The case for stepped-up 'networking'

Gone are the days when Foreign Offices used to merely serve as channels for the pursuit of political diplomacy. Nowadays, regardless of the countries in question and the size of their missions abroad, economic diplomacy seems to have placed itself at the forefront of their agenda.

There have been far too many fits and starts in Malta's case, possibly due to the over-rapid turnover of Foreign Ministers that we have had in recent years - three over the span of under one year, admittedly due to circumstances beyond their own control.

When John Dalli had been entrusted with the portfolio of foreign affairs and investment promotion I had instantly felt that a wise decision had been made by the Prime Minister to combine two such areas of activity. Alas, it seems that the two areas were brought together to suit the minister rather than vice-versa. This was confirmed by the fact that when Mr Dalli "resigned", Minister Michael Frendo found the investment promotion portfolio parked behind Minister Gatt's door while in his case he was entrusted with external trade relations, including the WTO.

During the budget debate in Parliament, while complimenting the minister on his networking exercise among honorary consuls for Malta based abroad, I urged him to pursue such networking at different levels including at the forthcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting which should bring together a number of key corporate players apart from various heads of state and heads of government. One might question the wisdom of carrying such a financial burden (+Lm1.5 million minimum) at this given point in time, in view of our precarious financial situation, but now that Malta has been chosen as the venue for the Summit it rests upon the government to maximise the opportunities that such a gathering will present our country with despite the fact that various heads of government might be spending two days or less in our midst.

I made a sincere plea to the Foreign Minister to include leading businessmen in his delegations abroad, particularly when new or revitalised markets are being pursued. The argument that Silvio Berlusconi, Jacques Chirac and Tony Blair took various business people along to Libya because, contrary to Maltese businessmen, these were unfamiliar with the Libyan market hardly holds any water. When a government shows it is throwing its weight behind leading members of the private sector it will be conveying the message that it literally means business and that it intends to promote economic diplomacy as much as it intends to push forward its political diplomacy.

I personally feel that the economic unit within the Foreign Ministry should be either revitalised or dismantled. From the information I have it is insufficiently pro-active to promote Malta either trade-wise or else as a suitable location for FDI. The same goes for the tourist sector. What is sure is that this is definitely one area where jobs for the boys should be done away with.

A business plan in the true sense of the word needs to be worked out with the local constituted bodies. While focusing on our role within the EU, such a plan should not do so exclusively and should be prepared to look beyond the confines of the European Union to such areas as Egypt, the Gulf, the Chinese PRC, the Russian Federation, the US and Japan.

For this purpose the government's policy on the restructuring of its missions abroad needs to be spelt out with urgency as the uncertainty prevalent at present can only send mixed and confused signals, particularly about what is going to be wound up, down-sized or beefed up.

While it is the government's prerogative to go for political appointees in the foreign affairs sector, it is important that they are all up to scratch. A way should be found for them and career diplomats to give an account of their performance and activities - possibly on an annual basis - to the Foreign and European Affairs Committee of the House.

The said committee on its part could also do with the attachment of an experienced diplomat so that, over and above the diligent work being carried out by its present team of research analysts, policy papers and working documents could be formulated to stimulate debate and initiatives within and beyond the confines of the committee. This way it could mould itself into a mini think-tank that can provide "parliamentary diplomacy" in a manner complementary to the diplomacy carried out by the Executive.

When in Libya, we gave account of our bipartisan approach to international affairs because, apart from tackling the visas and illegal immigration issues with vigour, we also managed to clear the air about a Libyan misconception that investment in Malta would not pay any longer because of the EU linked tax harmonisation issue. Our friends on the Libyan side were pleased that reassurances to the contrary were given to them by the Foreign and European Affairs Committee since this wrong impression might have been the root cause for a certain cooling off of interest in Malta as a location for fresh foreign investment.

I sincerely hope that this wrong impression was not created by local Eurosceptics, particularly because the Libyans consider Malta's membership of the EU a definite plus since, rather than distancing Malta from Libya, it should help bring Libya closer to the European Union.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Libyan authorities for the high level talks they lined up for us when we visited Tripoli recently as well as for the comprehensive programme which they prepared in advance and adhered to faithfully. Let us hope that the Foreign and European Affairs Committee will be able to carry out such parliamentary diplomacy when it visits China, the US and the Russian Federation in the new year.

Allegations of irregularities by Maltese diplomats serving abroad need to be dealt with without fear or favour, with appropriate action being taken where necessary.

Pending issues such as the double taxation agreement with the US, which has been in limbo for a number of years under various administrations, need to be revived through planned and concerted action between the people that matter.

The US has long made it clear that it is up to the Maltese government itself and US companies interested in locating in Malta to carry out the necessary lobbying.

We must be one of the very few EU countries without such an agreement inspite of the supportive role that we have rightly given the US in the "war on terror".

In Parliament, Minister Frendo failed to give any inkling as to whether any follow-up action had been taken regarding the number of US companies visited by Minister Dalli in Houston a week or so before he resigned; companies with the potential of using Malta as a stepping stone for future activities in Libya.

Projects that found themselves on the rocks like the Voice of the Mediterranean should be revived, particularly since Minister Dalli had been looking into the possibility of extending it to include a satellite venture. I am not aware of any follow-up action having been taken by Dr Frendo.

While one can understand the increased need of travel to and from Brussels because of our EU commitments, the government needs to explain in some detail why foreign office travel is expected to increase by some 40 per cent during the next financial year.

While on the same subject, we should nevertheless go for stronger bilaterals with friendly governments. Networking during EU Summits, while positive, is not enough. We should have more reciprocal visits such as that paid to Malta by the Danish Foreign Minister, while visits abroad by the President of the Republic should be availed of for networking between entrepreneurs and industrialists of the respective countries as used to happen quite regularly during the days of President Guido de Marco.

Links with our communities abroad - in the US, Canada, Australia and the UK - should form part of a planned line of action. Merely including visits to them when Cabinet ministers simply happen to be in the respective areas is not enough.

Although admittedly private public partnerships have not caught on as much as they could or should have done in Malta, the Foreign Ministry should also try and promote these abroad between Maltese and foreign interests.

In conclusion, it is a pity that the Gonzi budget for 2005 as well as his parliamentary reply to the comments by the Leader of the Opposition did not mention a word about our European, Mediterranean or international vocation as a neutral country committed to carrying out realpolitik to the benefit of our own country and that of our foreign partners in Europe. And beyond.

Mr Brincat is the main opposition spokesman for foreign affairs and IT.

leo.brincat@gov.mt