The Foreign Service Journal, March 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2013 43 AFSA NEWS Raising the Profile of AFSA and the Foreign Service THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 2012 ANNUAL REPORT Dear AFSA members, During 2012, AFSA addressed broad concerns and conducted wide-ranging activities to raise the profile of diplomacy, the Foreign Service and AFSA itself. Key Priorities and Concerns The transition from Secre- tary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to Secretary of State John Kerry provided an opportunity to share our key priorities and areas of concerns: security/diplo- macy and effective risk management that does not overly constrain the ability to engage in the field; strength- ening Foreign Service capac- ity through an increase in substantial education and training opportunities for the profession of diplomacy; tangible recognition and fair compensation for diplomats; and institutional reform and restructuring to strengthen the Foreign Service, the Department of State and USAID. The issues relevant to risks and dangers inherent in the conduct of diplomacy were brought under sharper focus by the tragic events of Sept. 11 in Benghazi. Other themes summarized in the AFSA letter to Secretary-Des- ignate Kerry were prompted by the growing realization of the need to strengthen the Foreign Service and the State Department as professional institutions. The global envi- ronment and its challenges have increased professional demands on the Foreign Ser- vice—as well as on diplomacy and development—to make the right choices on goals, priorities and strategies. Professionalism in Decline At the same time, there is evi- dence that meritocracy and professionalism as concepts governing our diplomatic and development institu- tions are in decline. Political patronage and partisanship have grown steadily in the last four decades. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the senior leadership and man- agement ranks of our agen- cies, where, despite steady expansion, the role of the career Foreign Service has diminished and questions are raised about its capacity to grow the senior leader- ship bench that is needed to craft and implement effective American diplomacy—politi- cal, commercial, develop- mental and humanitarian. Strengthening and Modernizing AFSA Against this backdrop, our 2012 Annual Report reflects AFSA’s continuing focus on: (1) building capacity for more effective advocacy with management and Congress by getting the right staff in place, the data we need for serious and credible analysis, and broader and deeper rela- tionships with key decision- makers; (2) renewing our commitment to professional excellence and advocating for a rethink of requirements for today’s diplomats and what professional education and training is needed, when and how and from whom; (3) improving communications with members and develop- ing more substantial and sustained dialogue between AFSA leadership and our members in the field; (4) reaching out to policymakers and the media for improved and effective advocacy; and (5) clarifying governance and professionalizing and streamlining internal AFSA operations to better define the role and responsibil- ity of the Governing Board AFSA President Susan R. Johnson. BY AFSA PRESIDENT SUSAN R. JOHNSON PHOTOSBYDONNAAYERST

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