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P U B L I S H E D BY T H E A M E R I CA N F O R E I G N S E R V I C E A S S O C I AT I O N J U LY-A U G U S T 2 0 2 1
DIVERSITY & INCLUSION:
PERSPECTIVES
TIME FOR STATE U
FOREIGN
SERVICE July-August 2021 Volume 98, No. 6
Focus: Perspectives on Diversity & Inclusion
23 31 37
Diversity and Inclusion Asian Americans Three Myths
in the U.S. Foreign Can No Longer Be Silent, That Sustain Structural
Service: A Primer and Neither Should You Racism at State
Here is a historical look at gender, Generations of citizenship and Countering bias and recognizing
ethnic and racial diversity in the sacrifices for and contributions overt racism are important, but it’s
Foreign Service and the long and to America notwithstanding, Asian time to go beyond this work
uneven battle for progress. Americans face the need to prove and take a hard look at institutional
B y H a r r y W. K o p p their loyalty over and over. racism in the department.
By Kim Bissonnette By Michael Honigstein
28
Achieving Parity 34 40
for Women in the The Power of Rooting Out
Foreign Service Vulnerability Microaggressions
A better understanding of the A Black former consular fellow, What does exclusion look like?
barriers to women’s advancement— whose report of her ordeal at An FSO explores the concept of
and good data—is needed to the hands of U.S. officials at the microaggressions—and suggests
continue moving forward. border with Mexico shook up how shining a light on them can
By Kathryn Drenning
the State Department, shares help foster a culture of inclusion.
her thoughts today. By Charles Morrill
By Tianna Spears
44
How the Transition
Center Expands Inclusion
Feature Described as a “hidden gem”
by this FSO, FSI’s Transition Center
has a range of tools and services that
are vital in helping build a more agile,
47 inclusive Department of State.
State U—A Proposal for Professional Diplomatic By Maryum Saifee
Education and Outreach to America
This timely project proposal offers a single solution
to achieving several top-priority goals.
By Joel Ehrendreich
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 5
FOREIGN
SERVICE
Perspectives
Departments
7 88 10 Letters
President’s Views Reflections
A Governing Board Term Going to the Hadhramaut 14 Talking Points
Unlike Any Other By Kate Carr
73 In Memory
By Eric Rubin
90 77 Books
9 Local Lens
Letter from the Editor Rome, Italy
Diversity Perspectives By Angelica Harrison
By Shawn Dorman
Marketplace
20
Speaking Out 81 Real Estate
A U.S.-German Look at the 84 Lodging
Essentials for Modern Diplomacy
By Mirko Kruppa and 86 Classifieds
Kenneth Kero-Mentz
87 Index to Advertisers
AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION
51 Foreign Service Day Remembrances and Activities 58 AFSA Governing Board Meeting, May 19, 2021
52 State VP Voice—Should the Foreign Service Act 59 Inside Diplomacy: A Look at the Arctic Region
of 1980 Be Overhauled? with U.S. Coordinator James DeHart
53 USAID VP Voice—USAID and Diversity, Equity 59 Book Notes:
and Inclusion Tecumseh and
55 AFSA Retention Survey: A Look at Why Some the Prophet
Consider Leaving the Service 61 2019-2021 AFSA
57 AFSA Retention, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Governing Board
Recommendations Term Report
51
58 Foreign Service Retiree Groups Back in Action
On the Cover—Art by Jing Jing Tsong.
6 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
PRESIDENT’S VIEWS
A Governing Board Term Unlike Any Other
BY ERIC RUBIN
A
s the current AFSA Govern- well as every American family member AFSA also broadened its ties with the
ing Board’s term comes to and Foreign Service National employee employee affinity and resource groups at
an end, I think it is fair to say overseas, having had access to one of the State and USAID, as well as with impor-
that despite very unusual approved vaccines. tant outside organizations such as the
circumstances we accom- We did not just play defense, however. American Academy of Diplomacy, the
plished a great deal, both in terms of We worked intensively with members of Council of American Ambassadors, the
achieving positive change that benefits Congress and their staffs to make certain Association of Black American Ambas-
our members and protecting the Foreign that our foreign affairs and foreign assis- sadors, the USAID Alumni Association,
Service and our members from threats tance accounts were adequately funded, DACOR, the National Museum of Ameri-
and hostile challenges. despite the previous administration’s can Diplomacy, and the Association
Our biggest successes in the difficult attempts every year to gut them. for Diplomatic Studies and Training. In
environment of the Trump administration After the November 2020 elections, we unity there is strength, and thanks to our
were protective: We supported members reached out to build relationships with outreach efforts we are now coordinating
who had to testify or give depositions in the new committee chairs in the House more closely with all these groups.
the first impeachment process against and Senate, and with the congressional AFSA also maintained a high pub-
President Trump; lobbied and negotiated leadership, to advocate for needed lic profile, with numerous interviews,
to get the rules changed so we could raise changes to our foundational legislation television appearances and social media
money to support their legal defense; and for urgent action on diversity, equal- outreach. This proved to be of enormous
and then raised about $750,000 in direct ity of benefits and protection from harm. help in getting our message out during
donations (thanks to the generosity of our We worked rapidly to establish close the pandemic.
members and others) so that no AFSA ties to the new Biden administration after Our member services have not
member was out of pocket a single penny the inauguration, promoting AFSA’s prior- flagged, and we have managed to ramp
for legal expenses related to impeachment. ity goals and objectives and seeking to be up representation on matters large and
We also publicly defended our members’ a partner in efforts to make progress on small. The Foreign Service Journal has
courage in stating the truth under oath and diversity and inclusion, professional edu- kept up an impressive pace, with more
defying instructions not to cooperate with cation and training, and reform of parts of relevant content from and for members,
legal subpoenas from Congress. our Foreign Service career path. We began and more advertising to pay for it.
Then came COVID-19. Much of the the campaign to press for a significant AFSA’s current governing board will
final year of our board term was devoted expansion of the Foreign Service in all step down in mid-July, with gratitude to
to pushing for information and transpar- agencies, a goal that may be within reach. our members for their ideas and support
ency on vaccinations, health resources, Despite the shutdown of our offices and with a determination to hand over
authorized and for nearly a year and a half, we main- our list of priorities to the next board
ordered departure, tained member services and outreach at with clear evidence of progress on most
and equity in the their pre-pandemic levels, and lever- of them.
vaccine rollout aged the new technologies of telework There is a lot for the next board to
process. We finished and virtual public platforms to ensure tackle. As always, please send your
the term with every that we kept members engaged and advice, concerns and suggestions to us
AFSA member, as informed. at member@afsa.org. n
Ambassador Eric Rubin is the president of the American Foreign Service Association.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 7
FOREIGN
CONTACTS
SERVICE
www.afsa.org
Editor-in-Chief, Director of Publications
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Senior Editor
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GOVERNING BOARD
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President
Caryn Suko Smith Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich:
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COMMUNICATIONS
Hon. Robert M. Beecroft Treasurer
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THE MAGAZINE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS MEMBERSHIP AND OUTREACH
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PROFESSIONALS Director, Programs and Member Engagement
State Representatives
The Foreign Service Journal (ISSN 0146-3543), Christine Miele: miele@afsa.org
Joshua C. Archibald
2101 E Street NW, Washington, D.C. 20037-2990 is Manager, Outreach and
published monthly, with combined January-February Maria Hart
Strategic Communications
and July-August issues, by the American Foreign Service Kristin Michelle Roberts
Association (AFSA), a private, nonprofit organization. Nadja Ruzica: ruzica@afsa.org
Carson Relitz Rocker
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SUSTAINABLE
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8 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
Diversity Perspectives
B Y S H AW N D O R M A N
A
year ago, the FSJ Editorial Service leading to reports and recom- conversations that continue a year
Board decided to devote the mendations that can help show the way later—shares her thoughts today in
2021 July-August edition to (Truman Center, Belfer Center, Council “The Power of Vulnerability.”
“a progress report” on diver- on Foreign Relations). FSO Michael Honigstein urges col-
sity and inclusion in the State has created a top-level chief leagues to face and then work to over-
Foreign Service. We hoped it might fea- diversity and inclusion officer position come “Three Myths That Sustain Struc-
ture dramatic change, the fruit of a year and appointed Ambassador (ret.) Gina tural Racism at State.” In “Rooting Out
of intense, unprecedented attention to Abercrombie-Winstanley as CDIO, Microaggressions,” FSO Charles Morrill
the problems of racism, diversity, inclu- giving the position real authority. takes a close look at the various forms of
sion and equity. Recommendations from the affinity microaggressions and how they create a
As we got closer to putting this edi- groups—and AFSA—are being sought toxic work environment, offering sugges-
tion together, however, it became clear and welcomed by the administration. tions on how to combat the problem.
that it’s too early for the ribbon-cutting Congress is pushing new legislation to FSO Maryum Saifee brings us a close-
ceremony: We don’t yet have a Foreign advance diversity. up of the tools and services the Transi-
Service that is truly “representative of the There is wide agreement that a cultural tion Center provides and explains how
American people,” as mandated by the shift is required, and that fundamental they can help build a more agile and
1946 (and 1980) Foreign Service Act. change is no simple task. There’s a chance inclusive workforce.
But things are happening. that this is a real inflection point. Elsewhere, in a timely follow-on to
So we opted to keep a focus on the We offer this month’s collection of the May FSJ article on expanding profes-
process of change—fraught and messy perspectives to help keep the subject sional education (Tom Pickering, David
as it is—as we have been doing for the front and center, opening with a primer Miller and Rand Beers), this month’s
past year, checking in on the direction on diversity in the Foreign Service from feature from FSO Joel Ehrendreich offers
being taken, assessing the realities and author and former FSO Harry W. Kopp. a specific plan to get there: “State U—
seeking new data and more views, and For anyone considering today’s reckoning A Proposal for Professional Diplomatic
endeavoring to hold the institutions with gender, ethnic and racial diversity Education and Outreach to America.”
and our own community accountable in the Service, this is a good place to In the Speaking Out, two diplomats—
for real change. (As we went to press, start. one German and one American—offer
the September 2020 FSJ received a Gold FSO Kathryn Drenning, a member of suggestions for Foreign Service reform
EXCEL Award from Association Media & the board of Executive Women @ State, in both countries. And in Reflections, we
Publishing.) writes on what it will take for “Achieving travel back to southern Arabia circa 1966
The good news is that real conver- Parity for Women in the Foreign Service.” with FS spouse Kate Carr.
sations are continuing, in particular In “Asian Americans Can No Longer AFSA President Eric Rubin reviews
through new vehicles such as the diver- Be Silent, and Neither Should You,” the 2019-2021 Governing Board term in
sity councils set up in Kim Bissonnette shares her family’s his column, and AFSA News includes
bureaus and at posts. Cambodian-American journey. the complete term report. The 2021-2023
Several serious studies Tianna Spears—the consular fellow Governing Board takes office July 15.
have been under- whose viral blog post about harassment After a tough couple years, here’s hop-
taken by groups both she experienced by CBP officials at the ing the next two will see improvements on
inside and outside the U.S.-Mexico border sparked difficult many fronts. As always, we want to hear
from you. Write us at journal@afsa.org. n
Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 9
LETTERS
Visiting Greenland way’s border region with Indeed, it is one of the
Your Arctic focus (May FSJ) was a the Soviet Union. most elegant and striking
grand slam, especially [Coordinator for The work was mostly pieces I’ve ever read on any
the Arctic Region] Jim DeHart’s cogent public diplomacy in subject. I was stunned by the
presentation, which I will draw from in nature—meeting in author’s eloquence and insight.
my work with the U.S. military. various small towns with the mayor, the My students at Bard College will
While serving as deputy chief of mis- newspaper editor, the chamber of com- be reading it not only for the information
sion in Copenhagen, I made five visits to merce and the English language class at it conveys, but as an example of how best
Greenland in three years (including join- the high school—but it did give me an to communicate in English.
ing Denmark’s queen and prime minister appreciation for the geopolitical signifi- Ambassador Frederic C. Hof
to mark the 50th anniversary of handing cance of the Arctic and the special role Professor and Diplomat-in-Residence
the U.S. WWII-era military command of Indigenous peoples (in Norway, the Bard College
back to Denmark). Sami) who later became an important Annandale-on-Hudson, New York
So I appreciated Eavan Cully’s focus and interesting component of the Arctic
on the public diplomacy dimension for Council’s portfolio. On the Recognition
why we reopened a Greenland consulate Great initiative to tackle this theme! of Armenian Genocide
after a nearly 70-year absence. I would Richard B. Norland President Joe Biden’s April 24
have enjoyed learning more about the U.S. Ambassador to Libya & acknowledgment that the Turkish govern-
nuts and bolts of setting up shop in Nuuk, U.S. Special Envoy for Libya ment carried out a deliberate campaign
which is closer to Washington, D.C., than Libya External Office, Tunis of ethnic cleansing and genocide of its
Copenhagen. Armenian citizens in 1915 merits careful
Larry Butler A Foreign Service reflection, notably within State’s Office of
Ambassador, retired Officer’s Art Global Criminal Justice.
Thomaston, Maine, and Reston, Virginia Ambassador William Roebuck’s article At first glance, Ankara’s knee-jerk
on reading Dante in Syria (May FSJ) reaction seems inane. Numerous eyewit-
The Arctic: struck me as not only beautifully written nesses, among them U.S. diplomats and
A Compelling Story but as a piece that captures so much of Turkish government officials, includ-
Congratulations on the Arctic cover- what a great Foreign Service officer does. ing Ahmed Djemal Pasha, then known
age in your May edition. I was a senior He reports in a way that grabs the among Syrian and Lebanese Arabs as “the
Arctic official during our first chairman- reader, that compels understanding of the Butcher” or “the Bloodthirsty,” reported
ship of the Arctic Council, so it was great foreign view, and that lays out what needs on the executions and mass deportations.
to catch up on all that’s happened and to be done as a policy matter for the Moreover, the genocide was the
to get such a comprehensive look at the United States and why it needs to happen. culmination of several earlier massacres
picture today. It’s a compelling story that To do so with brevity and clarity is profes- of Armenians and Assyrian Christians
deserves attention. sionalism. To do it with beauty is art. instigated by Ottoman officials, which
I was struck by the piece on our Ronald E. Neumann included the Adana pogroms of April
consulate in Nuuk because I had served Ambassador, retired 1909 and the Hamidian Massacres of
in the Arctic (1986-1988) when Embassy Washington, D.C. 1894-1896. That the Turks wanted to expel
Oslo used to operate the U.S. Informa- the Armenians and Assyrians from cen-
tion Office in Tromso—which, sadly and An Elegant Piece tral and eastern Anatolia was no secret.
unwisely, we closed during the budget William Roebuck’s essay, “Raqqa’s But why?
crunch of 1995. Inferno: A Diplomat Reads Dante in Undoubtedly, ethnic and religious
Tromso was a “presence post” that Syria,” in your May edition is extraordi- rivalries, even animosities, played major
had started off as a U.S. Information nary. In almost 10 years of reading nearly roles. The Turks resented Europeans
Service library and was picked up by State everything out there on the Syrian catas- intervening in their internal affairs
in the 1960s to signal our interest in Nor- trophe, I’ve not read anything better. on behalf of the Ottoman Empire’s
10 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALChristians (among them, my own home to most of Lebanon’s 150,000+ Senior Foreign Service address entry-
Maronite ancestors in Mount Lebanon). Armenian community. The streets are level officers and talk about “your
Armenians and Assyrians were conve- named after former Armenian cities and generation” as if all entry-level officers
nient scapegoats for Turkish resentments villages in Anatolia, and the locals talk of are the same age.
about being pushed around. returning. For them, irredentist aspira- On more than one occasion, when
These sentiments were exacerbated tions—whether in Turkey or in Nagorno- someone is giving an example of how not
in the 1800s by Russia’s repeated efforts Karabakh—are not far-fetched; they are to behave in the Foreign Service, I have
to court fellow Eastern Orthodox Chris- deeply held. heard them pointedly note that the per-
tians in its military campaigns to control This, in part, explains why Ankara has son in question is a “second careerist”—
the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmara refused to acknowledge the Armenian as if this category somehow made it more
and the Turkish Straits (Bosporus and Genocide (or come to grips with the likely that they would behave badly.
Dardanelles); free their fellow Slavs from Kurds’ continued quest for an indepen- Such microaggressions signal that
Ottoman domination in the Balkans; dent state). anyone whose age does not match up
and even recover Constantinople for Perhaps we could help ease Turk- with their rank does not merit equivalent
Christendom. ish resentments and anxieties by fully consideration as individuals on a more
During the Russo-Turkish War of acknowledging that we, too, committed traditional career path.
1877-1878, both sides committed atroci- terrible wrongs in subjugating Native In an up-or-out system, it stands to
ties targeting noncombatant Muslim Americans, that we recognize the Circas- reason that those who join earlier have
and Christian civilians, particularly in sian Genocide of 1860-1864, and that we a higher chance of reaching the upper
Bulgaria and areas of Albanian Muslim oppose a redrawing of Turkey’s borders echelons. Thus, we cannot hope to
settlement. The Russians further sought without Ankara’s consent. address the lack of diversity in the higher
to cleanse Crimea of its Tatars, whose George W. Aldridge ranks of the department only by increas-
survivors sought refuge among the Otto- FSO, retired ing hiring of underrepresented groups
mans. Such war crimes designed to elimi- Arlington, Texas and hoping that enough of them will
nate rival communities were not new. endure the many challenges and humili-
Rather, these horrors occurred in the Age: An Unacknowledged ations they will inevitably face so that
aftermath of a Russian campaign in the Bias in 20 years or so we’ll have a diplomatic
early 1860s to forcibly empty the north- With the increasing and long-overdue corps that truly represents our country.
west Caucasus of its Circassian (or Ady- focus on the lack of diversity in the The proposed legislation offers one
ghe) population. Perhaps as many as 1.5 Foreign Service, Congress is considering possible solution, but it is bound to fail
million Muslim Circassians and Abkha- legislation to create a midlevel entry pro- without a change in the Foreign Service
zians were either murdered or expelled. gram targeting underrepresented groups. culture—in particular, the tendency to
In justifying his military’s indiscrimi- Predictably, AFSA is opposing this leg- devalue experience outside of govern-
nate killings and mass expulsions, one islation and will no doubt cite statistics to ment and a bidding system that puts far
Russian general derided the Circassians show that the department has no trouble more emphasis on established relation-
as “subhuman filth,” while a Russian attracting so-called “second careerists” to ships than on demonstrated skills.
prince heartlessly declared to several con- join the Foreign Service. If AFSA wants to truly represent all its
cerned Americans: “These Circassians are This is consistent with the failure of members and promote a more inclusive
like your American Indians—untamed AFSA or State Department leadership to and diverse State Department, it needs to
and uncivilized. … Extermination only recognize the unique challenges faced by begin by being more open to new ideas,
will keep them quiet.” Most refugees who those of us who come to this career later rather than just defending the practices
survived fled to the Ottoman Empire. in life. that got us here in the first place. n
Memories are very, very long among It begins in A-100 class, as speaker Timothy Savage
expelled people. Spend an afternoon, after speaker leads off their talks with FSO
as I have, in the crowded enclave of “you guys are too young to remember” Embassy New Delhi
Bourj Hammoud northeast of Beirut, and continues when members of the
12 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALTHE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 13
TALKING POINTS
USAID’s New
Diversity Policy Contemporary Quote
O n May 3, her first day on the job,
USAID Administrator Samantha
Power approved USAID’s new Diversity,
We need a strong Department of State. We need a strong Foreign
Service to meet the challenges that we face around the world, and the
budget you proposed contains resources to recruit, train, retain a first-rate,
Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan, diverse workforce. I think you’d also agree that one of the key tools in both
emphasizing the importance she and recruitment and retention is how we treat our Foreign Service families serv-
the agency place on the issues. ing overseas. Four years ago Senator [Dan] Sullivan [R-Alaska] and I founded
“Each of us has a responsibility to the bipartisan Foreign Service caucus here on the Hill; and, based on our
address bigotry, gender discrimina- conversations with the American Foreign Service Association and others,
tion and structural racism and uphold we introduced a bill called the Foreign Service Families Act. … It essentially
individual dignity. This isn’t just one of provides Foreign Service families serving overseas the same kind of amenities
and benefits that many military families serving overseas have.
our values; it’s our mission—one hand
extended out to another to meet people —Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)
where they are and treat others as Certainly, as described and in terms of the objectives, I couldn’t agree more.
equals,” Power said. And by the way, now that I’ve had the opportunity to travel a little bit on the job,
Under the new DEI strategy, USAID every place I go I spend time with our embassy and the embassy community,
commits to three goals: improving and I share your high regard and determination to support the families
and enhancing diversity throughout of the men and women who are part of our Foreign Service. Because,
the agency; enhancing inclusion and as we both know, they’re serving too.
equity for everyone in the workplace; —Secretary of State Antony Blinken
and strengthening accountability for From an exchange during the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on
promoting and sustaining a diverse the Biden administration’s 2021-2022 international affairs budget, June 8.
workforce and an inclusive agency
culture.
USAID leadership will seek out and “Unexplained Health struck by the syndrome late last year.
address internal systems that inhibit Incidents” Update There was another suspected case
inclusive diversity efforts. The agency
will create a range of policies and pro-
grams to improve and increase diversity.
M ore than 130 U.S. diplomats, intel-
ligence agents, soldiers and other
U.S. government personnel have been
in Northern Virginia in 2019.
In March, the State Department
named Ambassador Pamela Spratlen,
It will also develop outreach strategies to affected by the mysterious, debilitating a retired career FSO, to head the Health
attract talent from diverse backgrounds. health incidents that started five years Incident Response Task Force, which
Agency leaders will champion staff ago, The New York Times reported on May was formed in 2018 to coordinate the
participation in DEI initiatives. The 12. That’s far more than the 60 cases con- response to the alleged attacks. Secretary
agency will establish and enhance firmed initially, which were concentrated of State Antony Blinken has been briefed
training on diversity fundamentals, bias in Cuba and China. on the issue several times, CNN reports.
and principles of inclusion for all staff, The newer tally includes cases in CIA Director and retired Career
including managers and supervisors. Europe and other parts of Asia, accord- Ambassador William Burns has moved
USAID says it will consistently ing to the Times, which added that the aggressively to improve the agency’s
apply DEI principles across program Biden administration has not deter- response, meeting with victims, visiting
and management. All agency leaders mined who or what is responsible for doctors who have treated them and brief-
will be required to show evidence of the episodes, or whether they represent ing lawmakers, according to the Times.
their support for DEI principles, and actual attacks. Members of Congress from both
the agency pledges to be transparent The alleged attacks may be starting to parties have started to criticize what they
and use workforce data in its efforts to hit closer to home. CNN reported on May see as a “yearslong failure” to address the
promote DEI. 17 that two White House officials were issue, Politico reports.
14 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALU.S. Diplomats Push However, even if the European Union generations, regain its reputation as the
Vaccine Diplomacy goes along with the request (which is world’s “indispensable” nation and, not
F rustrated U.S. diplomats are pressing
Washington to move faster on donat-
ing COVID-19 vaccines abroad, Politico
not a foregone conclusion, given Ger-
man Chancellor Angela Merkel’s staunch
opposition to such waivers), it will take
incidentally in Power’s view, do good.
PDAA Honors
reported on May 13, even after the State months before recipient countries are able Outstanding Public
Department elevated vaccine diplomacy, to manufacture their own doses. Diplomacy Initiatives
appointing former USAID Administra-
tor Gayle Smith as coordinator for global
COVID response and health security.
In the meantime, Foreign Service
officers in South Asia, the Middle East
and Africa continue to urge the Biden
W inners of the 2021 Public Diplo-
macy Association of America’s
annual awards for excellence in public
The diplomats pointed out that China administration to release its entire stock- diplomacy showcased U.S. support for
and Russia have been using donations of pile of AstraZeneca vaccines to COVAX democracy and human rights, combat-
their homegrown vaccines (Sinopharm (COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access). ing trafficking in persons, encouraging
and Sputnik V, respectively) to extract A May 11 Washington Post profile entrepreneurship and crafting calibrated
political concessions from nations notes that Samantha Power had been messaging on immigration policy. There
seeking aid. pushing that approach even before were four winners.
The White House announced on becoming USAID Administrator. “The Public Affairs Section, U.S. Con-
May 5 that it supports a World Trade United States can reenter all the deals sulate General Hong Kong & Macau.
Organization initiative to waive intellec- and international organizations it wants,” Confronted with the Chinese Communist
tual property protections for COVID-19 she wrote in the January-February issue Party’s harsh crackdown on democracy
vaccines, making the technology freely of Foreign Affairs, “but the biggest gains and human rights in Hong Kong, as well
available to the whole world. World in influence will come by demonstrating as attempts to implicate the United
Health Organization Director-General its ability to deliver in many countries’ States in the resulting political unrest,
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised hour of greatest need.” the consulate’s public affairs section
the announcement as a “monumental By spearheading global vaccine (PAS) launched a campaign on multiple
moment in the fight against COVID-19” distribution, the United States could beat media platforms to push back.
that reflects “moral leadership.” China at the biggest soft-power contest in
Podcast of the Month: The Embassy Wealth Podcast: http://bit.ly/embassy-wealth
I n this new podcast, Foreign Service Officer Josh Lustig
and former FSO (now a licensed realtor in the Washing-
ton, D.C., area) Tanya Salseth interview members of the
investing in hotels, with FSO
Acquania Escarne; “conserva-
tive” investing in turnkey new
foreign affairs community to crowdsource the best finan- construction in Florida, with
cial and investment advice. retired FSO Matt Shedd; a
“So many of us have gotten great information from our discussion with Diplomatic
colleagues, people who might live on the other side of the Security Agent Joe Burk-
world, and oftentimes that information is gotten by com- head about his experience
pletely accidentally sitting next to them in the cafeteria, purchasing 90 rental units; and planning for
hearing that they’re doing something cool and then learn- Foreign Service retirement with financial planner
ing about it from them and maybe trying it yourself,” Lustig and FS family member William Carrington.
said in their first podcast. “It’s really exciting for us to be “It’s a podcast featuring smart people talking about
able to give that experience and make it global.” life, investing, personal finance and other peculiarities that
Episodes so far include building side hustles and come with the international nomadic lifestyle,” says Lustig.
The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 15U.S. CONSULATE KOLKATA/AVIJIT BHATTACHARYA
ing information vacuum with detailed
guidelines, timelines and procedures on
the asylum process.
She employed a variety of communi-
cation tools from traditional to contem-
porary—TV monitors at migrant shelters,
roadside billboards, printed flyers, the
WhatsApp groups that migrant caravans
The grand finale of the East India Anti-Trafficking Women’s Hockey and Leadership Camp, employ and interviews with authoritative
part of the anti-trafficking initiative supported by U.S. Consulate General Kolkata and U.S. officials—to deliver clear informa-
attended by 110 young women, took place in February 2020 at the SERSA Hockey
Stadium in Ranchi, Jharkhand. tion and a deterrence message aimed at
potential migrants.
The campaign highlighted posi- ronment, the embassy PAS produced PDAA is a nonprofit voluntary associa-
tive U.S. government support for Hong a “Shark Tank”–style reality television tion of public diplomacy professionals.
Kong and its autonomy, spotlighting show, “Andi Hulm” (I Have a Dream),
Chinese government efforts to restrict to promote the importance of entrepre- Climate Crisis Takes
Hong Kong’s fundamental freedoms neurship and support U.S. businesses in Center Stage
and reinforcing shared U.S.–Hong Kong
values through expanded people-to-
people ties. After the Fulbright program
Algeria.
The 10-episode show, which was
produced in cooperation with Ameri-
I n an April 19 speech on global climate
leadership, Secretary of State Antony
Blinken called on U.S. diplomats to chal-
was suspended in Hong Kong, PAS also can businesses operating in Algiers, lenge countries lagging on climate change.
established a network of U.S. government culminated in the crowning of a cham- “When countries continue to rely
exchange program alumni. pion who received a cash prize and a on coal for a significant amount of their
Sohini Das, public engagement State Department–funded incubation energy, or invest in new coal factories, or
specialist, U.S. Consulate General exchange in the United States. The series allow for massive deforestation, they will
Kolkata. Combating human trafficking aired on Algeria’s most-watched televi- hear from the United States and our part-
is a priority for U.S. diplomatic missions sion channel during primetime, reaching ners about how harmful these actions
in India. With eastern India a major traf- millions of Algerians weekly and garner- are,” he said.
ficking hub, Public Engagement Special- ing social media buzz and positive press The Secretary’s speech, in Annapolis,
ist Sohini Das in Kolkata developed a reviews. Maryland, came ahead of a U.S.-hosted
multilayered approach to the problem. Allyson Hamilton-McIntire, assis- virtual summit on climate leadership
The cornerstone of this initiative is tant information officer, U.S. Embassy that week. President Joe Biden invited 40
the Anti-Trafficking-in-Persons Conclave Mexico City. The Central American world leaders to discuss measures they
that brings together key anti-trafficking migrant surge at the U.S. southern border will take to reduce emissions under the
players to address new and ongoing posed major challenges for Embassy 2015 Paris Agreement, Reuters reported.
challenges. Targeted activities through- Mexico City, in particular the need to Blinken said the Biden administration
out the year culminate in the annual communicate different messages to those would put the climate crisis at the center
conclaves, which have produced signifi- who had pending U.S. asylum cases and of its foreign policy and national security.
cant collaborations leading directly to to the much larger number who did not. “That means taking into account how
positive legislative and judicial results. Assistant Information Officer Allyson every bilateral and multilateral engage-
Public Affairs Section, U.S. Embassy Hamilton-McIntire developed a finely ment—every policy decision—will impact
Algiers. Algeria faces a significant youth nuanced communication strategy on our goal of putting the world on a safer,
bulge in its population, high unemploy- migration policy aimed at these two more sustainable path,” he said. “It also
ment and a stagnant economy domi- vastly different audiences. For the thou- means ensuring our diplomats have the
nated by inefficient state-run companies. sands of migrants with pending asylum training and skills to elevate climate in
In response to this challenging envi- cases, Hamilton-McIntire filled the exist- our relationships around the globe.”
16 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALNominations and
Appointments
O n May 21, President Joe Biden
appointed career FSO Sung
Kim to serve as the U.S. special envoy
to North Korea.
During the week of April 22-29,
the Biden administration announced
the following nominations to top
positions in U.S. foreign affairs agen-
cies:
Political appointee Sarah
Margon, assistant secretary of State
for democracy, human rights, and
labor.
Political appointee Christopher
P. Lu, alternate representative of
the United States to the sessions of
the General Assembly of the United
Nations, and representative of the
United States to the United Nations
for U.N. management and reform.
Career FSO Donald Lu, assistant
secretary of State for South and
Central Asian affairs.
Political appointee Jessica
Lewis, assistant secretary of State for
political-military affairs.
Political appointee Adam
Scheinman, special representative of
the president for nuclear nonprolif-
eration, with the rank of ambassador.
Political appointee Lee Satter-
field, assistant secretary of State for
educational and cultural affairs.
Career civil servant C.S. Eliot
Kang, assistant secretary of State for
international security and nonprolif-
eration.
Political appointee Marcela
Escobari, assistant USAID Admin-
istrator.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 17Call for Urgent Action United States war effort can immigrate to by Jill Dougherty, former CNN Moscow
on Afghan Special Visas the United States. He issued an execu- bureau chief.
N early 100 former U.S. officials,
including four former U.S. ambas-
sadors to Afghanistan, urged Secretary
tive order on Feb. 4 for a review of the
U.S. Special Immigrant Visa program for
Afghan and Iraqi allies who have helped
Covering the period from 1987
to 2019, the series includes the follow-
ing former ambassadors to Russia:
of State Antony Blinken and Secretary the U.S. military. Jack F. Matlock, Thomas R. Pickering,
of Defense Lloyd Austin to do more to James F. Collins, Alexander Vershbow,
provide visas to Afghans who assisted U.S. U.S. Ambassadors John Beyrle, Michael McFaul, John F.
forces, Reuters reported on May 13. to Russia Speak Tefft and Jon Huntsman Jr.
“U.S. history is replete with instances
where we failed to understand or prepare
to mitigate the terrible consequences that
I n May the Middlebury Institute of
International Studies’ Monterey Initia-
tive in Russian Studies launched “The
The ambassadors recall their experi-
ences, sharing insights, nuanced analyses
and thoughts on the challenges and
might confront those ... who stood beside Ambassadorial Series,” a one-of-a-kind geopolitical issues they dealt with and the
us and believed in us when the going docuseries featuring in-depth interviews changes they witnessed.
was tough,” the former officials wrote to with eight former U.S. ambassadors who
Blinken and Austin. “We have a moral reflect on decades of complex relations Payne Fellowship
obligation to do better this time.” between the United States and Russia. Establishes Resource
President Joe Biden has announced Meant to be a service to scholars and Group
that the United States would withdraw its
forces from Afghanistan by Sept. 11.
The former officials called on the
students of American diplomacy vis-à-vis
Russia, the series is “a unique resource for
those who want to better understand the
I n 2020 a group of Payne alumni estab-
lished the Payne Fellowship Network
Employee Resource Group to build
Biden administration to process special evolving relationship between the two greater awareness of and support for the
immigrant visas (SIVs) more quickly, countries,” the introduction to the accom- Payne Fellowship at USAID.
and to raise quotas on admittance on an panying transcript states. The PFN was created to support the
emergency basis when the United States The hourlong videos, the first known recruitment, onboarding and retention of
withdraws from the country. set of interviews of all but one of the talented FSOs; to provide Payne Fellows
Biden already has shown an interest living U.S. ambassadors to the Soviet and alumni means to better support one
in making sure Afghans who helped the Union / Russian Federation, are hosted another; and to leverage the existing
50 Years Ago
To Moscow—With Nostalgia
T he Foreign Service has a number of unstated conven-
tions. One of these is the reticence with which Foreign
Service officers speak of their past posts. All of us, I am
exchange small talk over sherry at
an AFSA luncheon is to be in a world
where housing, amenities and the
convinced, accumulate over the years a collection of mov- idiosyncrasies of ambassadors are
able feasts along with some less digestible experiences. the only things that matter.
Inwardly we compare our good posts much as old Paris Moscow exemplifies this con-
hands roam the world, the comparative merits of Paris bis- vention. A good word is seldom
tros programed forever into their minds. A voice within us heard about it. Our diplomats and
vibrates when we hear, at a remote distance, of a remark- journalists have produced over the years a sizable body of
able accomplishment of our former country of assignment, literature that usually reads like an article in Foreign Affairs
or when a face, a tune or a picture brings to life again the to which a touch of the Post Report has been added.
experiences which made the old post a part of ourselves. —Excerpted from an article with the same name by
Yet we seem to think that this mental baggage is too former Foreign Service Officer Peter Semler in the
frail to stand exposure. To hear Foreign Service officers July 1971 Foreign Service Journal.
18 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALA Vital Step
HEARD ON THE HILL
Today, the House passed a bill authorizing the
@StateDept’s work—including my legislation for
paid internships and to support Foreign Service
families with disabilities. I voted for this vital step
to rebuild America’s infrastructure for diplomacy.
—U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) tweet, May 18.
Improve Reporting, Expand Training
We must ensure our State Department person-
JOSH
nel are prepared to meet 21st-century global
challenges. That’s why I’m proud that my bill to
improve State Department reporting requirements and an initiative to expand
Foreign Service officer training programs passed the House today as part of the
State Department Authorization Act. I thank my colleagues for coming together
to support a streamlined, more efficient State Department.
—U.S. Rep. Young Kim (R-Calif.) Facebook post, May 18.
network of mentors, champions and students selected by Israel’s Beit Berl
resources within the agency to ensure the College and Shenkar College of Engineer-
program’s success. ing, Design and Art, the UAE’s twofour54
For more information, contact Payne Abu Dhabi, and the Bahrain Ministry of
FellowshipNetworkBoard@usaid.gov. Youth and Sports.
“People-to-people exchanges are
Video Game Diplomacy critical to advancing global peace and
Initiative understanding,” said Matthew Lussen-
T he State Department is joining
forces with the Stevens Initiative and
Games for Change to launch a virtual
hop, acting assistant secretary of State for
the Bureau of Educational and Cultural
Affairs. “Through early adoption of virtual
exchange program for 2,700 students exchanges, the Stevens Initiative has ele-
from grades 6 to 12 in the United States, vated technology to foster collaboration
Israel, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. between students in the United States
Students will work together to develop and counterparts in the Middle East and
social impact video games. North Africa.”
Students will work together in teams The Stevens Initiative is named for the
on projects based on United Nations sus- late Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens,
tainable development goals. At the end of who was killed in Libya in 2012. n
each school year, teams will submit their
games for judging in a competition. The This edition of Talking Points was
program runs until June 2023. compiled by Cameron Woodworth,
Students from Atlanta, Detroit and Steve Honley and Dom DiPasquale
New York City will join forces with (for “PDAA Honors Initiatives”).
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 19SPEAKING OUT
A U.S.-German Look at the Essentials
for Modern Diplomacy
B Y M I R K O K R U P PA A N D K E N N E T H K E R O - M E N T Z
I
nternational relations are changing societies and governments to commit the For example, as a dedicated E.U.
rapidly because of complex challenges, political and budgetary support neces- member, Germany’s Foreign Service
the pace of developments and the sary to bring about modern, attractive and (Auswärtiges Amt) acknowledges
number of global actors on the interna- diversity-driven diplomatic services. the growing pressure to adapt our
tional stage. Even when living far from As representatives of our respective approaches in foreign policy. As an
international borders in middle America Foreign Services, we believe that the time exporting nation, Germany depends on
or the middle of Germany, many people for such action is now. Here are some of the E.U.’s regulatory power in the world.
understand that global trends affect their our suggestions for needed reforms in As a nation-state it continues to defend
daily lives. both the United States and Germany as its national interests; and as Germany is
International competition can lead we move forward. a pluralistic society with a difficult past,
to lost jobs as economies change, and its diplomats actively favor compromise
concerns about the environment and Enable Agility, Ensure over (military) might.
consumer protections have led to grow- Diversity Autocratic regimes, by contrast,
ing skepticism toward globalization and Our diplomatic efforts must become increasingly feel challenged by (and
even democracy in the U.S., the Euro- more agile. Diplomats need to be politi- oppose) the legal standards and global
pean Union and around the world. And a cally and structurally empowered to act institutions that sustainable globaliza-
wave of authoritarianism and unilateral- swiftly to secure a more peaceful, just and tion needs to thrive. We must be able to
ism is challenging multilateral peace and prosperous world for all, while seeking combat our counterparts from autocratic
security structures. compromise in multilateral structures regimes, which are hellbent on short-
As U.S. and German diplomats, we’re like the European Union and with plural- term tactical wins in their effort to return
worried, but also hopeful. We face an istic democracies. Multilateral efforts to the international order to power struggles
undeniable need to revive, reform and rei- establish globalized legal standards for in which the strong dominate the weak.
magine our mission. Success will depend the common good naturally limit some Our diplomatic outreach must seek com-
on a nonpartisan consensus within our sovereignty of nation-states. promise and trust-building with allies
and adversaries alike.
Mirko Kruppa was reelected as chairman of the Staff Council of the German It is also essential to increase diver-
Foreign Ministry (Auswärtiges Amt) in November 2020. Since becoming a sity within our services (which remain,
diplomat in 2001, he has served in Kazakhstan, China, South Africa, Taiwan despite earlier efforts, too white and
(R.O.C.) and Russia (E.U.-Delegation in Moscow). male) and make better use of all our
Kenneth Kero-Mentz is secretary of AFSA (2019-2021 term). During nearly human resources to enhance our cred-
21 years in the U.S. Foreign Service he served in Brazil, Germany, Iraq, Sri ibility and ensure we accomplish our
Lanka and in Washington, D.C., including two years as AFSA’s vice president mission on behalf of our governments
representing his colleagues from State. He retired in late 2020. and the pluralistic societies we represent.
Mirko and Ken became friends nearly 15 years ago during Ken’s posting Analyzing and explaining political,
in Berlin, which included a year as a trans-Atlantic diplomatic fellow at the socioeconomic and cultural develop-
German Foreign Office. Both are dedicated advocates for their respective colleagues and ments is what diplomats do best; it’s
Foreign Services. Over the course of several conversations, they realized both systems have our raison d’être. We provide insights
similar challenges and opportunities, and this article is the result. for our governments to design policies
20 JULY-AUGUST 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNALand develop solutions, and then we institutions could provide new profes-
Speaking Out is the Journal’s opinion
explain these policies to our host-country sional development prospects for our forum, a place for lively discussion of
counterparts, both within and outside career diplomats, allowing them to build issues affecting the U.S. Foreign Service
and American diplomacy. The views
government. core competencies in these key areas. expressed are those of the author;
To best accomplish these goals, we We also need a careerlong program their publication here does not imply
endorsement by the American Foreign
believe both our countries need a diplo- of education and training sustained by a
Service Association. Responses are
matic corps reflecting more racial, ethnic training float reserve capacity like in the welcome; send them to journal@afsa.org.
and professional diversity. This is critical, U.S. military or as legally prescribed (but
especially now when barriers to scien- not yet implemented) by the German
tific, cultural and other exchanges are Law on the Foreign Service. to take action and more quickly defend
rising in key regions such as China. In short, we need a career develop- our interests against autocratic maneu-
Indeed, it is our diverse strengths that ment system that allows diplomats to vering. We have to accept that a more
allow us to credibly reach nontraditional design their own regional, thematic and agile diplomatic service requires more
interlocutors in a world that is increas- linguistic expertise and career develop- room for individual action-taking and a
ingly driven by civil society, nongovern- ment path while ensuring that the needs mandate to delegate the responsibility
mental actors, scientists, business leaders of the service are met. coming with it.
and “new” media. Most importantly, we need data-
Modernize Management, centric, inclusive and decentralized
Promote Career Training Support Innovation decision-making processes with fewer
and Development Next, we must modernize our man- clearances before reaching the Minister
Complex issues such as climate agement practices, eliminating bureau- of Foreign Affairs or Secretary of State. As
change, internet governance and nuclear cratic hurdles and allowing our diplo- defenders of the multilateral world order,
proliferation have increased in breadth mats to more ably take action to combat we must be able to nimbly counter strate-
and complexity and, typically, need global challenges. In his book Reinvent- gies of escalation dominance and/or
multilateral solutions. One of the Ger- ing Organizations, Frederic Laloux reflexive control to ensure that local pub-
man Foreign Ministry’s 11 divisions, has shown how successful companies lics and host governments are informed
for example, is solely dedicated to E.U. working in complex environments rely on and mobilized.
coordination—namely, making sure that agile teams and lean management to act The trans-Atlantic partnership and
the necessary expertise from all federal quickly while remaining focused on the history’s most successful joint secu-
German ministries can merge into joint key drivers of their overall strategy. rity shield are the foundation for the
government positions to be negotiated In contrast, both the German and predictable and stable security environ-
into E.U. policies and regulations in U.S. diplomatic corps still have tedious ment that is indispensable for Western
Brussels. and creativity-stifling bureaucracies with prosperity and our highly integrated
Multilateral arenas like the United stiff hierarchies that hinder our ability cooperation patterns in North America
Nations organizations or the World Trade to accomplish the goals of our respec- and Europe.
Organization are based on the work of tive governments. The German Foreign Vastly updating and upgrading our
highly specialized legal and practical Ministry’s in-house regulations and digital capabilities goes hand in hand
experts trained in using their diplomatic its “house culture,” for example, foster with eliminating outdated bureaucratic
toolbox for day-to-day negotiations. an excessive use of co-signatures and impediments. We’ve seen dramatic
Traditional diplomatic career paths horizontal coordination long before the improvements over the past year, in
based on standard two- to three-year hierarchical signoffs even get started. no small part thanks to the COVID-19
rotations must go hand in hand with Autocratic regimes lack public pandemic, but more needs to be done.
careers in which some among us special- accountability or legislative scrutiny In a digital age, we need to take advan-
ize in these emerging, cross-cutting and and are able to swiftly coordinate ad hoc tage of the collaborative tools now
complex policy matters. Secondments initiatives, leaving us in the dust. We available, such as workflow systems that
and exchanges with other governmental need to empower our frontline diplomats minimize time spent on one-off memos,
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JULY-AUGUST 2021 21You can also read
