Greetings fellow South Pacificans,

I'll keep this campaign to the point and minimize the verbosity.

I'm running for Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the past, you've entrusted me to be Minister of Defense and Prime Minister (twice). I currently serve as a member of the General Corps and of the Legislator Committee as well. Since being elected Minister of Defense, I've been actively involved in our foreign affairs decision-making and external presence for the past year. I'm running for Minister of Foreign Affairs because I think things are getting interesting--Aegis ratification, changes in the broader landscape abroad, and the Great Council at home--and that I'd be effective in representing us abroad.

I'll address four things here: (1) philosophy, (2) policy goals, (3) administration, and (4) the Great Council.

(1) Foreign Affairs Philosophy

I'm a believer in principled pragmatism. The South Pacific's foreign affairs should serve its values, which are defined by three things: the sovereignty of the Coalition, the promotion of democracy, and the defense of innocent communities.

Effective foreign affairs must move past the wrote repetition of our values with a vain hope others see the light. It's about building institutions to advocate for those values--something we've done well with the PfS and the forthcoming Aegis Accords. It's also about recognizing areas where our values cause our goals to align with other regions, and cooperating with them accordingly. We shouldn't compromise on our values. But we can be pragmatic and work with others to accomplish shared goals.

(2) Policy Goals

The following are my policy goals for the term:

• Finalize and Kick Start Aegis. Thanks entirely to Glen's hard work, Aegis is now nearly at the finish line. With all due luck, we'll get it done in the first month of the term. From there, we have three months to solidify it, look into options for expanding its membership, and give it a good kick off. Unlike my recent predecessors, I won't try to pretend things that are self-evidently related to foreign affairs are somehow other people's problem, and I'll put in some of the work to make meaningful social and cultural interactions happen.
  
• Maintain and Develop Partnership for Sovereignty. This already exists, we should continue to work on it. PfS can serve as a facilitator of defender thought in the SC. I'll contribute to projects designed to accomplish that, while also keeping up with the day-to-day SC proposal queue.
  
• Reach out to new partners. Fundamental shifts in the landscape have caused many Independent regions to conduct mostly (almost exclusively) Defender operations over the short-to-medium term future. We should meet them with cultural and political engagement, including being willing to put in writing that these shifts mean that we no longer have an interest in active antagonism towards one another. We shouldn't give up our values, nor should we make full alliances with regions where our longer term interests aren't a guarantee, but shows of honest engagement go a long way to capitalizing on the opportunities of the political moment and building connections that will possibly fluorish into longer-term partnerships and allies in the Defender cause.

(3) Administration

I will actually administer the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and not hire a Deputy for it. I'm not going to overcomplicate this.

If you want to be involved in Foreign Affairs, that's great, you can be an ambassador. You'll provide updates on your region and in the #mofa-ambassadors-lounge can discuss ongoing events. I agree with Roavin's long wall of words on the modern South Pacifican Ambassador, but I'll endeavor to actualize it by bringing up more discussions in the Ambassador's Lounge, with the hope of cultivating long-term foreign affairs thinkers and talent.

If we don't have enough ambassadors for regions, that's fine. I can post updates to other regions myself. It's not rocket science and would not much add to the MoFA's workload.

(4) Great Council

Given we're likely headed to a Great Council, I think it's important to think about how that shapes each Ministry's agenda for the term. That said, I think it matters the least for Foreign Affairs. Post-Great Council, our goals abroad will likely remain the same, as will our treaty commitments. It is important to project strength abroad during the Great Council, and to make it clear to our partners that the results will not affect our relationships with them and that they can still rely on us as they always have.

Conclusion

Ask questions if you have them. I think I'd be a good MoFA. Cheers.

Conflict of Interest
Legislator, Legislator Committee, General Corps of the South Pacific. Former Minister of Defense and Prime Minister
Legislator of Spiritus. I'll resign this if elected.
Former Delegate, Minister, and Senator of 10000 Islands.
Former Delegate and Chief Executive of the Renegade Islands Alliance.