The Foreign Service Journal, September 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2022 9 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Africa at the Center BY SHAWN DORMAN Shawn Dorman is the editor of The Foreign Service Journal. A s we were about to go to press with this special edition on U.S. engagement with Africa, Secretary of State Antony Blinken headed out on an Africa tour. During his stop in Pretoria, he gave a major speech launching what is being billed as a newU.S. policy toward sub-Saharan Africa. Tied to that, the White House released a new “U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Sah aran Africa.” Re admore in the n ext FSJ . And so this is a great time to hear from some of the best diplomat experts on Africa. Mark Wentling, a retired USAID Senior Foreign Service officer who served in six African countries, offers his sobering per- spective on Africa today in “Much Cause for Worry: A Clear-Eyed Lo ok at Africa.” Ambassador (ret.) Tibor Nagy, who served in Africa for 22 years at eight posts and as assistant secretary of State for Africa from 2018 to 2021, takes a more optimistic, though still realistic, view in “A Brighter Future for Africa?” Vice President for the U.S.- Africa Business Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Kendra Gaither, a former FSO, looks to the future andmakes the case for the U.S. to engage with Africa as a strategic and economic priority. U.S. Navy Com- mander Jonathan Ahl- strom, writing from the USS Columbus nuclear submarine, argues in “Higher Education and the New Scramble for Africa” that the U.S. should invest in education for Africans as a vital component of our engagement. In a fascinating look back, FSO (ret.) Gregory Garland recounts how two Ameri- can politicians were first to prioritize rela- tions with Africa in “Kennedy, Nixon and the Competition for Mr. Africa, 1952-1960.” In the Feature, “Helping Refugees in Poland,” FS family member Lilia Lally describes her expe rience helping Ukrai- nians fo rced to flee home. And in FS Heri- tage, FSO (ret.) LucianoMangiafico tells the curious story of “The Short Diplomatic Career of Mordecai Manuel Noah.” In “Retirement Pl anning: AMid-Career Checklist,” AFSA Retiree Vice Presi dent John Naland, a former director of State’s Retiremen t Office, offers great advice on how to ensure a comfortable life after the Foreign Service. The Local Lens is a glimpse of busy times in North Sulawesi fromEmbassy Jakarta’ s senior com mercial officer, Paul Taylor. If you’d like to see a favorite recent photo of yours travel the world on the Jour- nal ’s pages, please submit it to locallens@ afsa.org . In the Speaking Out, USAID FSO (ret.) José Garzón looks back at his long career of democracy promotion and asks some tough questions in “Democracy as a Voca- tion.” And grown-up Foreign Service kid Louisa Rogers offers a relatable Reflection on “T he Lure of the ‘Painful Childhood.’” In his President’s Views column, Am bassador Eric Rubin welcomes Dire c- tor Gene ral Marcia Bernicat and pre sents a list of priorities AFSA hopes to engage with her team on to strengthen the For- eign Service. AFSA News this month is jam-packed with association happenings, including the 2022 merit scholarship award winners, a Diplomats at Work event with a Foreign Commercial Service officer, a screening of “The Lavender Scar e,” the chiefs-of-mis- sion breakfast, an event hon oring Archer Blood (and dissent), S tate VP Tom Yaz- dgerdi on famil y memb er employment, plus columns fromA FSA’s USAID and FAS vice presi dents, along with welcomes fo r new Governing Board an d Editori al B oard members, plus two new staff members. The October edition will include per- spectives on Ukraine from Ambassadors (ret.) Bill Taylor and Rose Gottemoeller, and others, as well as a requested article from the Board of Examiners (BEX) to explain the changes to the Foreign Ser- vice exam and assessment process. We look forward to shining light on what’s felt like a mysterious process to many, including AFSA. In closing, I offer news from the grammar front. After much debate dur- ing recent FSJ style guide updating, we decided to adopt the serial, or “Oxford,” comma, starting with the October edition. For those who don’t care, just know that this is a highly emotional topic for those who do. Please be in touch with responses to articles and other submissions (Local Lens, Off-Road with the Foreign Service, Speak- ing Out, Feature, FS Know-How, Reflec- tions). Write to us at journal@afsa.org. n