INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND DIPLOMACY
MEANING OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
The term international relations mean the political relationships that exist between States not
excluding international organizations like the United Nations Organization. In contemporary
times, international relations mean the totality of political, trade, military and other relations that
exist between sovereign States. The main objective of international relations is power: its
maintenance, increase and exercise.
MEANING OF DIPLOMACY
The term diplomacy lends itself to various definitions.
Broadly speaking, diplomacy may be defined as the management of international relations by
negotiation. However, in a narrow sense, diplomacy refers to the art or technique and practice by
which accredited representatives of sovereign states conduct negotiations aimed at resolving
their differences in order to foster international co-operation. Diplomatic relations are governed
by the provisions of the Vienna Convention of 1961 which took effect in 1964.
FORMS OR TYPES OF DIPLOMACY
Diplomacy comes in various forms. It includes economic diplomacy, shuttle diplomacy and
gunboat diplomacy, among others.
1. ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY
Economic Diplomacy refers to the aggressive marketing of one's country abroad in order to
promote and attract investment and trade.
2. SHUTTLE DIPLOMACY
Shuttle diplomacy refers the practice by which an accredited representative of a country or
international organization travels frequently between two or more countries and talks to each of
the governments concerned in order to end a disagreement or war.
3. GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY
Gunboat diplomacy denotes the practice by which countries resort to the use of military power
rather than negotiation to settle their differences.
DIPLOMATIC OR FOREIGN SERVICE
Diplomatic service, also known as Foreign Service, is a government department that sends
diplomatic and consular personnel to present their home country’s interests abroad and to
provide the necessary information on which foreign policy is based. The diplomatic service has
its own grade structure and its work is carried out in diplomatic missions abroad. In Ghana, the
Diplomatic Service is a department under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is charged with
the responsibility of conducting Ghana’s international relations.
CAREER AND NON-CAREER DIPLOMATS
There are two basic categories of diplomats, namely, career and non-career diplomats. Career
diplomats are specially trained for diplomatic work and they undertake diplomacy as a
permanent calling. Non-career diplomats are those diplomatic personnel whose career is tied to
the tenure of an incumbent government which is the appointing authority.
FUNCTIONS OF THE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Ghana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs performs various functions.
1. As the nerve Centre of Ghana’s international relations, the Ministry of foreign Affairs
advises and assists the government in the formulation and conduct of Ghana’s Foreign
Policy.
2. The Ministry is mandated to promote and protect the interests of Ghana and those of her
citizens abroad and to safeguard her security and prosperity. To this end, the Ministry is
expected to promote friendly and productive relations with all countries.
3. The Ministry is charged with the responsibility of providing economic, political and
security information and advice to the government. It is also responsible for providing
prompt and reliable information to Ghanaian citizens abroad to encourage them to
Participate in Ghana’s economic development.
4. The Ministry plays a positive and creative role in the affairs of international organizations
of which Ghana is a member, such as the United Nations, Commonwealth, the African
Union, ECOWAS and the Non-aligned Movement.
5. The Ministry is responsible for the control, direction and co-ordination of the work of
Ghana’s diplomatic missions abroad.
6. The Ministry serves as the formal channel of communication between the government
and foreign diplomatic missions accredited to Ghana.
7. The Ministry issues and renews passports of various types to citizens of Ghana to
facilitate their travel abroad. The passports include ordinary, service and diplomatic
passports.
8. The Ministry works through the various Ghanaian missions abroad to assist Ghanaian
nationals abroad in the event of difficulty, such as violation of the human rights of
Ghanaian citizens by foreign countries.
LEVELS OF DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION ABROAD
All sovereign countries are represented abroad by a network of diplomatic missions. The
diplomatic representation may be at various levels, namely, embassy, legation, consulate or
permanent mission.
1. EMBASSY
An embassy is the highest level of diplomatic representation in a foreign country. A country may
establish this level of representation in a particular foreign country depending upon its national
interests and needs at a given point in time.
Headship of an Embassy
(a) Ambassador /High commissioner.
An embassy is usually headed by an Ambassador (Ambassadress in the case of a female
Ambassador) or High Commissioner. The title High Commissioner is reserved for an
ambassador of a Commonwealth country, who is accredited to another Commonwealth
country. Thus, while a foreign mission headed by an ambassador is known as an
embassy, a mission headed by a High Commissioner is known as a High Commission.
Therefore, an embassy and a high commission are of equal in importance. The term
ambassador is also used for a senior diplomatic official who serves as the permanent head
of his country's mission to the United Nations. During the temporary absence of an
ambassador, his duties are performed by a charge d'affaires ad interim (or charge
d'affaires for short). A major function of an ambassador is to serve as a link the foreign
country to which he is accredited.
(b) Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary.
An Ambassador may be an Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. Such a
diplomat represents his government in a foreign country and in addition he is vested with
complete authority to make decisions.
(c) Ambassador-at-large
The term Ambassador at-large is reserved for an Ambassador who represents a
government abroad for a special purpose but is not assigned to a particular foreign
government or country.
DEPARTMENTS OR SECTIONS OF AN EMBASSY
An embassy is divided into departments or sections.
(a) Consulate Section
An embassy may have a Consulate as an integral part of the set-up or the Consulate may
be separated and operated as a separate diplomatic mission and housed in separate
premises. The Consulate Section of an embassy looks after the interest and welfare of a
country's citizens in the host country. It also issues visas to foreigners who wish to travel
to the home country. A Consulate is headed by a consul or consular officer. In certain
cases, a Consulate is headed by a consul general who is a senior diplomatic consul with
jurisdiction in several places or over other consuls.
(b) Chancery
The chancery section of an embassy keeps and stores records of diplomatic proceedings
Thus, the chancery serves as an archive. The head of the chancery is officially known as
Chancellor or Head of Chancery.
(c) Other departments and sections of an embassy
An embassy has other sections which are responsible for specific aspects of the embassy's
mandate such as trade, defence and education. Among others. The heads of some of the
sections are known as attaches, say, trade attache.
2. LEGATION
A country may maintain its diplomatic relationship with another country at the level of a
legation depending upon its national interest in the given country. A legation is an office
in a foreign country where the representatives of a country work or live & legation is
smaller or less important than an embassy. A legation may not have as many sections as
an embassy. A legation may be headed by a minister or minister counsellor. A minister
counsellor is lower in rank than an Ambassador or High commissioner.
3. CONSULATE
A country may maintain its diplomatic relations with a particular country at the Consulate
level only, if its interest in that country is driven primarily by the welfare of its citizens
resident in that country.
4. PERMANENT MISSION
Every member state of the United Nations maintains a permanent mission at the United
Nations headquarters to take care of its affairs at the organization. The permanent mission is
equivalent to an embassy and it is headed by a permanent representative, sometimes known
as chief of mission, of the rank of an Ambassador.
DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITIES AND PRIVILEGES
Diplomatic immunity is a fundamental law that allows a diplomat to engage in international
diplomacy without fear or interference. By the Vienna Convention of 1961, all diplomats, as the
accredited representatives of their home states, enjoy certain privileges in their host states which
are not granted to private persons. Under the Vienna Convention of 1961 which took effect of
1964, no ambassador shall be subjected to harm, atrocities or be taken as hostage. By the
convention three distinct types of diplomatic immunity are identified as; The principle of
inviolability, principle of extra-territoriality and persona non grata.
1. Principle of inviolability
By this principle, diplomatic staff have the right to operate without constraints either
from the receiving government or other elements such as mob attacks. As a result, it
behooves on the of the host state to provide special protection for the staff and family of
the mission. Similarly, diplomats are exempted from paying direct taxes and custom
duties. Again, no matter the gravity of the offences they commit, diplomats cannot be
tried or convicted by authorities of those states.
2. Persona non grata
This happens when the representative of a state is no longer acceptable to the receiving
state. The main reason for which a state might declare a diplomat persona non grata are
personal misconduct, espionage and retaliation that has had one of its diplomats found
unacceptable. In such circumstance, the diplomat is given between 48-72hours to leave
the host country. The sending state by convention must recall and terminate the activities
of the diplomat.
3. Principle of extra-territoriality
By this principle, the residence and property of diplomats are also supposed not to be
interfered with by the authority of the host state. The premises and surrounding properties
of ambassadors are seen as an extension of the sending state’s geographical boundary. It
is for this reason that when victims of war or criminals flee to seek refuge at the premises
of diplomatic missions, they are not pursued there to be tortured, unless they are expelled
by the diplomats.
FUNCTIONS OF GHANA’S DIPLOMATIC MISSIONS OR EMBASSIES ABROAD
Ghana’s diplomatic missions or embassies in foreign countries perform various functions.
1. Serve as direct representatives of Ghana
The various diplomatic missions abroad serve as the direct representatives of the
government of Ghana in their countries of accreditation. They are expected to promote
the sovereign interests and image of the country abroad within the limits permitted by
international law. They are also expected to brief their host governments on Ghana’s
domestic and foreign policies and their rationale. Thus, the missions serve as a link
between Ghana and other countries.
2. Advise government on foreign policy matters
The missions assist the government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its
responsibility of foreign policy formulation and implementation. They also advise the
Government on foreign policy matters.
3. Report on countries of accreditation
The missions are required to study the conditions and policies of their respective
countries of accreditation and to forward dispatches (or reports) on such matters through
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for the attention of the home government. The reports
should also touch on intelligence and security.
4. Render consular services
The missions are required to seek the interests and welfare of Ghanaians abroad and to
render consular services such as the issue and renewal of travel documents (such as
passports and travel certificates, among others) to Ghanaian residents in their countries of
accreditation. Other consular services include notarization of affidavits and certification
of documents for Ghanaians in their countries of accreditation. The missions also counsel
foreigners who wish to travel to Ghana and issue them with visas.
5. Explore new markets for Ghana’s exports
In pursuance of economic diplomacy which is an important plank of Ghana’s Foreign
Policy, the missions are charged with the responsibility of searching for new markets for
Ghana’s exports as well as expansion of existing market opportunities.
6. Attract foreign investments to Ghana
The missions are expected to explore and attract foreign investments to Ghana by
advertising Ghana’s economic potentials including its natural resources. The missions are
required to tout Ghana’s investment-friendly environment in terms of infrastructure and
legal framework.
7. Negotiate for development projects and loans etc.
The missions are charged to aggressively negotiate for development projects for Ghana.
The targets should include bilateral and multilateral sources as well as private
entrepreneurs; that is to say, development projects spearheaded by individual countries as
well as international organizations such as the World Bank and the International
Monetary Fund. The missions are also involved in the country’s negotiations for foreign
loans, grants and aid.
