As social spasms grip the Middle East, as the thirst for energy continues unabated, as Mother Nature casts out her burdens of man's indiscretions, and as nations scramble to assert themselves politically and economically, diplomacy has emerged as a vital tool in global affairs. The recent appointment of Dr Neil Parsan to the post of ambassador to the United States of America, the United Mexican States, as well as the permanent representative to the Organisation of American States (OAS), may well signal a new chapter in Trinidad and Tobago's diplomatic standing on the global stage. Dr Parsan is markedly young, but highly qualified and experienced. He is also people centred and capable of articulating his nation's agenda with the clarity and poise of his most seasoned colleagues. He can also be steely and deliberate-attributes needed in the sometimes-tempestuous world of political and diplomatic intrigue.
There is little need to quibble over Dr Parsan's assertion that he is not a politician. The reality is hardly debatable. Diplomacy in itself is an extension of a nation's foreign policy. The likes of Henry Kissinger, William Churchill, Alexei Kosygin, and our own Sir Ellis Clarke etched their diplomatic footprints on the world as they navigated the murky waters of global politics. There is no getting around it. Undoubtedly, there is but a ghostly line that separates politics and diplomacy. A near decade before I met Dr Parsan, I sat with Ambassadors Samir Ahmood Sumayda'ie of Iraq as the resistant movement raged against the US occupation; Milos Alacay of Venezuela as Chavez resiliently pursued his Bolivarian revolution; Revaz Adamia of Georgia, as his nation was unnerved by Russian threats; and Munir Akram of Pakistan, on the verge of a military showdown with India over Kashmir. These ambassadors were on the diplomatic offensive, reconfiguring their foreign policies and strategies to meet exigent circumstances.
Today there are new and unique challenges in an environment that has become increasingly global and interconnected. Today's developments also demand a robust and proactive diplomatic response. Progressive nations are recognising this new existential dynamic. The size of a nation no longer determines its relevance. Resources and geo-economics can make giants of small nations. Regionalism and the power-in-numbers approach have refashioned the political arena. Nations have unilaterally, or as members of regional blocs, addressed today's conflicts while they jockey for political and economic mileage. These are forms of diplomatic muscle-flexing also aimed at projecting a desired image on the global stage. The European Union, Arab League, the African Union, and the Association of East Asian Nations have all successfully exerted influence beyond their borders. Latin American countries are now (unilaterally) weighing in on Middle East issues. Indeed, the matrix of international relations has changed. National and regional issues have become international issues.
Where does that leave T&T? As a member of the OAS it has advanced a seven-pillar guide to sustainable development, one of which centred on foreign policy. But as global politics become increasingly amorphous and fluid, T&T's foreign policy remains nebulous at best. This is unfortunate. With perennial political and economic stability buffered by a century-old energy sector, and one of the key producers of natural gas in the world, the twin-island state has now extended its energy services to Alaska, Canada, Nigeria, Ghana and Uganda. Can it not use this enviable position to bolster its image as an influential nation? Unquestionably, this is an auspicious time for T&T to assume a leadership role. Today's social, economic and political upheavals are clothed in religious and even tribal trappings. With the country's paragon of stability amid ethnic diversity, should it not be at the forefront of conflict resolution through the promotion of inter-religious dialogue, a growing branch within today's diplomacy? What nation is more qualified to initiate such steps?
Furthermore, advocacy in areas that promote global stability, the rights of all peoples and national sovereignty can only strengthen the nation and the regional bodies of which it is a member. Dr Parsan is well mindful of this. The vibrancy and insight he displayed throughout his New York engagements are unmistakable. Indeed, his foothold on economic issues at a macroscopic level is quite encouraging. Clearly, his ambassadorial role, coupled with his temporary duties at a consular level, will require a prodigious effort on his part. No doubt he will perform admirably. However, the ambassador is capable of doing much more. The opportunities are rife for this young diplomat to emerge as a key figure in world affairs. Others less impressive have done so. But resounding success will mean assuming a leadership role as he revisits the somewhat tepid diplomatic environment in which he is placed. Despite such, we should be encouraged by his words: "Let us not be intimidated by the smallness of our country. Let us be inspired by the greatness of our vision and the grandeur of our leadership." For the sake of T&T, Dr Parsan must be held to that ideal.
Dr Glenville Ashby is a New York foreign correspondent for the Trinidad Guardian