Dubai: The success of politics and diplomacy depends on effective communications and not using complex jargon, experts at the Public Diplomacy and Government Communication Forum (PDGCF) said.
“Politics is communication. Diplomacy and International Law is all about communication,” Dr Bernardino Leon, President of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy, told delegates at the Media Security — Strategic Narratives session at the forum. “However, while crafting the communications strategy, it is important to ensure implementation of the strategy.”
While speaking about his own experience in dealing with the civil war in Spain, especially with regards to dealing with ETA militant group, he said terrorism is about making the public vulnerable. The objective is to inflict fear and terror among the public.
“So, the first objective in dealing with terror incidents is to reassure the citizens and convince them of the government’s ability to combat terrorism. It essentially boils down to communication and how the government machineries function while delivering the essential message,” he said.
“However, there are a few key pointers in dealing with terrorism. First, the country needs to be united against terrorism. Second, taking care of the victims and standing behind them firmly, and third, it is important to gain international support in the fight against terrorism — be it ETA, FARC, Al Qaida or Daesh.”
One issue in public diplomacy is the use of complicated language in delivering the government’s message — that often confuses the public, experts said. While government officials and diplomats use diplomatic language, militias often use simple, brief and clear narratives that attracts more people and are very effective.
