Fiji is confronted with significant obstacles in the effort to rebuild its core institutions. Years of military governance, coupled with the loss of institutional knowledge due to retirements and migration, have significantly weakened critical institutions. This has led to a reduction in their skill base and a decline in their ability to offer informed and candid advice to the government.
These issues are underscored in Fiji’s Foreign Policy White Paper 2024, which was unveiled at the Grand West Pacific Hotel in Suva on Monday. The report asserts that robust institutions are essential for effective governance, a principle that extends to foreign policy as much as it does to other governmental sectors.
The document emphasizes that a successful foreign policy relies on a competent Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and a network of diplomatic missions with clear goals, systematic performance assessments, and essential analytical and tradecraft skills.
To address these deficiencies, the government plans to enhance recruitment and skills training to develop a professional cadre of Fijian diplomats. This initiative will include the creation of a Diplomatic Training Centre within the MFA, which is expected to elevate the recognition of diplomacy as a professional field. Eventually, the Centre may also serve as a training hub for diplomats from across the region, particularly for small island nations facing similar challenges in diplomatic capacity.
The report outlines that diplomatic skills are crucial for identifying national interests, fostering relationships, evaluating issues with regard to Fiji’s objectives, leveraging social networks to promote interests, and keeping the government informed about external factors affecting these interests. Each of these skills necessitates specialized expertise.
Key competencies include negotiating trade agreements, attracting foreign investment, understanding market access hurdles, and recognizing the needs of foreign investors, all of which are vital for advancing Fiji’s international agenda. The report concludes that these skills are rooted in a comprehensive understanding of Fiji’s economic structure, growth drivers, potential risks, and the relationship between domestic and international policies.
Furthermore, it highlights that the functions of Fiji’s diplomatic missions are pivotal to the effectiveness of its foreign policy.