14 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL J oin Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, as he hosts Babel, a CSIS podcast that goes “beyond the headlines” to reveal what’s really happening in the Middle East and North Africa. With the support of regional experts, Babel provides context, features pivotal developments, and uncovers trends you might have missed. Particularly noteworthy is the “Climate Diplomacy in the Middle East,” episode, for which Alterman explores the geopolitics of climate change, challenges to climate diplomacy, and the drivers of energy production in the Middle East and North Africa with Karim Elgendy, associate director at Buro Happold, associate fellow at Chatham House, and senior nonresident scholar at the Middle East Institute. Podcast of the Month: Babel (https://www.csis.org/podcasts/babel-translating-middle-east) The appearance of a particular site or podcast is for information only and does not constitute an endorsement. Sweden participated in its first summit as a NATO ally, marking a significant expansion of the alliance. Finland joined in 2023. Allies reaffirmed their commitment to investing 2 percent of their GDP in defense—two-thirds of the countries already meet this target—and pledged to expand defense industrial capacity. Among initiatives discussed were enhancing NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence with new ballistic missile defense assets and boosting cyber defense through a new NATO Integrated Cyber Defence Centre. Summit participants also agreed to establish NATO Security Assistance and Training for Ukraine (NSATU) and confirmed creation of the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis, Training, and Education Centre (JATEC). Additionally, a pledge of long-term security assistance for Ukraine was announced, promising minimum baseline funding of 40 billion euros within the next year and sustainable levels of security assistance in the future. AI at State During a June 28 event on AI and diplomacy, Chief Data and AI Officer Matthew Graviss spoke with Secretary Antony Blinken about current initiatives to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into the work of the State Department. In his opening remarks, Graviss emphasized AI’s transformative potential to analyze vast amounts of data, identify trends, and provide insights that empower diplomats to navigate complex geopolitical landscapes. He reiterated the State Department’s commitment to harnessing AI responsibly and ethically, aligning with values of transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights. Secretary Blinken elaborated on the department’s modernization agenda, which includes the Enterprise AI Strategy released last fall. He highlighted AI’s role in freeing up diplomats’ time by automating routine tasks and improving analysis to unearth new insights. A focus of Blinken’s address was the challenge of doing “more with less,” especially in the wake of recent budget cuts. Blinken noted that AI can summarize and translate research, combat disinformation, and support negotiations in multilateral organizations. The Secretary acknowledged the challenges and risks associated with AI, including cybersecurity concerns and the potential for bias. “We know that for the most part—and we’ll see AI may be different—technology is amoral, not immoral. It depends on how you use it,” he stated. He also announced the launch of AI.State, a central hub for all AI-related resources within the department that offers training, tools, and libraries of prompts and use cases, encouraging employees to experiment with AI and share their experiences. “This technology is not a substitute for us. It’s a complement to our work. It’s an ability to make us more effective,” Secretary Blinken said. For more information and access to AI resources, visit AI.State on the State Department’s internal network. International Religious Freedom Report The State Department released the 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom on June 26. The report is submitted to Congress annually, as mandated by section 102(b) of the International Religious Freedom Act of 1998 (PL 105-292), to detail instances of religiously motivated abuses, harassment, and discrimination in almost 200 countries. In his remarks at a press conference announcing the release, Secretary of State Antony Blinken noted that the U.S. has spent more than $100 million since 2021 to advance religious freedom across the globe.
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