Co-evolution of diplomacy after the corona crisis: An agenda for practitioners

Abstract

The 'corona crisis' has transformed a generalized and long-standing concern for foreign service reform into an urgent necessity. The reform of the Mexican Foreign Service Law in 2018 offers a valuable example of a recent, comprehensive attempt to prepare a diplomatic apparatus for a context of accelerated change and uncertainty. The authors of this essay, who directly participated in this reform, explain how some of its main features provided them with useful tools to respond effectively to the COVID-19 pandemic from their new posting in Norway. After discussing the lessons from their experiences, they propose an agenda for discussion among practitioners and academics on subjects that must be addressed if diplomacy is to fulfil its urgent role in the construction of a new, post-pandemic world order.