This year’s UN General Assembly was something different than in the past. World’s Heads of the State and Governments were not gather at the United Nations headquarters beautifully overlooking Manhattan’s East River, for UN General Assembly but instead the UN Summit was ended through videoconferences with pre-recorded speeches.
As the UN celebrates its platinum jubilee this year too, UN’s most powerful body seem remaining almost deadlocked due to the coronavirus pandemic as there is no one at physical presence. However, the world heads of the nations and governments made clear the need to realize the critical importance of multilateralism, global solidarity, and the UN itself.
The epicenter of world diplomacy has stalled as diplomats struggled to fundamentally rethink the way they do business in the wake of a chilling.
The meetings with physically present is rare, as diplomacy is conducted through teleconferences. As all communications are taking video online New York-based diplomats’ “diplomacy” has been put on pause. Yes, practicing fine arts of diplomacy is difficult when the conference rooms sit empty, meetings are via Zoom and the entire staff is working from home.
With the order of the United Nations Headquarters, almost all, except some essential staff are in need to present physically in the building to discharge their works in New York and around the world, are to work through “telecommute and work remotely. The order has left the UN building almost empty where over thousands of people from the world comprises of different color and physical used to walk in and out of the corridors of the U.N. headquarters in New York daily in pleasant and stress mood has become a ghostly silence.
As all the businesses of the UN have stopped meeting in its chamber around its iconic horseshoe table has turned into a remote computer.
From the beginning of the news of coronavirus infections spread, many countries’ diplomatic missions have repatriated vulnerable staff from New York while essential UN staff were ordered to stay away from Turtle Bay and told to manage the world’s issues from their computer at home with safeness.
Many international diplomats in New York City now fear and confused that the old ways of business practice might be changed due to pandemic but for how long?
Ambassadors and deputies posted at the UN missions from 193 nations attend receptions daily or informal gatherings at each other’s homes in the New York City that never sleeps. Yes, the goal isn’t to partake of fine food and varieties of drinks but only aim is to meet people from different walks-of-life at the same time which is a must and useful (?) part of diplomats’ daily dairy.
Protocol, Geritol and Alcohol are the three ingredients that made up of diplomats’ life. But now as everything is virtual “Cocktail receptions on Zoom are boring and sad,” told the diplomat from Asian country.
Diplomacy is more than a hearty handshake. Touching, embraces and cheek-to-cheek kisses used to represent daily life in the corridors and at receptions in the world arena of diplomacy that is a skillful science of strategic practice and handling international relations with fine artistic way to achieve the matter of needy.
Diplomatic job is not just to drive nice cars, attend flashy receptions and visit fancy international conferences, spending delightful-life at government budget abroad but diplomatic job is a very different and a challenging daring professional load exactly not like a cheap action movie. It is the profession of ‘nice doggie’ art until it can find a stick sets of methodology and practice of negotiation at least in a win-win policy.
Diplomacy’s success depends on interpersonal relationships forged after many formal and informal meetings, lunches and receptions. But the absence of face-to-face meetings has led into poor status.
Most diplomats used to say “Videoconferences are not a prefect methodology for dealing for delicate topics concretely. It is good for debating routine issues only or just exchanging simple views.”
“We the diplomats are need to be alert most careful while discussing sensitive topics over phone or in a videoconference,” said the diplomats from European nation.
As no one can challenge the uncontrollable pandemic, people have no choice rather than to concede in adopting virtual media till the days return to normal.
