VULNERABILIDAD EN COLOMBIA

In an overview of its activities of the previous year, it becomes clear what the Branch does. DIRCO continued with the production and distribution of publicity materials including the Annual Report 2008-09, Budget Vote Speech 2009 booklet, Desk Calendar 2010, The Diplomat (DIRCO’s monthly newsletter), “Know your DIRCO”, as well as promotional banners and posters for various conferences, summits and workshops (DIRCO, 2010: 66-132).

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Marketing initiatives “at par with international standards” were undertaken with the objective of popularising “the Brand DIRCO” to various stakeholders nationally and internationally (DIRCO, 2010: 66-132). DIRCO also participated and assisted in conferences, shows and exhibitions with the aim of building and projecting a positive image of South Africa globally. A number of activities were conducted centred on the promotion of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and South Africa’s state of readiness to host the World Cup.

The main marketing and branding activities during the period included the Minister’s Dinner, the annual South Africa Tourism Indaba and facilitated and supported the Minister’s Outreach Campaigns such as participation in the G8/Africa Outreach Programme focusing on G8 commitments to Africa and programmes in reaching out to the public domain through constant engagement with academic institutions and stakeholders (DIRCO, 2010: 66-132). These activities were mainly done in partnerships with a number of companies within corporate South Africa.

DIRCO’s Operation Centre produced daily news bulletins informing all missions of relevant news in South Africa and produced regional reports to keep head office and missions informed about important events in various regions of the world (DIRCO, 2011b: 66). The department maintained a 24-hour Operations Centre which assisted The Presidency, the Ministry, DIRCO and the South African public and served as an early-warning centre for political principals, reporting on major incidents or crises and international events.

To ensure accurate historical recording, documentation and dissemination of South Africa’s international relations engagements, the department continued with both audiovisual and photographic coverage of engagements of the President, Deputy President and principals and distributed these to both local and international print and audiovisual media (DIRCO, 2011b: 66).

The Public Diplomacy Branch prepared thematic and topical speeches for strategic national, continental and international events for principals, including for the annual State of the Nation Address, the Budget Vote, Ministerial Public Outreach programmes and other high-level visits and conferences. The Branch continued with

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the management of the department’s official website - www.dirco.gov.za - and intranet and integrating the Department’s website, intranet and Foreign Mission websites and other information sources to form a highly interactive and informative web portal (DIRCO, 2011b: 66).

DIRCO is involved in an array of public diplomacy activities. Marketing projects are embarked on to popularise DIRCO to stakeholders locally and abroad (DIRCO, 2011b: 66). DIRCO also takes part in conferences, shows and exhibitions to build and project a positive image of South Africa globally. Marketing and branding activities such as DIRCO’s outreach campaigns are customised to reach out to the public sphere through engagement with academic institutions and stakeholders.

DIRCO’s Operation Centre keeps the department informed about important events in various regions around the world (DIRCO, 2011b: 66). The Public Diplomacy Branch prepares speeches for strategic events. The Branch also manages the Department’s official website.

With regard to its media focus, DIRCO reports that to keep the public and departmental stakeholders informed, media engagements were undertaken during 2009/10 and ongoing media liaison and communication support to the ministry and department was provided (DIRCO, 2011b: 66). This was done through sectoral briefings led by Deputy Directors-General and pre-event media awareness campaigns (undertaken to generate publicity prior to events or visits).

In addition to assisting South African missions abroad with country promotional requests and publicity material needs, the Public Diplomacy Branch continued to provide media and communications support during Cabinet lekgotlas and when heads of missions to South Africa provided their letters of credence to the President (DIRCO, 2011b: 66).49

In the Annual Report 2006/07 of the DFA, it paid particular attention to the Public Diplomacy Branch’s media liaison functions (DFA, 2008: 220). It is explained that

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Lekgotla means a meeting called by government to discuss strategy planning. The term is a loan word from Sesotho, meaning “court”.

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South Africa’s involvement and leadership in different continental and international fora demanded that it be placed at the centre of communications efforts by the department assisting the country to gain prominence, adding that it would ensure that the entire African continent continued to feature in a positive light in global affairs.

The Operations Centre produced the following, indicating its focus on the media to enable the department to react to what is reflected in media sources:

• Daily News Highlight reports were compiled from articles in the daily media and transmitted electronically to all head office staff;

• Daily News Bulletin reports were compiled through the assessment and selection of news stories covered in South African newspapers and websites and distributed to all end users, including missions abroad;

• Weekend News Bulletin reports were compiled by after-hours staff on weekends and public holidays through assessment and selection of news stories covered in South African newspapers and websites and distributed to principals after hours; and

• Regional media reports and reviews for Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australasia and Europe were compiled from international media news sources and distributed to the respective missions and Branches (DFA, 2008: 221).

The 24-hour Operations Centre also acted as an early-warning centre for principals reporting on major incidents or crises and international events (DFA, 2008: 222). This included the compilation of about two-hourly International News Scans by monitoring the media after hours. The International News Scans gave principals updates on political, diplomatic and economic developments around the world; major government changes or cabinet reshuffles abroad; and the opinions of world leaders and developments in the UN, AU, SADC and other multilateral organisations.

The Operations Centre also provided continuous logistical support to the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Ministers of Foreign Affairs, especially on official visits abroad and attending international conferences and summits (DFA, 2008: 222).

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The department undertook media research, analysis and speechwriting (DFA, 2008: 222). The Department, through its Media Liaison Unit provided ongoing media liaison and communication support services to principals during incoming and outgoing visits. These included arranging for media opportunities for the principals during the execution of their duties at home and abroad while accompanying them.

Information on official outgoing visits by The Presidency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs were released to the media to inform the nation and world at large about South Africa’s endeavours internationally and enhanced the country’s stature internationally (DFA, 2008: 222). The department‘s Media Liaison Unit organised media briefings and press conferences, through the timeous dissemination of information to the media pro-actively and in real time.

Reports to the Government Communicators Forums; Ministerial Liaison Forums; pre- Cabinet meetings; Communication Co-ordinating Committee; and the International Cooperation, Trade and Security (ICTS) Cluster on activities of the department were submitted and discussed, and largely informed other departments of the department’s strategic approach to issues of international importance (DFA, 2008: 222).

DIRCO’s Public Diplomacy Branch concentrates explicitly on developing South Africa’s and Africa’s standing both nationally and internationally. It describes its function as attending communication commitments with national and international stakeholders, media liaison and the support of South Africa’s image, policies and programmes internationally (DFA, 2008: 222). As it focuses on developing South Africa’s reputation both at home and internationally, DIRCO does not distinguish between public diplomacy and public affairs. The IMC is the custodian of BrandSA, to help build a positive and forceful brand image for South Africa.