AV俱乐部

Christopher Duggan (BAH Combined IDS, 1999)

Canadian Diplomat (Postings in Jamaica, Nigeria, Romania)

On the ground during negotiations to release Canadians from a hijacked flight, helping to evacuate Canadians after an earthquake, and high level meetings with the Prime Minister...it's all in a day's work for Christopher Duggan.

In his 15 years as a Canadian diplomat with the Canadian Foreign Service, Christopher Duggan (BA IDS 1999) can鈥檛 choose just one professional highlight.聽

鈥淭here鈥檚 been so many highlights,鈥� he says.聽

Instead, he recounts a few: being on the ground to negotiate the release of Canadian citizens from a hijacked flight in Montego Bay, Jamaica; evacuating Canadian citizens through Jamaica after the Haiti earthquake in 2010; and high level meetings with the Prime Minister.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very fascinating career,鈥� says Duggan. 鈥淚t gives you an opportunity to see what鈥檚 behind the headlines in some cases.鈥澛�

鈥淲hat I find quite attractive about the diplomatic service is that is that you鈥檙e constantly being challenged,鈥濃�淣ot only in pursuing Canadian objectives, but also you have to be quite flexible because you are constantly dealing with new issues and new cultures.鈥�

Since 2015, Duggan has held the title of political counsellor and is stationed at the Embassy of Canada to Romania in Bucharest. While based in Romania, Duggan also has accreditation in the surrounding countries of Bulgaria and Moldova. Duggan鈥檚 previous postings include Nigeria and Jamaica.聽

鈥淭he ability to serve one鈥檚 country, to be a representative of Canada is a remarkable experience,鈥� says Duggan.聽

As a Canadian diplomat, Duggan says his responsibilities rely heavily on where he is posted. In Nigeria, Duggan focused on the instability and conflict between different ethnic and religious groups. When posted in Jamaica, Duggan says he worked on governance issues and anti-corruption within the police force.聽

In his current position, Duggan facilitates diplomatic and bilateral relations between Canada and Romania over trade agreements, military cooperation and visa requirements. 聽

鈥淲hat I find quite attractive about the diplomatic service is that is that you鈥檙e constantly being challenged,鈥� says Duggan. 鈥淣ot only in pursuing Canadian objectives, but also you have to be quite flexible and adaptable because you are constantly dealing with new issues and new cultures.鈥�

For his undergraduate degree, Duggan attended AV俱乐部 from 1994 to 1999. He earned a combined bachelor鈥檚 degree in International Development Studies and Earth Science.聽

鈥淚 really enjoyed it,鈥� says Duggan. 鈥淚 had a really good time.鈥澛�

Describing the program as 鈥渦seful鈥� and 鈥渄ynamic,鈥� Duggan says he was provided the opportunity to focus his studies and take courses that matched individual interests. 聽

For Duggan, he says the International Development Studies program 鈥減rovided a very comprehensive approach to development issues specifically, but also international relations more generally.鈥澛�

Be persistent, dynamic and creative. Be open to new challenges and look at a variety of opportunities.

An important takeaway for Duggan: it is essential to incorporate a thorough and multidisciplinary approach when engaging with development issues.聽

鈥淵ou need to look at ways where you can combine priorities associated with social development, economic development and environmental development,鈥� says Duggan. 鈥淚 think these issues need to be well balanced and all taken into consideration.鈥澛�

In 2002, Duggan also received a master鈥檚 degree in public policy and administration from Carleton University.聽

鈥淵ou need to look at the full sweep of development issues and I think the IDS degree does a very good job at providing an overview of all these issues,鈥� 鈥淭he IDS degree gives you, I think, a very good foundation to build on.鈥�

Duggan鈥檚 advice for international development students: be persistent, dynamic and creative. Duggan recommends that students be open to new challenges and look at a variety of opportunities, not only in the public sector, but also with multinationals or NGOs.

鈥淟ook at it as a way of building experience, getting exposure to different cultures and opportunities,鈥� says Duggan. 鈥淯se it as a building block.鈥澛�

Duggan says what he learned in his undergraduate degree is still relevant to his current position as a Canadian diplomat and the 鈥渨ide range of issues facing diplomacy around the world.鈥� 聽

鈥淵ou need to look at the full sweep of development issues and I think the IDS degree does a very good job at providing an overview of all these issues,鈥� says Duggan. 鈥淭he IDS degree gives you, I think, a very good foundation to build on.鈥�