FICAC President Arnold Foote Highlights the work of the federation

In his opening speech, FICAC President Hon. Arnold Foote, O.J., C.D., J.P. said:
• Your Excellency Ivica Dačić, First Deputy Prime Minister & Minister of Foreign Affairs
• Ministers and other officials of the Government of Serbia
• Your Excellencies members of the Diplomatic Corps
• President and members of the Consular Corps of Serbia
• Directors of the World Federation of Consuls
• Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen

I stand before you today, pleased and privileged to be part of this 1st FICAC South East Europe Regional Consular Conference being held in beautiful Serbia.
I am humbled and deeply appreciative that H. E. The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Ivica Dačić, has discerned the importance of this occasion and taken the time to add his presence to declare our 1st South East Europe Regional Consular Conference officially open. What a great honour this is for us. Thank you very much, Mr. Minister.
I cannot say enough about the graciousness and the hospitality that we have all received from when we arrived here in beautiful Belgrade. Thank you all very much.

The Consular Corps of Serbia, the host of this event, is a very important member of our federation and they have done a marvelous job in organizing this historic FICAC
South East Europe Conference.

I would like to congratulate and thank the President of the Consular Corps of Serbia, Hon. Ann Pesic, and Hon. Rajko Marić, Chairman of the Organizing Committee. I would like to thank you both for the excellent work that you have done in making this event possible.

The World Federation of Consuls was established in Copenhagen in October 1982. Our federation was born out of the necessity to bring together consular corps and consular associations to share experiences and coordinate efforts to enhance the effectiveness and status of the consul. Our federation is incorporated in Bel- gium by royal decree as a nonprofit international organization with its secretariat located in Brussels.

The federation’s business is conducted through several committees, each operating with clearly defined portfolios and terms of reference. Our board of directors meets quarterly to evaluate action by the committees and take decisions on their recommendations. Our federation enjoys United Nations recognition as an NGO with ECOSOC status. We have similar recognition at the European Union and we are also recognized by the Organization of American States.

The World Federation of Consuls has achieved international credibility, recognition and influence.

Today, our federation has over 90 country members, associations and affiliated members, with several thousand individual consul members. Our membership is a network of highly experienced, well-connected individuals whose determined focus, combined expertise and resources can be used to impact the world for good. The practice of mutual respect and adherence to the principles recognized in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 will continue to guide the promotion of consular cooperation in each member country.

On 24 April 2013, the World Federation of Consuls congratulated the United Nations on the 50th Anniversary of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. We celebrated the occasion in New York with a cocktail reception at which over 100 country representatives were present.
The Secretary General of the United Nations, His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon, unfortunately could not attend, but sent a message to our federation which has been circulated to our membership worldwide.

The President of the General Assembly of the United Nations at that time, His Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremic, led the guest list of diplomats representing nations from all over the world. It was an historic occasion, as our federation is the only organization to have congratulated the United Nations on the 50th anniversary of the Vienna Convention.

In the dynamic international arena of our times, the key to growth and development is partnership within and between nations. FICAC provides an appropriate forum for consultation and networking as we build partnerships for the effective performance of our duties in a rapidly changing world. Today, the role of the state is vastly different from that which it played for most of the 20th century. New powerful actors have swept onto the international stage. Transnational corporations, aided by the forces of globalization, wield a vast influence on international decision making. Non-governmental organizations and civil society rightly demand their space on the global stage.

The original concept of sovereignty gradually loses relevance in a world where states have declared a commitment to the charters of international organizations, to bilateral and multilateral treaties and conventions, and to the growing body of international law and jurisprudence affecting every sphere of life.

It is in this context that diplomatic and consular representatives must constantly update the theory and practice of their craft if they are to remain relevant to the global struggle for peace, security and sustainable development. Consular operations can no longer be confined to the issuance of travel documents and attention to the welfare of nationals of the countries that we represent, as globalization has altered the framework of bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

Several countries worldwide are closing their embassies for budgetary reasons and are appointing more honorary consuls to serve in countries where they have business interests. The role of the honorary consul must be expanded to encompass the full range of economic, political and diplomatic relations. This expanded role is particularly important for developing countries and small states which cannot afford global deployment of their foreign service.

A critically important component of the foundation of peace, democracy and development is economic growth. In today’s world economy which is being transformed by a comprehensive process of advanced globalization, international trade is the engine of economic growth and has assumed an increasingly prominent role in state to state relations.

The development of trade is one of the main functions of the consul and its promotion is integral to my administration. The members of our federation are ideally suited to participate positively in trade promotion activities. Indeed, consular corps have a comparative advantage in undertaking trade promotion because consular corps have a much broader geographic deployment and can therefore provide more extensive coverage than diplomatic corps.

This is particularly so for developing countries who are unable to afford diplomatic representation in all the locations where they have important economic interests.

The consular corps has a presence in all major cities – in the centres of commerce and industry – whereas the diplomatic corps is concentrated in capital cities which, in several cases, are political rather than economic centres.

The consular corps includes a very high proportion of consuls with considerable business expertise and they are ideally suited for developing trade. The members of our federation are immersed in communities in ways in which diplomats cannot be and their knowledge of local conditions and local products can be useful in identifying niche markets, distribution networks and new tradable goods and services.

Consuls can be important conduits for information which can inform international trade negotiations and enhance the awareness and involvement of the public and private sectors.

International trade expos and trade fairs have been successfully organized by our members. The member corps that have done this have seen their image and status grow considerably. They have earned the respect of the government of the country and, in particular, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, the private sector and the public. This programme will also develop better relations between the diplomatic corps and the consular corps, as the diplomatic corps involvement in the FICAC International Trade Expo is vital to its success.

This programme is unique. It is the only trade promotional programme worldwide that promotes trade directly between the sending and receiving states. The FICAC International Trade Expo offers countries an opportunity to do business without having to deal with large budgets and large participation costs. It is an event which provides the right environment for bilateral and multilateral trade and information. Our participation in the promotion of commercial links between member countries is of vital importance to us.

Sponsorship from the private sector is easily available because of the importance of the programme at national and international levels. The future lies in the development of fair trade in this region and the rest of the world. One of the significant challenges facing consuls globally is the emergence of new security risks that threaten to undermine our effectiveness. The events of September 11, 2012 in Benghazi, Libya have brought into sharp focus the new security environment facing consuls in many countries.

What this and other acts of terrorism internationally illustrate is that diplomatic and consular relations are now being conducted in an increasing environment of security risk to the personnel and property of diplomatic and consular missions throughout the world. At the core of these concerns are the diminishing capacities of many states to guarantee safe passage to diplomatic and consular officers as they carry out their assigned responsibilities.

Until recently consuls were able to rely for their protection on the provisions of the Vienna Convention, yet the attacks on foreign missions of many countries in different parts of the world have laid bare the vulnerability of consuls to acts of terrorism, organized crime and internal revolt against governments.

The celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963 provides us with the opportunity to highlight the significant contributions that consuls have been making to the promotion of good relations between the sending and receiving states.

Consuls are doing so in a radically changing environment where acts of terrorism and organized crime pose new risks and challenges to their personal safety and effectiveness.

In this context, the World Federation of Consuls urges the international community and individual governments to take those measures that will address the new threats and improve the safety and security of consuls so that we may be able to discharge our responsibilities in an effective and efficient manner. Today, we look forward to insightful presentations and a productive exchange of views to the end that the declaration to be issued by this conference will long be the compass for our endeavours.

And so I welcome you. I thank you for coming. I know that you will find this conference worth your while.

Thank you very much.