This workshop for small states, co-organised with the Permanent Mission of Singapore to the UN in Geneva, will explore the practical use of open data for diplomats at small permanent missions, in the areas of public diplomacy, information gathering, and reporting. It will draw on tools and applications that are freely available and easy to use, anchoring the concept of data into diplomatic reality.

Data and digital diplomacy for small developing states
26 April 2018 | 9:00-16:00 | 2nd floor, WMO buildingIntroduction
Data is often described as a critical resource of modern society, or even the oil of the new economy. Vast amounts of data are generated daily through the use of electronic devices and the Internet, and a lot of this data is publicly available, able to create insights that were hitherto unavailable. This raises the question: what is the potential of data and digitalisation for diplomats?
Small states with relatively limited geographical, human, and financial resources are often faced with the challenge of being charged with similar information gathering and reporting duties as larger states. Using data, and particularly publicly available data, might mitigate this challenge and make small states' representations more efficient and effective.
The workshop will explore a number of areas in which data and digitalisation can make a difference for the missions of small states:
Diplomatic reporting
Diplomatic missions in Geneva have to produce many reports to treaty bodies and various monitoring mechanisms in the field of health, trade, human rights to name a few. We will provide the participants with practical insights on how they can rely on data for diplomatic reporting in the fields of human rights, health, trade, and development.
Situational awareness
In times of quickly unfolding emergencies or in preparation for complex multilateral negotiations, it can be difficult to paint an accurate picture of trends and developments. Data could help provide input, and there are practical tools and applications that diplomats can draw on. We will be discussing practical ways to access and use data in complex situations.
Communication
Digitalisation has opened up new ways in which citizens access information, in which tools such as social media, search engines, and online encyclopedias are at the forefront of information exchange. People often learn about new countries through the posts that pop-up on social media news feeds, by Googling the country’s name, or by finding information on Wikipedia. While the use of social media for public diplomacy has often been in focus, this session will look into search engine optimisation (how to ensure that the permanent mission’s information actually appears in search results?) and the inner workings of Wikipedia (how is a country’s page constituted and how to ensure the accuracy of information?). We will provide easy and practical ways to maximise the potential of Google and Wikipedia.
Perception
Online data has opened up new ways to understand how countries are perceived on the Internet. We will be discussing available tools to monitor the perception and coverage of your country or permanent mission, for example on various social media platforms or Internet pages.
Internet governance
Data and digitalisation have brought new topics to the diplomatic agenda, from cybersecurity to e-commerce, and from human rights to development. We will look into how small states can effectively participate in these discussions.
Programme
09:00-09:30: Registration and coffee
09:30-09:45: Welcoming remarks
- Ambassador Foo Kok Jwee, permanent representative of the Republic of Singapore to the UN Office at Geneva
- Dr Jovan Kurbalija, director of DiploFoundation and head of the Geneva Internet Platform
09:45-11:00: Data and diplomatic reporting
This session explores various aspects of diplomatic reporting and the role of data to make reporting mechanisms more efficient, with relevant experts (tbd) on the following issues:
- Health
- Human rights
- Trade
- Development
11:00-11:15: Coffee break
11:15-12:30: Data for situational awareness
This session introduces practical tools to monitor fast-paced developments or provide data to prepare for policy discussions in International Geneva.
12:30-13:30: Lunch
13:30-14:45: Data, communication, and perception
This session will look at how permanent missions can make most of search engines and online encyclopedias, as well as ways in which to measure online perceptions.
14:45-15:45: Internet governance for small states
15:45-16:00: Taking stock and closing of the event
Additional speakers will be announced shortly.
Contact
If you are interested in attending the workshop, get in touch with Ms Barbara Rosen Jacobson, programme manager, at barbarar@diplomacy.edu. Please note that the number of participants is limited, and priority will be given to representatives from permanent missions of small developing countries.