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 Candidates for Commercial Diplomatic Practise The most obvious candidates for training in commercial diplomatic field are the officials or diplomats responsible for developing their country's international trade and investment policies, for negotiating international trade and investment agreements with other countries and for managing international trade, investment and commercial disputes. What is less obvious is that all other stakeholders involved in the trade policy development and advocacy processes need the same training. Trade officials are only the most visible practitioners of commercial diplomacy. They usually are outnumbered by officials with trade-related responsibilities in many other government departments and ministries, officials from departments or ministries responsible for foreign affairs, finance, agriculture, industry, labor, health, the environment, the regulation of banks, telecommunications, air transportation, or the licensing of professionals.
Others who need instruction in commercial diplomatic practise include managers in the international departments of industry associations, corporations, unions and non-governmental organizations that have a stake in the outcome of trade policy decisions. In order to play an effective role in the domestic and global political advocacy and coalition-building process that precedes negotiations, these stakeholders need most of the same commercial diplomacy skills as government trade negotiators. Skill in commercial diplomacy is also required of corporate managers posted in foreign countries, who often must interact with the host government on a broad range of regulatory issues.
Another group that requires training in commercial diplomatic practise is the secretariat staff of international organizations that deal with global trade, investment and trade-related regulatory issues. While such officials as a rule play less of a direct role in the political management of trade issues, they can most effectively do their job if they understand the politics of trade.
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