20 JULY-AUGUST 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL The Taliban formally declared the 2020 Doha Agreement void in February and have continued consolidating power under strict sharia law. Meanwhile, thousands of Afghan refugees face deportation from Pakistan, while the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program remains suspended under a separate executive order. SIGAR, whose oversight mandate is set to end in early 2026, continues to monitor remaining obligations and investigations. Senate Resolution Marks Foreign Service Day On May 19, Senators Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), co-founders of the bipartisan Senate Foreign Service Caucus, introduced a resolution recognizing May 2, 2025, as Foreign Service Day. “America’s Foreign Service officers are tasked with promoting America’s interests, strengthening national security, and assisting U.S. citizens in the far corners of the globe, often with little fanfare or recognition,” said Sen. Sullivan. “The work they do is essential to our national security and our standing on the world stage, and we are deeply grateful T his month, we spotlight Devex, a leading platform for global development professionals. Serving as a hub for international development, global health, humanitarian, and sustainability work, Devex connects a worldwide community of experts, organizations, and donors with the latest news, funding opportunities, and career resources. The site offers a blend of journalism, business intelligence, and a searchable database of projects and tenders. Users can stay informed on pressing global issues, follow trends in development financing, and access tailored career advice and job listings across the nonprofit, government, and private sectors. Recent reporting on Devex has covered major shifts in U.S. foreign assistance policy, including the dismantling of USAID. Read more at www.devex.com. Site of the Month: Devex The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement. Goldgeier told NPR. “It’s a way ... to counter conspiracy theories and disinformation.” The firings follow Trump’s broader push to reshape historical narratives in government institutions. In a March executive order, the president called for “restoring truth and sanity to American history” and criticized what he called historical revisionism that fosters “a sense of national shame.” Critics warn that disbanding the congressionally mandated HAC risks undermining the nonpartisan oversight of official U.S. diplomatic history. The State Department has stated that “there is a plan in place to maintain the committee,” though as of early June, all HAC positions remained vacant. Analytic Outreach Program Shuttered The State Department’s Office of Analytic Outreach, which connected government analysts with outside experts, has been closed as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing reorganization of the department. The office, housed within the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, held its final event on May 22, according to an internal email obtained by The Guardian. The Office of Analytic Outreach has served as a bridge between government decision-makers and external experts from academia, think tanks, and research institutions. Afrikaners Welcomed to U.S. On May 12, a chartered plane carrying 59 white South Africans selected to settle in the U.S. as refugees through expedited processing arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau greeted the group at the airport. He told assembled for the sacrifice they and their families make,” Sen. Van Hollen added. The Foreign Service Caucus, established in 2017, has worked to advance legislation supporting Foreign Service personnel and families, including the Foreign Service Families Act, which became law through the FY2022 National Defense Authorization Act. Historical Advisory Committee Members Dismissed In late April, President Trump dismissed all nine members of the State Department’s Historical Advisory Committee (HAC), which oversees the Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS) series: the official historical record of U.S. foreign policy since 1861. In a June 3 interview with NPR, nowformer committee chair Professor James Goldgeier described the HAC’s work as essential for government transparency, noting that FRUS volumes publicly acknowledge sensitive historical covert actions, such as U.S. involvement in the 1973 overthrow of Chilean leader Salvador Allende. “For a democracy, being transparent and accountable is hugely important,”
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=