The Foreign Service Journal, January 2003

ment which requires interagency cooperation — one of the toughest problems. Observers credit the Bush administration’s use of a carrot-and- stick approach to solve it. The “stick” side includes threatening to withhold funding and embarrassing agencies for not cooperating. FirstGov ( www.firstgov.gov ), th e federal government’s primary portal to its Web sites, including EZ Tax when it comes online, and the existing GovBenefits , was rated one of the most useful sites by Yahoo. In the area of government-to- government programs, local, state and federal agencies are working to implement the Social Security Administration’s e-Vital program. Currently, it can take 170 days to process a death certificate, but with the online system it is expected to take five days. One cost-saving advantage is that states can ensure that they do not provide benefits to someone who is not eligible. A problem with the SSA program, however, is that the main constituency (older and disabled persons) is less computer-savvy or has less access to the Internet. Also, state governments have resisted cooperating with e-Vital because they receive a fee for provid- ing hard-copy birth and death certifi- cates. So far, the SSA has worked out agreements with seven states and plans to have all 50 on board by 2005. E-government has been given a strong boost, but there is still a long way to go. E-government is not simply a matter of “putting everything online,” as the Task Force emphasizes. “E-government, like e-business, is about fundamental change in the way organizations and processes work to take advantage of the opportunities IT offers.” — Stephen Yeater, Editorial Intern Comparative Study of Foreign Ministries Launched A hole in the area of diplomacy studies — the comparative examina- tion of diplomatic delivery systems — is about to be filled. The Ministries of Foreign Affairs Research Project has just been launched by DiploProjects ( www.diplomacy.edu ), a nonprofit devoted to the use of IT tools in edu- cation, research and development for diplomacy and international affairs. The project has two main compo- nents: detailed analysis of 16 to 18 selected MFAs representing major countries as well as medium powers and small states, and a much broader statistical survey carried out by all for- eign ministries that may wish to partic- ipate. Survey results will be collated and integrated with the country stud- ies into a book-length work due for publication in a year. In keeping with its commitment to the use of IT tools for diplomacy, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs Research Project has its own Web pages, acces- sible from the home page of the DiploProjects Web site, Diplo , at the URL listed above. Essential informa- tion on the project’s objectives, stages of implementation, and guidelines for participation can be found there, including an open invitation to poten- tial authors for the individual country studies and contact information. Provisionally identified for detailed analysis are the U.S., U.K., Germany, J A N U A R Y 2 0 0 3 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 13 SITE OF THE MONTH: “The Global Beat” T he Global Beat ( www.global beat.org ) is subtitled “Resources for the Global Journalist,” but you don’t have to be a journalist to add this excellent Web site to your favorites list. Every week The Global Beat presents a broad selection of the best coverage of leading issues of the day, drawn from media and publica- tion outlets around the world. A pro- gram of New York University’s Center for War, Peace and the News Media, The Global Beat is run by veteran for- eign correspondent William T. Dowell. One week in November, for exam- ple, there were eight to 10 articles list- ed on the Iraq issue, each from a dif- ferent, insightful angle; two or three on al-Qaida and Afghanistan; and list- ings on NATO’s evolution, Pakistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, North Korea and Brazil. Each listing is headlined, and has a short summary and a link to the actual article. These listings are complemented by samplings from the Global Beat Syndicate, a sister pro- gram headed by John J. Schulz, pro- fessor of international communication at Boston University and a veteran of 21 years with the Voice of America. The site contains links to other Center programs and publications, to information sources on U.S. defense policy, the Middle East and journal- ism organizations, as well as links to extensive lists of experts on a range of foreign affairs issues. And, for those who are interested in the craft behind the news, there is also a link to “Zoned for Debate,” NYU’s Web forum on current issues in journalism. A weekly e-mail Global Beat advi- sory is also available at no charge. C YBERNOTES