An awarding ceremony was held in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to recognise individuals who work or have previously worked in government positions to promote dialogue and understand between different cultures and people. The winners included Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs; Madeline Albright, former US secretary of state; and Dr Zaki Anwar Nussaibah, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Cultural Advisor at the Ministry of Presidential Affairs.

While there are still only a few formal state-to-state linkages between Australia and India, there is clearly an increasing trend favoring subnational diplomacy. This is perhaps unsurprising, especially given the presence of a strong diaspora and student population in Australia with strong links to their Indian home states.

A tech-savvy public demands more transparency from government, and that foreign ministries can do a lot more to open up. Behind-the-scenes negotiations will always remain a vital part of the job - Fletcher mentions the recent Iran nuclear deal and the BelfastAgreement as examples - “but we do need to explain to people that that’s what we’re there for, and that it’s going on.”

To implement smart diplomacy, Cambodia needs to invest more in nurturing smart and professional diplomats and think tankers and develop smart power consisting of hard and soft power. As a small country, Cambodia needs to stand firm on rules-based international order. International laws and institutions best protect the interests of a small state.