OPTIMIZATION OF THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN POLICY PLANNING AND THE RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY OVERSEAS BODIES’ FUNCTIONING

Introduction. The purpose of this article is to develop recommendations for improving the consistency of documents in the field of foreign policy planning, optimizing the algorithms for their formation and use in the activities of overseas agencies of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Materials and methods. For achieve this we use both qualitative methods (e.g. systematic approach, classification, comparative legal analysis) and quantitative methods (network graph method, statistical analysis etc.). Results of the study. The results of the work are as follows. First, we classified all documents in the field of foreign policy into groups according to their goals: regulatory (legal regulatory and goal-setting) and reporting (political reports and reference). Second, we have studied the relationships of these documents and have revealed the prevalenceof goal-setting documents over other groups while a number of such documents are poorly coordinated with each other and with reporting documents. Third, we suggested utilizing the potential of the state program of the Russian Federation “Foreign Policy Activity” and the national project “International Cooperation and Export”. Forth, we’ve proved that the foreign policy documentation mainly deals with the tasks of overseas agencies which are the link between the documents of the upper and lower levels. On the contrary, the Concept for Strengthening the Resource and Personnel Potential of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not receive development. Fifth, the degree of use of various technical reports is minimal among all reporting documents.Discussion and conclusions. The following conclusions have been made. The priorities of theforeign policy of the Russian Federation and the leading role of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in coordinating their implementation may be formulated in a state program of the Russian Federation “Foreign Policy Activity”, which systematizes the priorities and allows assessing the effectiveness of their implementation in relation to the budget and key targets. It is also proposed that the diplomatic staff of overseas agencies be freed from the technical reporting which should be delegated to the administrative and technical staff. The greater effectiveness of reporting processes will be facilitated by using unified online forms. The possibility of their computer processing in the Foreign Ministry will allow summarizing data and making data-oriented organizational and personnel decisions.

Russian Foreign Ministry, foreign policy, foreign policy planning, strategic planning, diplomatic service, assessment, effectiveness, information and analytical functions

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