The Foreign Service Journal, May 2017

10 MAY 2017 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL have a global impact on health, and the ways ambassadors can and must “seize the opportunity” that health programs present. “As we all work to prepare for and defeat emerging diseases and pandemics,” says Amb. Storella, “health programs are not just international good deeds; they are an investment in the security of the Ameri- can people.” Storella’s story includes a discussion of the unique role of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, known as PEPFAR, told by Dr. Deborah L. Birx, who oversees PEPFAR as U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and U.S. Special Representa- tive for Global Health Diplomacy. Launched in 2003 by then-President George W. Bush and coordinated by the State Department, PEPFAR stands out as a critical U.S. interagency program that is helping to bring the global HIV/AIDS epidemic under control, in particular in sub-Saharan Africa where it threatened to engulf the entire continent. On April 13, former President Bush, who had not come into office seeking to expand soft power, said this about the program he launched: “When we confront suffering—when we save lives—we breathe hope into devastated populations, strengthen and stabilize society, and make our country and the world safer.” Ambassador (ret.) Jimmy Kolker adds another dimension in “HHS and Health Diplomacy.” He shares insights gained in taking an unusual path from a 30-year LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Health Diplomacy and the Strength of “Soft” Power BY SHAWN DORMAN L Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. ast month we looked at U.S.- Europe relations and explore d the importance of foundational diplo- macy, of maintaining and growing ties with friends, tending the garden (as former Secretary of State George Shultz likes to say, and I like to repeat). This month, our focus on global health diplomacy offers another angle on the same theme, the importance of effective soft power to serve national security goals. Relationships, partnerships, ties that can bind and bend but not break under pres- sure are what America needs and what diplomacy and development build. In this close look at global health diplomacy, our authors share how the United States works with partners around the world to prevent the spread of danger- ous diseases like HIV/AIDS, Ebola and Zika. And they throw light on the positive, nonlinear effects of this work. When I heard a recent CSIS Global Health Policy Center podcast interview with Mark Storella, a career FSO who was U.S. ambassador to Zambia from 2010 to 2013 and is currently deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, I knew he was the one to write our lead article. In “Leveraging Health Investments for U.S. Diplomacy, ” Ambassador Storella draws on his experi- ence to spell out the unique capacity the United States has to Foreign Service career to work as assistant secretary for global affairs in the Depart- ment of Health and Human Services— which is doing far more work overseas than many realize. In “USAID FSOs Reflect on Global Health Diplomacy” Bea Spadacini spe aks with USAID global health officers about their work saving lives while advancing U.S. interests. These FSOs explain how U.S. leadership in global health serves to push other countries to take health issues seriously and establish commitments on a global level. Ambassador Nancy J. Powell, who led the State Department’s Ebola Coordina- tion Unit in 2014 and was senior coordina- tor for avian influenza in 2005, and Gwen Tobert, who was a member of the ECU and now leads the Pandemic Response Team at State, co-author a fascinating and practical piece. “Fighting Pandemics: Lessons Learned” offers guidance for a strategic approach to ensuring the State Department is prepared to manage future pandemics. Also in this issue, you will find a hard- hitting critique of State’s digital diplo- macy, an FS Know-How on dealing with property managers, and more. Finally, a pitch to all AFSA mem- bers— please vote in the AFSA election going on right now. Make sure your voice is heard by submitting your ballot by June 8 at 8 a.m. to select your 2017-2019 AFSA Governing Board and to weigh in on proposed bylaw amendments. See page 52 for details. Thank you for participating. n