States General of Diplomacy: a reform for "a complete rearmament of our diplomacy"

Emmanuel Macron at the Estates General of Diplomacy, March 16, in Paris. AFP - MICHEL EULER

Text by: Clea Broadhurst Follow

3 min

Emmanuel Macron remains focused on the controversial reform of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs while announcing additional means to respond to the discontent of diplomats, facing multiple crises - from the conflict in Ukraine to tensions in Africa, including the climate. The president had decided to organize the States General of diplomacy to appease those who spoke out against it. At the end of these months of consultation, a 300-page report has just been made public.

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This reform of the senior civil service aims to revolutionize the prestigious diplomatic corps, that is to say all the representatives of foreign powers to the government, as well as their families. This is to allow embassy posts to be opened to officials from other ministries.

This translates into Emmanuel Macron's desire to "adapt to a changing world", a volatile world, which requires adapting the French diplomatic tool to today's needs.

►Also listen: Reform of the senior civil service: "Diplomacy without diplomats will not work"

The government does not deny that the main strength of diplomacy is its diplomats: people capable of deploying on all fronts, able to take initiatives, negotiate on completely new issues: such as climate, biodiversity. The strength of the diplomat is to be able in the long run to be more influential.

And we must not forget, as a columnist in the French press points out, that diplomacy is a domain reserved for the head of state and that the president is also head of the armed forces: Emmanuel Macron wants to "completely rearm French diplomacy to face the geopolitical challenges" of today's world.

A reform that is not unanimous

Extremely rarely, the agents of the Quai d'Orsay went on strike last June to protest against this reform, which some describe as a "slap in the face" because it attacks, according to them, the very concept of professional diplomacy. Many diplomats fear a loss of skills and prestige of the world's third-largest network, the France, behind the United States and China.

However, diplomats do not deny the need to evolve diplomacy to adapt it to new international challenges, which have increased since the war in Ukraine. But the French association of professional diplomats, founded at the end of August, recalled "the danger of seeing an increase in the proportion of agents unprepared for the challenges of diplomatic work". It recalls "the importance of preserving and strengthening professional diplomacy and the discreet but fundamental field work carried out by diplomats".

The government insists that we live in a changing world, hence the need to adapt. New summits such as the one summits are essential for international influence, they are also subjects on which diplomats are involved. Experts, too, contribute to the France's outreach.

Announcement of additional resources

Emmanuel Macron announced Thursday a sharp increase in the number of personnel and resources allocated to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to bring them in "compliance" with the "ambitions" of French diplomacy. He announced an increase "over four years in the ministry's workforce of 700 FTEs (full-rate jobs)" and an increase in its appropriations of "20%" to 7.9 billion euros.

The president wants to import stronger technical skills, bring in people from outside. He encourages diplomats to "enlist qualities from elsewhere", which aims to increase exchanges and openness. Be innovative, versatile and able to deploy on all fronts.

Emmanuel Macron stressed that it was a "rearmament in the service of peace, in the defense of our interests and our values, but also in coherence with the ambition that is ours" while the means of the armed forces have already been increased since 2017.

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• France
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