By Emma Emeozor
International Society of Diplomats’ Special Emissary on Media to Nigeria, Victor Asije, has said the world urgently needs more diplomats to enhance global peace, political, socio-economic relations and general well-being.
Asije, who spoke in Lagos, noted that international relations and diplomacy had evolved over the centuries and would keep evolving, added that foreign missions are currently being overstretched in the discharge of their diplomatic functions.
He said: “It is becoming more and more obvious that foreign missions alone cannot achieve the world’s much needed international relations and diplomacy. They are doing their parts, and they will continue to discharge their responsibilities to the countries they are representing.
“But the world deserves more. The world urgently needs more diplomats aside those of the foreign missions. Among other world’s current challenges are the rising populations and crave for migration by different nationalities.
“The world needs more diplomats to partner foreign missions in guarding against misunderstanding, misinformation and miscommunication, bureaucracy, insecurity, corruption, conflicts, racial discrimination, gender violence, illegal migration terrorism unemployment drugs abuse, illiteracy, poverty, food insecurity, pandemic, poor health systems, effects of climate change, and many others.
“The world also needs more diplomats to enhance trade and economic relations between countries. These diplomats are also needed to facilitate people-to-people relations as well as increase exchanges between nations.’’
The special emissary said outstanding world and community leaders, clerics, professionals, and others with good track records as bridge builders between countries, should be appointed diplomats.
Asije expressed optimism that with more diplomats, there would be trusted men and women to swiftly respond to the global challenges of misunderstanding, insurgency, terrorism, kidnapping, attacks, culture shock, conflicts, war, ethnocentrism and illegal migration in their countries.
“The world needs more diplomats to let us all know we are more of a kind than unkind. With these committed diplomats in different countries, they would serve as first responders to, for instance any misunderstanding between nationals, and quickly settle such misunderstanding before it escalates.
