Coordinating policy advice and intelligence in small states

Abstract

Ministries for Foreign Affairs (MFAs) are no longer the proverbial gatekeepers to States' corridors of power. MFAs also compete with other entities, both public and private, in supplying political analysis to government. In turn, the media and modern communication technologies usurp influence from MFAs and intelligence agencies whilst hastening high level decisions by instilling preconceived ideas. Furthermore, the surplus of information creates new demands in how to effectively separate the wheat from chaff and the signal from noise. States need reliable diplomatic and intelligence reporting in an era where real time information is at most times difficult to immediately verify or else is too generic for decision makers to rely upon. Small states’ resources are often limited, thus the dilemma lies on how to make best usage of non-governmental actors, while at the same time maintaining in-house capabilities to minimise the risks from disinformation and deception operations. Trust, reliability and timeliness are vital to mitigate and manage potential risks posed to the State. With the right organisational setup, small states can task, coordinate and channel diplomatic and intelligence reporting in efficient and effective ways in order to provide timely reporting intended to empower policymakers and decision makers to take better informed decisions.