The Foreign Service Journal, May 2003

Today the “international cooperation and development” subculture in the FAS is moving in the direction of support for the core mission of promoting exports, and the main- stream FAS culture is starting to recognize the utility of technical assistance in helping openmarkets. The new con- cept is “trade capacity-building,” and it appears to be on the way to acceptance. FAS Today With 50 years (or 73, or 218, depending on how you count) behind it, FAS looks ahead to new challenges: nego- tiating the Doha Development Agenda and a Free Trade Area for the Americas, and the growing importance of high- value and consumer ready products. Europe is challenging us as a major food exporter while continuing to restrict access to its market. Technical assistance is more market- oriented today, competitors demand curtailment of our export credit guarantee programs, and both commercial sales and food aid delivery are complicated by the rise of foreign opposition to products of biotechnology. In 1930 the attaché communicated with Washington by diplomatic pouch. Today he or she uses e-mail, phone, and fax. In 1930 all FAS attachés were white males. Today the service is much more diverse. Our most senior overseas officer is a woman, our administra- tor is a woman, and of two FAS career ministers serving in ambassadorships, one is an African-American woman. But, we are still working on bringing four disparate cor- porate subcultures together, not to mention healing the wounds of the Civil /Foreign Service fracas. In 1930 the focus was on Europe, with only intermittent postings to Shanghai, Sydney, Buenos Aires and Mexico City. Today the focus is on Asia and the Western Hemisphere, and we are reducing our presence in Europe. In the 1950s, we mostly dealt with state trading organizations. Today the private sector reigns in most of the world. Some things remain the same, however. Just like Mr. Jefferson, we are still trying to get our agricultural products into Europe, and everywhere else, “on favorable terms.” F O C U S M A 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 43 Interim Accommodations for Corporate and Government Markets Apartments, Townhouses & Single Family Homes “FOR THE EXECUTIVE ON THE MOVE” finder5@IX.netcom.com Locations throughout Northern Virginia and D.C. Units fully furnished, equipped and accessorized Many “Walk to Metro” locations Pet Friendly 5105-L Backlick Road, Annandale, Virginia Tel: (703) 354-4070 Fax: (703) 642-3619 Executive Lodging Alternatives