Assembly of French Diplomacy: new ways in line with ambitions

Launched in September 2022, the Assembly of French Diplomacy are used to implement “a new application of collective discussion”, says the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which was in charge of organising the Assembly, with three major missions: find efficient and pragmatic solutions to complex crisis, think out of the box and inclusively about the changes for diplomatic occupations and missions, develop the diplomatic tool and increase its efficiency, and improve the working conditions of such occupations.

Rearming French diplomacy

On 15 March 2023, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs greeted the Assembly Committee of Diplomacy for the submission of its report entitled “For a rearmament of French diplomacy”.

“Using the discussions and 1,000 proposals from participants”, this report provides “an analysis and recommendations in relation with structures, methods, budget and human resources and the organisation of the occupations of diplomacy”. Besides, says the ministry, the report “recommends to follow the leads of a deep transformation of our diplomatic tool at the service of the French foreign policy and French people”.

Four critical transformations

After the submission of the report, the minister committed to operate “four transformations”:

• adapt “as quickly as possible to the changes of the world” and build “new partnership agreements” thanks to “a better capacity of anticipation, better capacities of political analysis, and the development of our strategic culture”;
   
• invest as firmly as possible “in the field of influence” by adopting re-establishing an influence policy of France covering both communication and cultural cooperation;
   
• Go “with the flow of general stakes” at national and European level by forming “coalitions on challenges such as climate, biodiversity, food, education and health”;
   
• Bridge the gap between “diplomacy and the French”, modernise consulates and work more “with other players of exterior action such as local authorities and civil society”.

Means in line with ambitions

“We’re putting the means in line with our ambitions.” This is what Macron declared on 16 Mars to close the Assembly of French diplomacy at the Quai d’Orsay, and he gave the means to achieve such transformations by announcing more than 700 jobs over four years and a budget increase of more than 20% over the same period to reach 7.9 billion euros in 2027. According to the minister, this decision will help everybody “realise how things are changing after 30 years of decrease”. These new means, added Macron, will help “re-engage the necessary capacities to deploy new skills” and “defend our priorities, our influence and provide the influence capacities for our country”.

To be noted that in his speech, Macron saluted the work of all operators at the service of diplomacy”. Mentioning the French Agency for Development, Macron spoke about the role of operators and the supervision from the Ministry. About this point, “a good supervision is a strategic supervision, not a fussy supervision that in the end tries to do the same job or a copy of it”, said Macron.