28 SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2025 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL To prevent the complete loss of institutional knowledge, the U.S. government should develop a comprehensive “Strategic Knowledge Repository” documenting local expertise, successful programming approaches, and evaluation findings. This database would preserve lessons learned and maintain contact information for former staff and partners, enabling more effective future engagement when political circumstances permit restoration of development capabilities. Development as Strategic Investment The path forward requires recognizing that development engagement constitutes a vital instrument of national power that complements traditional diplomatic and military tools. Development partnerships are not luxury items to be discarded during budget constraints or political transitions. They represent strategic assets that advance American prosperity and security through relationships built on trust and mutual benefit. By preserving these accomplishments and capabilities now—even in reduced form—the United States can avoid the far greater costs of rebuilding them later, when their absence has already damaged national interests. This approach demonstrates true fiscal responsibility while protecting America’s strategic position in a complex and competitive global landscape. Even as operational capacity is reduced, the U.S. should maintain communication channels with former partners and staff through virtual forums, alumni networks, and digital platforms for continued knowledge sharing. These modest investments would maintain relationships that might otherwise be severed permanently, preserving options for future engagement. Most important, we must begin planning now for the eventual restoration of critical development capabilities. This requires creating a prioritized list of capacities most urgent to protect, preserve, or restore; maintaining contact with former staff who could help rebuild; and establishing rapid response protocols for reengagement opportunities. Our development partnerships have represented America at its best—engaging the world through collaboration rather than coercion, building capacity rather than dependency, and demonstrating that American leadership derives not just from power but from partnership. This legacy deserves not just protection but renewal through a vision of development diplomacy that advances American interests while addressing the defining challenges of our time. We must act now before it is too late to protect, preserve, modernize, and restore America’s development capabilities. n Rather than terminating indigenous partnerships abruptly, the State Department should implement a structured “Partnership Transition Program.” In February 2025, four senior women leaders came together to establish an emergency initiative to support the USAID community. The project focuses on promoting mental health and wellness, providing career transition support for international development professionals, preserving critical development knowledge, and strengthening communication and coordination across the sector. With the backing and fiscal sponsorship of Forward Global, the Aid Transition Alliance officially launched in April 2025. The four pillars of the project are: • Mental Health & Wellness • Career Transition • Knowledge Capture • Communications The Aid Transition Alliance
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