The Job and Duties of a Diplomat

Diplomats do a very important job for their countries. Almost every country in existence has at least a few diplomats who are sent out to various other countries for the purposes of negotiating and mediating relations between the two governments. The main meeting place for diplomats between the USA and other countries is at the United Nations building in New York City, but they occur in embassies all over the world, and between most nations. The duties of a diplomat include many things, which will be outlined here. It is good for people to understand foreign policy, because very often it can play an important role in the news.

A diplomat lives in the country that he is trying to communicate with. He will usually live in the embassy of his country. For example, if the USA wants to send a diplomat to China, the diplomat will most likely reside in the American embassy. They are placed in strategic locations that are close to many local government buildings, allowing all of the American diplomats to quickly establish contact and begin their jobs of speaking with the foreign rulers. They are also granted something called diplomatic immunity to protect them while in a foreign country, and to allow them to do their job well.

Usually a diplomat’s main goal is to simply maintain good relations with the country in question. By speaking with the leaders and establishing a friendly relationship, a diplomat not only establishes himself as a trustworthy person, but also builds trust in his own country. This could even be for the ultimate goal of establishing a treaty or becoming allies. Usually much of the communications will cover issues such as foreign aid, and what exactly watch country expects of the other. If done correctly, diplomacy is a great way for countries to get every single issue out on the table and establish a great relationship.

If all of this sounds intriguing to you, you should take a class on foreign policy. Some people find this boring, but if you are interested in how countries interact with each other then you will surely find the classes on foreign policy to be intriguing. With the proper education, you could probably become a diplomat yourself and get involved with one of the most important aspects of the government.