Reader riposte: Ediplomacy in the UNSC

David Lang writes:

September in New York saw Australia take a ring-side seat under Per Krohg’s phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes mural in the UN Security Council. Nick Bryant’s verdict: the Aussies performed their procedural role with confidence in what was a productive and busy month. On the ediplomacy front, however, things were quieter. While @AustraliaUN was tweeting, the effort failed to enhance the story of our UN Security Council presidency or spur notable collaboration between Australia and other nations.

The #AusPrez Twitter hashtag was not widely embraced. While there were retweets and well wishes, there was little legitimate engagement with other states to advance the case that Australia was prosecuting at the UNSC. Use of the Americanised #AusPrez was a curious decision when #AusPres would have been entirely appropriate – a lack of independence and confidence highlighted in absentia. After all, the Brits had used #UKPres just three months prior. The Twitter handle @AustraliaUN might at first blush have followers believing that the account tweets on all Australia-UN issues. This of course leaves the Geneva Mission out in the cold as it tweets on a breadth of important human rights and disarmament issues over at @AustraliaUN_GVA. To bring precision to these minor elements is essential.

Not yet half way into our two-year UNSC term, there remain many opportunities for Australia to build a digital presence… MORE