The Foreign Service Journal, May 2016

16 MAY 2016 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL T he Global Diplomacy Index is an interactive site created by a leading Australian think tank, The Lowy Institute for Interna- tional Policy. The site maps and ranks the diplomatic networks of 42 countries. All countries examined are members of the Group of 20, the Organization for Economic Coop- eration and Development, or both. Users can compare the reach and strategic placements of posts around the world by viewing spidery webs of influence or points representing individual cities. The Index includes nearly 6,000 posts in 660 cities and covers 3,936 embassies, 1,586 consulates, 303 permanent missions and 98 other repre- sentative posts. Users also have access to a set of country rankings showing which countries proj- ect the most diplomatic power. In terms of number of posts, the top 10 countries examined are the United States, France, China, Russia, United Kingdom, Turkey, Brazil, Germany, Japan and Spain. Users can examine full rankings, and compare up to five countries or cities in terms of post placement by embassy, consulate, mission or all three. The map is just as reveal- ing about host cities as diplomatic networks, and viewers may download a complete infographic listing the statistics for each country. —Shannon Mizzi, Editorial Assistant SITE OF THE MONTH: Global Diplomacy Index, the Lowy Institute: www.lowyinstitute.org/global-diplomacy-index/ campaign in Australia. In the 2012 elec- tion, President Obama spent roughly $1 billion campaigning, whereas in Aus- tralia’s 2013 federal election, the Liberal Party spent roughly $24 million. The lower cost of winning an Austra- lian election means there is less pressure on parties to obtain major private-sector donations and, consequently, fewer prom- ises of chief of mission positions in return. As of this writing, all current non- career Australian chiefs of mission are either former public servants or ex-politicians. None are campaign donors or “bundlers.” (To learn more about Australia’s Ambassadors, visit bit. ly/1NCmUqZ.) n — Briar Blount, Communications Intern