Wonder Rodney Munyanyi
What is left is for the country to harvest the rich pickings and this is where Zimbabwe’s embassies across the world should come in and show their worth.
Embassies should contribute more towards economic turnaround in this new dispensation.
International diplomacy has been practised since the formation of the first city-state.
Embassies and their derivatives, high commissions and consulates, are significant instruments of any government’s foreign policy and have evolved over time.
Delivering a lecture at the University of Kent on February 27, 2015, then Irish Ambassador to the United Kingdom Mr Daniel Mulhall stated: “Economic promotion has become a genuine priority for our diplomatic service, especially in recent years. I attach huge importance to this area of the embassy’s work.
“Our foreign policy review puts economic diplomacy — our prosperity — at the heart of embassy activities. Foreign direct investment is also a vital ingredient of our economic success. That is why greater emphasis is now being placed within our diplomatic service on promoting economic growth.”
This eminent diplomat has served his country as Ambassador to Germany and Malaysia.
He is currently Ireland’s Ambassador to the United States.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the First Ambassador of beautiful Zimbabwe and is setting a good example for our foreign missions.
The Davos World Economic Forum, which ran from January 23 to 26 under the theme “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World”, presented a rare opportunity for President Mnangagwa to showcase Zimbabwe.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Sibusiso Moyo said the business environment at the forum was “quite buoyant with a highly-packed series of courtesy calls on the global man of the moment President Mnangagwa”.
The stage has been set.
What is left is for the country to harvest the rich pickings and this is where Zimbabwe’s embassies across the world should come in and show their worth.
Embassies should contribute more towards economic turnaround in this new dispensation.
In international economics, foreign direct investment refers to an investment in a business by an investor from another country for which the foreign investor has control over the company purchased.
The Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development defines control as owning 10 percent or more of a business.
FDI is critical for the development of any country.
In Zimbabwe, we need private investment in infrastructure, energy, water and sanitation. Such investments will create the much-needed jobs.
In 2009, Zambia spent around US$20 million on its foreign missions, but with an economy worth roughly US$20 billion, it is arguable that this money was well spent.
Money invested in foreign missions has to translate into tangible FDI.
During this decisive period, Zimbabwe has to take a careful look at the calibre of people sent on such missions. The ambassador has to advance the best interests of his or her country.
They are also our brand managers.
A foreign posting should not be seen as a reward for blind allegiance to authorities in power or an easy way to a champagne lifestyle.
It should be seen as an extension of our struggle for economic recovery.
A number of countries are streamlining their diplomatic presence overseas by closing certain embassies and downsizing embassy staff.
They are conducting a cost-benefit analysis of having too many embassies.
Simply because the United Nations Charter calls for cooperation and good relations among countries does not mean Zimbabwe should randomly open or maintain foreign missions.
We should only open embassies in countries and regions that can contribute to the country’s FDI inflows.
Regarding other countries (which are equally important by the way), if person-to-person contact is needed for a specific diplomatic task, air travel allows foreign affairs officials to be anywhere in the world in the shortest possible time.
Even in those countries where we need diplomats, we should always be mindful of the fact that embassies do not need to be big in order to have an impact.
David Slinn, an eminent retired British diplomat who served in North Korea from 2002 to 2006, observed that during his term there, he achieved so much with an embassy manned only by four people. We should look at ourselves in the diplomatic mirror and re-assess which embassies are really necessary and which ones are not.
Where possible, we can deploy a resident diplomat based at an embassy of another country or the mission of a multilateral organisation.
For example, Estonia’s first diplomatic representation in South America is in Brasilia, the capital of Brazil, and consists of one diplomat based at the Portuguese Embassy.
Countries that have undergone significant economic change largely owe it to the critical roles played by their ambassadors. Indonesia and Ireland are perfect examples.
We hope to join that list soon.
Wonder Rodney Munyanyi holds a BL and LLB degree from the University of Zimbabwe where he also studied for a Master of Science degree in International Relations. He holds diplomas in Immigration and Refugee Law and European Law from the United Kingdom. He has practised law in Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom. He wrote this article for The Sunday Mail