On September 30, 2021, seven UN agency officials in Ethiopia were declared persona non grata with the obligation to leave the national territory within 72 hours. On December 23, 2022, Barbara Manzi, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Burkina Faso, was declared persona non grata by the country’s transitional government. On February 5, 2023, Guillaume Ngefa-Atondoko Andali, the director of the human rights division of MINUSMA was declared “persona non grata” in Mali, with the obligation to leave the national territory within 48 hours.
While these situations, which reflect broader dynamics related to issues of legitimacy, national sovereignty, and competition between governance models, tend to develop, they reveal the strategic and essential nature of the function and role of communication in international organizations. Because the mission of communication officers is to explain, anticipate, adapt and defend the image and actions of the organization, in order to preserve its operational effectiveness and legitimacy both at the local and international levels. What does this mean? To explain and illustrate this, I propose a case study.
The case study
You are the communication officer of an international organization in DR Congo. A journalist from a renowned local media outlet calls you to better understand information she received about your organization’s support for a rebellion in the South of the country. During the conversation, you realize that this information is widely shared on social media, that anger is rising in the streets of Kinshasa against your organization, and that these allegations would be based on government sources.
The journalist also informs you that she must complete her story (for Radio and TV) in 4 hours and that she is quite willing to give your organization a voice on this matter. What are you going to do? This is exactly one of those situations where the choice or communication strategy will influence the image, reputation, and future of your organization in the country.
To help you respond to this case, I will rely on certain principles and elements of the action plan (in case of crisis) that my experience and skills have allowed me to acquire and develop.
Strategic communication is, in a way, the art of anticipating and managing consequences. This means that it constantly requires upstream reflection and a proactive and forward-thinking approach.
Communication principles
Two principles that guide my response:
1. Everything is communication.
Whether we decide to speak up or decide to say nothing and not react in the media, we are communicating in both cases. It is therefore important to speak up to tell our side of the truth, expose the facts as we understand them, and avoid having the fact of not speaking up turn against us.
2. Do not comment on matters of national political news. It is important to remember that the organization intervenes in support of the Congolese government’s efforts and for the ultimate benefit of the people of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Our speech and our messages aim to explain, illustrate, and promote this. There will be no question of mentioning the ‘government sources,’ nor of commenting on the comment expressed about the organization (‘support for a rebellion in the South of the country’).”
The Action Plan
Regarding the action plan, my response is organized in 3 phases:
1. Contain the crisis situation. It is important to respond to the journalist and include the organization’s comments to limit damage to the institution’s image and brand. It is essential to be responsive, transparent, and determined, relying solely on the factual elements that we have. In this perspective, the preparation and formulation of these comments will be the result of a consensus with the senior leadership and management of the organization.
2. Resolve the crisis. Once the response has been given to the journalist, it is important to follow up on this matter, even if it means setting up media monitoring, to identify new information and especially to discover the truth. This second phase involves identifying the real problem.
3. Learn lessons from this crisis. This final stage will involve assessing the outcome of this crisis situation in order to draw lessons, particularly for better protection of the organization’s image, for better collaboration with the media, and for a better perception by the Congolese people of the organization’s roles, missions, and ambitions.
The Art of managing and anticipating consequences
Strategic communication is, in a way, the art of anticipating and managing consequences. This means that it constantly requires upstream reflection and a proactive and forward-thinking approach. Thus, when a situation like the one we have just studied arises, we are more or less ready to quickly make a decision that will commit the image and reputation of the organization, based on facts and principles.
The ability to react quickly with appropriate communication allows us to control the narrative, prevent misinformation, and assure partners, staff, and the general public that the organization remains engaged and operational.
For this, it is indeed essential to respond quickly, in a concerted manner, on the basis of facts, in order to defuse the crisis, gain the trust of collaborators, and safeguard the organization’s image. This will help avoid being ordered to leave the country within 48 or 72 hours.
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Written by Esimba Ifonge