the policy, whilst raising the
standard of the system, and those within it.
Within
the four ‘R’ approach it is important to review that which exists, restructure
the system, reach out to allies and make new contacts, and ensure readiness to
face any eventuality. Until and unless decision makers start thinking of the
bigger picture in which Sri Lanka as a country operates in the international
system, take note of the gamut of factors that deserve due consideration prior
to decision making, and strategize to acquire the fullest potential, it would
be pointless deliberating on foreign policy.
Sri
Lanka stands at yet another juncture in history. A new President is in office
and would be keen to leave his mark in the foreign policy arena, like numerous
predecessors from historic times to those in the years of independence. As the
third decade of the 21st century unravels, the challenges in 2020
appear to subsume all those experienced in the first two decades and portend to
increase in the years ahead. It is at this crucial stage in the international
system, that Sri Lanka possesses the opportunity to not only embrace change, remain
relevant and survive, but to go further and shine in the new age.
