Diplomatic reporting in the 21st Century

By Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru, MFR,

Being excerpts of the Keynote Address delivered by Ambassador Olugbenga A. Ashiru, MFR - Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs; at the Opening Ceremony of a Workshop for Foreign Affairs Correspondents held in Abuja.

I am greatly delighted at this Workshop with the theme – Diplomatic Reporting in the 21st Century – that has been put together by the Ministry, to reflect on the tenets and ethics of diplomatic reporting with a view to sharpening the skills, professionalism and orientation of journalists accredited to the Ministry.

This Workshop could not have come at a better time given the re-orientation, transformation and significant developments taking place in the domestic environment of Nigeria and in the sphere of the country’s foreign policy and international relations.  

To start with, this is the very first time that the Ministry will organise a Workshop such as this, arising from the need for journalists accredited to the Ministry to better understand the philosophical underpinnings, aims, objectives and activities of Government in the sphere of Nigeria’s foreign policy, including comportment, protocol, dress code and etiquette.   

The Workshop is also taking place at a time our country is facing domestic challenges such as terrorism and oil theft; and piracy off the coast of West Africa are some of the major foreign policy matters that require circumspection, due diligence and social responsibility on the part of journalists who are expected to report these events in a manner that contributes to the success of Government efforts at tackling them. Regrettably, this has not always been so, with the result that some journalists have chosen to engage in sensational reporting, to grab the headlines, publish and be damned without taking into consideration the negative impact of their hyped reports on the delicate social and political fabric of the country.  

This event is taking place against the backdrop of the transformation and policy changes in the Ministry as following:

i.               Emphasis on economic diplomacy, to deploy foreign policy for job and wealth creation and to assist in the attainment of the development objectives of the Federal Government

ii.             Promotion of strategic partnerships and alliances with key countries through Joint and Bi-national Commissions

iii.           Deployment of Ambassadors to Missions where they will best serve Nigeria’s interests

iv.           Re-orientation of Nigerian Missions abroad to focus on trade and investments as consular responsibilities

v.             Deliberate policy of raising the visibility and profile of Nigeria abroad, including promoting a positive image and respect for the country;

vi.           Proactive and effective engagement with the diplomatic corps in Nigeria and their sending states, to ensure that Nigerians are treated fairly and with dignity

vii.         Human resource development through recruitment of new staff, training and re-training of staff at all levels

viii.       Effective pursuit of Nigeria’s foreign policy goals and objectives in the face of dwindling resources as we seek to do more with less through the introduction of Performance Contracts and prudent management of scarce resources. 

Against this background, the imperative for a robust engagement with the media cannot be over-emphasised. For a nation’s foreign policy exertions to be fruitful, there must be a critical mass of consensus from the public in support of these policies. This is the essence of Public diplomacy, which, in the opinion of Edmund Guillon (Dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University) in 1965, “… deals with the influence of public attitudes on the formulation and execution of foreign policies;… the cultivation by governments of public opinion in other countries…”, and I must say, also in our domestic environment; “…the interaction of private groups and interests in one country with another; the reporting of foreign affairs and its impact on policy; the communication between those whose job is communication as diplomats and foreign correspondents; and the process of inter-cultural communications…”.

I cannot agree more with this definition, especially the last two aspects of the definition which deal with reporting and communication, which are shared by the two professions of diplomacy and journalism. However, while diplomats report to their sending States, i.e. their home governments, journalists report to the public. It is in this area of commonality in reporting that we must work harder to create the necessary synergy in order to take our society to greater heights.

It is also the case that most of the negative reports about Nigeria abroad emanate from our local papers.  Even as they mirror the views and preferences of the public as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, journalists must seek to partner with Government and not see themselves as unofficial opposition to all and every policy initiative of Government. This orientation has to change towards developmental journalism that offers constructive criticisms and policy alternatives that will move the society forward.

In the on-going debates about same sex marriage and the death penalty, the misleading accounts of human rights situation especially in the three northern States currently under Emergency Rule, Nigeria’s bid for a seat in a reformed United Nations Security Council, our role in the world as well as our participation in regional and international peace-keeping efforts and initiatives, Nigerian journalists must seize the narrative and tell our own stories from our own lenses and perspectives rather than succumbing to foreign pressure and propaganda about us.  We must not allow others to define who we are as a people, let alone set agenda of media debate for us.  There lies the significance of this Workshop.

In reporting events, Nigerian journalists should start their stories and with Nigeria as their primary focus and attention. If Nigeria is taking part in an international event or conference for example, Nigerian journalists should tell Nigerians what the Nigerian delegation is bringing to the table, including the activities of the delegation during the conference. Unfortunately, this is often not the case. 

Yet it must be recognised that in an increasingly inter-dependent and globalising world, no nation can be an island on itself. Events in one part of the world have extensive ramifications in other parts. The advent of the social media has also raised the bar of public diplomacy. With the internet and introduction of Face-book, Twitter, Black Berry Messenger, Skype and others, have also increased the speed and ease of communication such that information becomes viral in a matter of minutes.  The social media, like we are all aware, is perhaps the media of choice for young people to express themselves. Arising from its global reach, it has the capacity to shape opinions and trigger events, on a scale far wider than the conventional media. Its largely unrestricted, unregulated and anonymous use gives room for abuse. Thus, debates on blogs and interactive websites are, often times, abusive and uncivil. This, therefore, highlights the imperative for journalists to cross-check their facts thoroughly before sending out news items, because these days, the social media amplifies news and events, factual or incorrect, as soon as it breaks. There is also the need for balance and objectivity, to uphold the popular axiom that recognises two sides to every story. Irreparable damage can be caused where the social media indulges in recklessly pushing out stories that have not been fact-checked.

Rather than ignore some of the reports and comments in the social media, I have always ensured that the Spokesperson responds to such comments so as to clarify situations and events as they unfold. We intend to continue with this engagement so as to keep the Nigerians both at home and abroad to better understand the dynamics of our foreign policy.

The media have a critical role to play in mobilising public opinion in a manner that adds value to the defence of democracy, peace, and development. Foreign policy gains, much unlike other areas of national pursuits, are basically intangible. For the uninitiated, therefore, it may appear expensive, even downright wasteful, for a nation to commit resources in pursuit of certain values that may not be so obvious to the ordinary citizens when there are pressing needs at home.  For example, President Jonathan was recently in China, where he signed numerous bilateral agreements that will boost trade, technology transfer, and infrastructural development in Nigeria. The media has a major role to play in educating Nigerians about the benefits of these foreign policy exertions. Similar gains and benefits have been recorded in our Bi-national Commissions with such countries as the US, Germany, Canada, South Africa and others.

The Goodluck Jonathan Administration is firmly committed to ensuring transparency and accountability in governance. That is why Mr President signed the Freedom of Information Bill into law in 2011. This FOI Act guarantees the right of Nigerians to information from public institutions. Even though the modality for the implementation of the Act are still being worked out, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs remains open to public enquiries as we are always ready to entertain questions on our activities. This is why we have the office of the Spokesperson dedicated to public enquiries and relations with the media. However, because of the sensitivity of certain aspects of foreign policy decision making and implementation, the FOI Act in Section 11 exempted the disclosure of information “which may be injurious to the conduct of international affairs and the defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Finally, as journalists who report on events concerning diplomacy and diplomatic practice, you all should be conversant with the nuances, language, and style of the diplomatic profession.  An innocuous story carelessly released and widely disseminated can cause great damage to relations with countries that have taken years to build and nurture. This Workshop will update your knowledge in this regard so that your reports will be more professional, taking into account Nigeria’s place in the world and the implications of such reports on the country’s relations with the rest of the world. This also requires constant training, re-training and capacity building by media organisations for their correspondents to be on top of their game at all times.