Outsourcing

To my surprise the State will relinquish control of the day-to-day running and safeguarding of the trade hub of Jita to third parties, Concord and Evermore. 

That just shows how much outsourcing has become dogma in some corporate circles. 

It is rarely a good way to save ISK - perhaps it looks like that at first, but in the end I think it often turns out either more expensive, or less qualitative. And with Evermore involved, it looks as if some jobs of system management will go to artificial intelligence. 

Trade consulates will be opened. The post of consul will be important, and no doubt many vie for the honor. It might have gone to House Kor-Azor, given their tradition of diplomacy. But in the end it went to House Tash-Murkon, which is a wise decision given their long mercantile tradition. The republic too is sending some clan elders from the Sebiestor tribe. 

But here comes the second surprise. The Federation is not sending any career diplomat or government legate. They will be represented by... the Quafe company! I think will never understand democracy. 

Well, it is not unprecedented. Some thirty-odd years ago, Quafe representatives negotiated a deal between the Empire and the Federation, to resolve a clash that we had over the Girani-Fa system. Back then, we trusted the Quafe company because Amarr is the largest consumer market among the four core empires, so Quafe has a real interest in fostering good relations between the Empire and the Federation.