«Cloud» diplomacy as a trend in the era of a pandemic: the experience of Italy

Abstract

2020 became a turning point for many spheres of life, and diplomatic activity was no exception. In the conditions of «closed» borders, diplomatic offi cers had to look for new forms of interaction. The result of such searches was the phenomenon of «cloud» diplomacy, as one of the subspecies of digital diplomacy. As the analysis of the conducted research has shown, even among diplomats there is no consensus on the digitalization of foreign policy. On the one hand, it allows you to reduce the fi nancial and time costs for «live» meetings and speed up the discussion and resolution of operational issues; on the other hand, such virtual communication does not allow «catching the true mood» of the interlocutor and limits his ability to collect additional information. Based on the study of the information presented on the offi cial websites of the President, the government and the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs for the period from 01.03.2020 to 31.12.2020, we came to the following conclusions: 1) digitalization has fi rmly entered the arsenal of means of implementing foreign policy activities; 2) «cloud» diplomacy allows you to discuss a wide range of topical issues; 3) «cloud» diplomacy has not become a priority tool in the work of diplomats; those. it has a utilitarian character, not a value-semantic one. At the same time, the introduction of digital means of communication into circulation made it possible to more actively involve non-state actors in the process of foreign policy interaction: non-profi t organizations, individuals, etc. In addition, the digitalization process forced offi cial institutions and politicians to actively use social networks in their daily activities as a tool for direct communication with society. Summing up, we note that the isolation regime all over the world has provoked a real «boom» in the fi eld of digital communications, which have become an integral part of international relations in the paradigm of the new «normality».