The new digital world led to a new world of diplomacy. Digitization has changed the way of using diplomacy as well as the internal structure of Ministries of Foreign Affairs.

As the report ‘Diplomacy in the Digital Age’ develops, “digitalization generates diplomatic changes at two levels: diplomatic processes, geared towards the functions of diplomacy, and diplomatic structures, paying special attention to institutions of diplomacy such as foreign ministries.”

Public diplomacy is the area most often singled out for attention in the digital debate. Consequently, many government institutions are looking to effectively and securely execute their social media strategies. Last but not least, the digital revolution has also been accompanied by fundamental changes in international negotiation processes.

Digitalization poses many questions such as: Is the digital revolution going to transform diplomacy and the way in which foreign policy is made? Is there more for digital diplomacy than just the use of social media by foreign ministries, embassies and individual diplomats?

In the first session, the authors will present the groundbreaking report ‘Diplomacy in the Digital Age’, which is the result of a partnership between the Clingendaele Institute, Egmont and the MFA of Finland and Belgium. In the second session, the speakers will go beyond the report, analyzing what should be the diplomatic strategy in a digital world.

We are glad to announce that this seminar will be held in the presence of the Minister Alexander De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation, in charge of the Digital Agenda.

 

AGENDA

 

14:00 – 15:30 Session 1: Presentation of the report ‘Diplomacy in the Digital Age‘ 

Chair: Thomas Renard, Senior Research Fellow, Egmont Institute

–          Prof. dr. Jan Melissen, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations

–          Prof. dr. Brian Hocking, Senior Research Fellow, Clingendael, the Netherlands Institute of International Relations

–          Dr. Antti Kaski, Director for Policy Planning and Research, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland

 

15:30  – 16:00 Coffee break

 

16:00 – 17:30 Session 2: Beyond the report, what diplomatic strategy in a digital world?

–          Introduction by the Minister De Croo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Development Cooperation, in charge of the Digital Agenda

Chair: Ambassador Marc Otte, Director General, Egmont Institute 

–          Michael Mann, the Head Strategic Communications at the European External Action Service (EEAS)

–          Didier Vanderhasselt, Spokesperson of Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Belgium

–          Tom Fairless, EU correspondent for The Wall Street Journal in Brussels

 

Registration until Monday 16 November

(Photo credit: Pixabay)