PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION SEPTEMBER 2024 PLUS PRE-ELECTION HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT RESTRICTION REFORM MESSAGE FROM THE HILL THE CLIMATE DIPLOMACY LANDSCAPE
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 5 September 2024 Volume 101, No. 7 Features 48 A Decade-Long Campaign to Reform Assignment Restriction Programs By Matthew Asada 54 Employee Organizations Advance Religious Inclusion at State By Thomas Lyons Focus on the Climate Diplomacy Landscape 26 The Climate Crisis: How the U.S. Is Leading the Global Response By Sue Biniaz 31 Unlocking Resilience: Using Data to Drive Positive Climate Action in Conflict-Prone Regions By Luna Ruiz and Kayly Ober 35 AI Air Quality Forecasting: A State-NASA Partnership By Mary Tran 38 Fertilizer Diplomacy By Michael Conlon 43 Decarbonizing Industry Through Demand: The First Movers Coalition By Pablo Burkolter 47 From the FSJ Digital Archive: Climate Diplomacy Appreciation 80 A Soft-Spoken Institution Builder: Lars Holman Hydle (1940-2023) By Thomas Boyatt Retirement Supplement 89 Life After the Foreign Service: From U.S. Diplomat to Diplomatic Educator By Richard W. Mueller
6 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL 101 Reflections Prying Open a Closed Society in Poland By Dick Virden 102 Local Lens Taipei, Taiwan By Noah Rose Cover and interior art—Art by Jean Francois Podevin/The i Spot. Marketplace 96 Real Estate 99 Classifieds 100 Index to Advertisers 7 President’s Views Staying True to Ourselves By Tom Yazdgerdi 19 Speaking Out Pre-Election Homework: Build Our Institution By John Fer 22 Message from the Hill From FS Kid to FS Champion in Congress: A Conversation with Senator Chris Van Hollen Perspectives Departments 9 Letters 12 Talking Points 83 In Memory 94 Books AFSA NEWS THE OFFICIAL RECORD OF THE AMERICAN FOREIGN SERVICE ASSOCIATION 59 Celebrating 100 Years in Style 60 S tate VP Voice—Understanding Assignment Restrictions and Denials 61 USAID VP Voice—Transition Anxiety 62 Retiree VP Voice—Reviewing Your Retirement Plan 63 William Burns on Serving with Honor 64 Party in a Box! 65 A Birthday Party of the Century 66 FS Retiree Makes Resolution 206 Happen 67 Op-Ed Voices Celebrate Centennial 67 AFSA Hosts Chiefs of Mission 68 Meet the 2024 AFSA Merit Award Winners 73 2024 AFSA Strategic Writing Award Winner: Mark Gul 73 Guidance on In-State College Tuition 74 G overning Board Welcome 74 N ew Name, New System, Same Great Service to Members 75 Caucus to Shine a Light on Road Safety Abroad 75 Assignment Restriction Appeals—A New Victory 76 AFSA-FSI Town Hall on Modernization 76 USGLC’s Annual Global Impact Forum 77 Embassy Paramaribo Honors Fallen Diplomats 78 AFSA Good Works—Foreign Service Books 59
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 7 Staying True to Ourselves BY TOM YAZDGERDI Tom Yazdgerdi is the president of the American Foreign Service Association. PRESIDENT’S VIEWS As I write this column in late July, we are entering the latter stage of the 2024 presidential elections. There is much uncertainty and, to be frank, uneasiness about what the future holds for the U.S. Foreign Service. Whichever party wins, we may see another divided Congress that could continue to hamper the ability to compromise and pass legislation. For Fiscal Year 2025, and perhaps beyond, we can expect flat or declining international affairs budgets that, at best, do not keep pace with inflation, risking the continued robust hiring that is so desperately needed to keep our missions abroad fully staffed and engaged. There may also be attempts to put in place policies that significantly weaken the Foreign Service and AFSA—based on assumptions that these are partisan organizations working against the intent of the administration. We all know that such assumptions are false. Throughout its storied history, the Foreign Service has faithfully carried out the foreign policy initiatives of every U.S. president, regardless of party, in some of the most difficult and dangerous places on earth. That will not change, nor should it ever. It is this nonpartisan and professional orientation that is our greatest strength. It allows us to provide continuity between administrations and to give presidents and their national security teams our best advice. We may offer alternatives to current policy, internally and including use of the Dissent Channel that AFSA helped institutionalize in the 1970s. But once we offer this advice, and whether or not it is taken, we implement the administration’s policy. If we cannot do that, then the next step is resignation. Throughout this centennial year of the modern Foreign Service, AFSA has emphasized not only the duty and sacrifice of our members, but the true nature of our Service, which is dedicated to protecting our citizens and U.S. interests and promoting American values overseas. AFSA is scrupulous about not taking sides in presidential elections, favors neither party, does not engage in foreign policy debates, and issues no political statements. In that sense, we are akin to members of the military. All this is not to say that AFSA will remain silent if we see policies that threaten the existence of the Foreign Service and the well-being of our members. We have and will continue to stand up for the Foreign Service. AFSA is proud of the legal and moral support, for example, that we provided to FS members who were subpoenaed to testify before Congress during the previous administration. We have developed our relationships on Capitol Hill to the extent that AFSA is a respected voice on both sides of the aisle. This has resulted in policy wins that make our Service stronger and more resilient. AFSA recently supported bipartisan legislation (HR 1002) that would oppose the creation of Schedule F. Introduced by the previous administration, the Schedule F initiative would create a new category of government employees in policymaking positions who would not be provided the same labor rights and protections as those in competitive, merit-based positions. In doing so, Schedule F would essentially politicize key government positions and would have a corrosive effect on merit-based government service. HR 1002 would prevent any position in the federal competitive service from being reclassified outside merit system principles unless such positions are placed in the excepted service as in effect on Sept. 30, 2020. There have been several attempts to consider the bill as an amendment to the annual National Defense Authorization Act, but none have been successful so far. In the hue and cry of a divided America, and in a presidential election year and beyond, we must stay true to ourselves. That means implementing the foreign policy of any incoming administration but also ensuring that we have the space to offer our best, objective advice and that our Foreign Service has the respect and support of the new president and their foreign policy team. Please let me know your thoughts by writing yazdgerdi@afsa.org or member@afsa.org. n
8 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL www.sfiprogram.org SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE SFI-01268 Certified Sourcing Editor in Chief, Director of Publications Shawn Dorman: dorman@afsa.org Deputy Editor Donna Gorman: gorman@afsa.org Senior Editor Susan Brady Maitra: maitra@afsa.org Managing Editor Kathryn Owens: owens@afsa.org Associate Editor Mark Parkhomenko: parkhomenko@afsa.org Publications Coordinator and Content Strategist Hannah Harari: harari@afsa.org Business Development Manager— Advertising and Circulation Molly Long: long@afsa.org Art Director Caryn Suko Smith Editorial Board Vivian Walker, Chair Lynette Behnke, Gov. Bd. Liaison Suzanne August David Bargueño Hon. Robert M. Beecroft Gaïna Dávila Hon. Jennifer Z. 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Email: journal@afsa.org Phone: (202) 338-4045 Fax: (202) 338-8244 Web: www.afsa.org/fsj Address Changes: member@afsa.org © American Foreign Service Association, 2024 PRINTED IN THE USA Postmaster: Send address changes to AFSA, Attn: Address Change 2101 E Street NW Washington DC 20037-2990 AFSA Headquarters: (202) 338-4045; Fax (202) 338-6820 State Department AFSA Office: (202) 647-8160; Fax (202) 647-0265 USAID AFSA Office: (202) 712-1941; Fax (202) 216-3710 FCS AFSA Office: (202) 482-9088; Fax (202) 482-9087 GOVERNING BOARD President Tom Yazdgerdi: yazdgerdi@afsa.org Secretary Sue Saarnio: saarnio@afsa.org Treasurer Hon. John O’Keefe: okeefe@afsa.org State Vice President Hui Jun Tina Wong: wong@afsa.org USAID Vice President Randy Chester: chester@afsa.org FCS Vice President Joshua Burke: burke@afsa.org FAS Vice President Evan Mangino: mangino@afsa.org Retiree Vice President John K. 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Logan Wheeler: wheeler@afsa.org Whitney Wiedeman: wiedeman@afsa.org USAID Representative Christopher Saenger: saenger@afsa.org FCS Alternate Representative Jay Carreiro: jay.carreiro@afsa.org FAS Alternate Representative Zeke Spears: spears@afsa.org USAGM Representative Steve Herman: herman@afsa.org APHIS Representative Joe Ragole: ragole@afsa.org Retiree Representatives Mary Daly: daly@afsa.org Edward Stafford: stafford@afsa.org STAFF Executive Director Ásgeir Sigfússon: sigfusson@afsa.org Executive Assistant to the President Jahari Fraser: fraser@afsa.org Office Coordinator Therese Thomas: therese@afsa.org PROFESSIONAL POLICY ISSUES AND ADVOCACY Director of Professional Policy Issues Julie Nutter: nutter@afsa.org Director of Advocacy Kim Sullivan: greenplate@afsa.org Policy Analyst Sean O’Gorman: ogorman@afsa.org FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION Director of Finance Femi Oshobukola: oshobukola@afsa.org Director, HR and Operations Cory Nishi: cnishi@afsa.org Controller Kalpna Srimal: srimal@afsa.org Member Accounts Specialist Ana Lopez: lopez@afsa.org IT and Infrastructure Coordinator Aleksandar “Pav” Pavlovich: pavlovich@afsa.org COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH Director of Communications Nikki Gamer: gamer@afsa.org Manager of Outreach and Internal Communications Allan Saunders: saunders@afsa.org Online Communications Manager Jeff Lau: lau@afsa.org Manager, Outreach and Strategic Communications Nadja Ruzica: ruzica@afsa.org Communication and Educational Outreach Coordinator Erin Oliver: oliver@afsa.org MEMBERSHIP Director, Programs and Member Engagement Christine Miele: miele@afsa.org Membership Operations Coordinator Mouna Koubaa: koubaa@afsa.org Coordinator of Member Recruitment and Benefits Perri Green: green@afsa.org Counselor for Retirees Dolores Brown: brown@afsa.org Member Events Coordinator Hannah Chapman: chapman@afsa.org Program Coordinator Indigo Stegner: stegner@afsa.org OFFICE OF THE GENERAL COUNSEL General Counsel Sharon Papp: PappS@state.gov Deputy General Counsel Raeka Safai: SafaiR@state.gov Senior Staff Attorneys Zlatana Badrich: BadrichZ@state.gov Neera Parikh: ParikhNA@state.gov Labor Management Counselor Colleen Fallon-Lenaghan: FallonLenaghanC@state.gov Senior Labor Management Adviser James Yorke: YorkeJ@state.gov Labor Management Coordinator Patrick Bradley: BradleyPG@state.gov Senior Grievance Counselor Heather Townsend: TownsendHA@state.gov USAID Labor Management Adviser Sue Bremner: sbremner@usaid.gov Attorney Advisers Erin Kate Brady: brady@afsa.org Benjamin Phillips: PhillipsBE@state.gov FOREIGN SERVICE CONTACTS www.afsa.org
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 9 LETTERS Lost the Proofs? It was with great incredulity that I failed to find any “Letters to the Editor” in the July-August 2024 Journal. It seems most unlikely to me that you received no letters from your readers, active and retired, in the past month or so. What’s the explanation? Ran out of space? Lost the galley proofs? A decision to eliminate this time-tested feature? I cannot speak for others, but as a retiree, I find Letters consistently among the most stimulating parts of the magazine, providing readers with interesting and provocative observations, current and historical, from our fellow members. Please do not let it die. Jack R. Binns Ambassador, retired Tucson, Arizona Editor’s Note: We did not, in fact, have any new letters in time for the July-August edition. Happily, after a brief lull, we are now back to an overflowing inbox. Resigning in Protest As a retired Senior FSO, I wanted to comment briefly on the remarkable contribution that Stacy Gilbert has rendered to the Foreign Service (see “Gaza Update” in Talking Points, July-August 2024 FSJ). Gilbert recently resigned from the State Department in protest over the failure of the department and the U.S. government to report accurately and honestly to the U.S. Congress on the failure of the government of Israel to meet its basic humanitarian responsibilities to the people of Gaza, in the context of Israel’s military operations there. She acted in the finest traditions of the Foreign Service in protesting errant U.S. policy, where concerns over human rights and humanitarian needs are subordinated to so-called national security priorities. Such errant policy was also evident—and protested—during the Vietnam War and subsequent U.S. policy in Afghanistan. Edmund McWilliams FSO, retired White Oaks, New Mexico “Henry of the Tower” and the Slave Trade I recently read Ambassa- dor Thomas Hull’s article, “Henry of the Tower Revisited” (June 2024 FSJ). I found the article quite helpful for my research: a biography of Henry Laurens. Amb. Hull’s article highlighted a component I had not yet considered—the pervasive nature of slavery in Laurens’ life. “Henry of the Tower” was one of the wealthiest American colonists of the 18th century. Much of that wealth was derived from his slaving enterprise and numerous Lowcountry plantations. These unsavory aspects of Laurens’ life will certainly feature in my work. Hull emphasized the connection between these facets of Laurens’ life and his experience in the Tower. Laurens’ longtime friend and business partner in the enslaving business negotiated his release, thus tightly connecting one of the United States’ first ambassador’s freedom to his revolting participation in the commodification of human beings. Of course, Hull’s point was to counter a 1969 article by Ralph Hilton, written in this journal. Hilton article praised Laurens’ character and ambassadorial role, declaring his values to be the “cornerstone” of the Foreign Service. Hull not only effectively debunked Hilton but also provided this historian with an important reminder. Greg Brooking, PhD Atlanta, Georgia Revisiting Henry of the Tower Regarding Tom Hull’s article on Henry Laurens, thanks for this correction to the historical record. Strange, how blind we have been until recently to the slave owners in our history and the effect of their greed and inhumanity on the rest of us, whether Black or other. Between outright ownership and the shipping trade, anyone of great wealth in the U.S. prior to the early 1800s was somehow benefiting off the slave trade and slave labor. How did we ignore that for so long? Thanks for writing this piece. Liz Barnett FSO, retired Boston, Massachusetts Why Project 2025 Matters One of the most prominent players in the game of Washington politics is the Heritage Foundation. It is currently engaged in Project 2025, which is designed to profoundly reshape the federal government if a conservative president takes office in January. Project 2025, which is supported by dozens of other conservative organizations, is Heritage’s game plan for a new Republican administration. In its 900 pages, the playbook for a conservative takeover of government and an agenda to be implemented in the first 180 days is laid out.
10 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Those who wish to become government officials in such an administration have to answer a Heritage questionnaire about their views on fetal rights, union membership, selecting immigrants by country of origin, and racism. While a person can also upload a résumé, there are no questions about education or experience. It is, in essence, a loyalty test to conservatism as Heritage defines it. There is a chapter on each cabinet agency, and the one on the State Department lays out a vision of how to remake State into a “lean and functional diplomatic machine.” Written by Kiron Skinner, who briefly served as head of the Policy Planning Office during Mike Pompeo’s time as Secretary, it calls for the immediate replacement of all the incumbents in jobs down to deputy assistant secretary level and any other “leadership” positions the moment the new president is sworn in on Jan. 20. Anyone slated for a position requiring Senate confirmation would be put in place in an acting capacity on that day without waiting for congressional action or, presumably, a security clearance. The chapter mentions a desire to “maximize the value of career officials” but makes clear none of them will be allowed to fill a position above the level of office director. The chapter also points out that there are no predetermined percentages for the number of ambassadors who are political appointees, Foreign Service officers, and civil servants. Indeed, the Constitution does not specify any percentages, which is why under Trump, the percentage of non-career ambassadors reached 46 percent—the highest percentage since at least the Truman administration. The percentage could certainly be higher if the next president chooses to ignore qualifications, norms, and the Foreign Service Act of 1980, and if the Senate consents to that. Further, the State chapter asserts that the president should be able to withhold foreign aid and suspend visas for all citizens of any country for any reason. And it argues that the U.S. should never act in accordance with any treaty the U.S. Senate has not ratified. Since the Law of the Sea Treaty is one of those unratified treaties that is nonetheless used as a guide, how territorial disputes in, say, the South China Sea will be settled is left unclear. This seems to me to be a recipe for groupthink and a return to the 19th- century spoils system. And it will be easy for the next conservative president to put in place, thanks to Heritage. Dennis Jett Ambassador, retired Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania FSI’s People Principles At the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), we value The Foreign Service Journal’s coverage of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) and recognize the significance of these principles for the Foreign Service in this era of rapid change. Fostering a culture centered on DEIA is more crucial than ever to our mission and workplace. At FSI, we have taken an innovative approach to codifying and embody- ing DEIA in our classrooms and in our offices. Over the last two years, FSI conducted several comprehensive studies and enterprise-level assessments of our work environment and training programs. The studies identified strengths in our current DEIA practices while pinpointing areas for improvement. One significant finding indicated that while employees understood DEIA concepts, they faced challenges in applying them practically in their daily roles. This prompted the FSI senior leadership team to look at how we could integrate DEIA principles into day-to-day work activities to make them relevant and actionable. We developed a set of guiding principles that form the foundation for how FSI will continue to grow as a community of inclusion and belonging—FSI’s People Principles. The seven People Principles aim to enhance alignment between training content and organizational DEIA goals, increase employee understanding and application of DEIA principles in daily work, and ultimately contribute to creating a more inclusive and accessible workplace environment. These principles reflect our collective commitment to action. By (1) respecting all, (2) recognizing and acknowledging who is in the room, (3) establishing the foundations for psychological safety, (4) guaranteeing accessible learning environments, (5) facilitating learning using adult and experiential learning theories, (6) recognizing bias, and (7) responding to harmful conduct, we are taking proactive steps to hold ourselves accountable while creating a welcoming and supportive environment for all employees. The People Principles recognize that FSI’s DEIA vision requires more than just rhetoric; it demands tangible efforts to embed equity, inclusion, and accessibility into the DNA of our daily operations. As we navigate the complexities of today’s intercultural work environment at FSI, with our workforce drawn from a wide variety of countries and cultures, the People Principles stand as guideposts, shaping positive behavior and interactions within our organization. These principles apply to all FSI personnel and students regardless of
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 11 employment status and will be posted across the FSI campus as a reference point for the standard of behavior to which we will hold ourselves, our students, and our guest speakers accountable. Moreover, FSI plans to use the People Principles as the foundation for developing future inclusive leadership curriculum, processes, and policy. By upholding FSI’s People Principles and actively engaging in DEIA initiatives, employees are contributing to a more positive work environment where diversity is respected, inclusion is promoted, and individuals can thrive professionally and personally. Together, FSI is poised to stand as a champion of diversity and inclusion serving the State Department’s entire global workforce. Frederick C. Jefferson III Senior Adviser for Inclusive Leadership Foreign Service Institute Arlington, Virginia Wary or Weary? I welcome Emmalee Gruesen’s recognition of the overwhelming similarity in the challenges faced by military and Foreign Service families (“DETO Developments: A Glass Half Empty?” in Letters, January-February 2024 FSJ). Raised a military “brat” and married to a career Army officer, I am personally familiar with and deeply appreciative of the sacrifices of America’s military families. I was surprised, though, by Gruesen’s perception of Adam Pearlman’s observations and concerns (articulated in his letter, “The DETO Landscape: An Optimistic Caution,” in the October 2023 FSJ) as reflecting a “general wariness of military spouses.” Pearlman’s letter and his subsequent Speaking Out piece (November 2023 FSJ), “The Quest for Reasonable Civ-Mil Parity,” point out that both EO 14100 and the Joining Forces initiative are exclusively focused on military family members, including provisions for preferential consideration of military spouses for federal employment, and directing prioritization of military spouses (exclusively) for federal DETO (telework overseas) agreements. Pearlman’s observation strikes me not as a “wariness” of our sisters and brothers in uniform and their spouses, but rather a “weariness” that—though reassuringly recognized by Ms. Gruesen—the challenges facing Foreign Service spouses are overlooked in such significant initiatives affecting federal employment policy. R. Carl Paschall Senior FSO Washington, D.C. A Terrible Gesture Throughout the first two years of the Second Gulf War (2003-2005), I was the U.S. consul for labor and economic affairs in Casablanca, the commercial capital of the first country to recognize the United States of America. Virtually all my Moroccan contacts from labor unions, business associations, academia, and civil society first supported our invasion of Iraq. They well understood that Saddam Hussein and his military regime were a menace to the region and had a stranglehold on the Iraqi people. They only hoped that there would be minimal civilian casualties. Their attitude changed drastically after confirmed reports about U.S. military personnel abusing and torturing Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib prison. They deeply bemoaned what happened, saying it sullied America’s reputation as the world’s human rights standard-bearer. They stressed that the U.S. must remain true to its values if it hoped to win hearts and minds in the Middle East and North Africa. Now, more than 20 years later, over Memorial Day weekend, prominent politician and former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, in a brazen and callous publicity stunt, displayed her long-standing anti-Arab animosities by signing an Israeli artillery shell with the words “Finish Them!” in all caps. She should have known better. The photo op, now widely disseminated, can and will surely add to the number of anti-American jihadists eager for revenge and worsen Israel’s isolation and pariah status among its critics. It won’t increase Israel’s security by one iota but promises to further endanger our troops, diplomatic personnel, journalists, business representatives, educators, missionaries, NGO workers, and travelers throughout the region. Words matter—especially coming from a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. George W. Aldridge FSO, retired San Marcos, Texas n Corrections In the May 2024 USAID VP column, Garnett A. Zimmerly’s name was incorrectly spelled. In the July-August 2024 In Memory section, the year of Mr. Christopher Wittman’s posting to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations should have read 2001, not 2021 as printed. We regret the errors.
12 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL TALKING POINTS Diplomatic Landmark Declared Endangered To kick off Preservation Month on May 1, as it has done since 1987, the National Trust for Historic Preservation released its annual listing of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places.” This year, for the first time, the list includes an overseas property belonging to the American people, the storied Tangier American Legation. U.S. EMBASSY ISLAMABAD WIKIMEDIA/DIEGO DELSO U.S. Embassy Islamabad’s Citrus Grove Team in front of the grove on the embassy compound. From left: Muhammad Sohail, Danish Maqsood, Asim Mehmood, Muhammad Irfan Munir, Ali Khan, Zafar Mehmood, and Atta Ullah. Spotlight on Climate Curriculum The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) has significantly expanded its climate and sustainability curriculum since 2021, when President Biden signed Executive Orders 14008 and 14057 requiring climate literacy for all federal employees. Deepening knowledge of the effects of climate change on the department’s mission and honing the skills needed to advance climate action are critical. To that end, FSI now presents a range of dynamic, interrelated, and expanding courses. Now available to foreign affairs professionals at FSI are two new five-day climate courses on diplomatic issues and tradecraft, and six advanced two-day workshops covering climate finance, security, resilience, communications, technology, and ambition. These classes have reached more than 350 students, including all the State Department climate officers. Beyond the classroom, the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions (M/SS), Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI), and FSI co-chair a climate literacy and workforce working group to drive progress and maintain an online resource hub of information for management professionals on sustainable operations. FSI, GDI, and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES) aim to continue to equip foreign affairs professionals with the strategic context, science, technology, and management tenets necessary to reduce the environmental footprint of U.S. diplomacy. FSI’s climate courses aim to better equip the workforce with the knowledge and tools to identify the intersection between job responsibilities, the climate crisis, and the actions everyone can take to make a difference. Greening Diplomacy Awards For more than a decade, the Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI) has cata- lyzed climate and sustainability solutions in State Department operations to conserve natural and financial resources, cut emiss- ions, build climate resilience, and showcase U.S. innovation. Every year, GDI honors teams and initiatives that advance sustainability principles at U.S. missions worldwide. On April 22, during the State Department’s Earth Day celebration, Embassy Islamabad, Embassy Bogotá, and Embassy New Delhi received the 2024 Greening Diplomacy Initiative awards. Embassy Islamabad received the Award for Excellence in Team Sustainability Performance for a comprehensive range of activities including reducing gas consumption, increasing HVAC efficiency, planting a citrus grove to act as a carbon sink, reducing fertilizer usage, and replacing plastic containers in the cafeteria with recyclable aluminum. Runner-up U.S. Embassy Bogotá sponsored the Carrera Verde de Bogotá (Bogotá’s Green Race), which saw more than 6,500 participants fund the planting of 20,000 trees, and expanded the embassy’s electric vehicle fleet. The People’s Choice Award winner, U.S. Embassy New Delhi, was recognized for its revenue-generating waste management program that funds other sustainability projects, such as electric motor bikes and solar-powered charging stations for the facilities team. Old American Legation Museum, Tangier, Morocco.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 13 State Department recipients of the Presidential Federal Sustainability Award for Advancing Carbon-Free Electricity with Federal Chief Sustainability Officer Andrew Mayock. From left: Andrew Mayock, State Acting Chief Sustainability Officer Caroline D’Angelo, Keith Heffern, Jacob Rocca, Mark Pituch, and Toshiya Ikeda. Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Administration Alaina Teplitz accepts the Presidential Federal Sustainability Award on behalf of the State Department from White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. PHOTOS: WHITE HOUSE Now in its sixth year, the Resilience Innovation Fund, sponsored by the Greening Diplomacy Initiative (GDI), and funded and managed by the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO), provides up to $1 million in technical support each year for innovative projects that advance the resilience and sustainability of State Department operations and facilities. This year, 16 posts received funding for a wide array of projects, including the installation of insulation, electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting systems, A gift from Morocco’s sultan in 1821, it was our nation’s first foreign property and served as a U.S. diplomatic mission longer than any other—140 years. Hours after the announcement, Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard Verma, joined by National Trust for Historic Preservation President and CEO Carol Quillen, Kingdom of Morocco Ambassador to the United States Youssef Amrani, and Fund to Conserve U.S. Diplomatic Treasures Abroad Director Andrea Cochrane Tracey, came together at the National Museum of American Diplomacy in Washington, D.C., to welcome the legation’s inclusion. Ambassador Verma described the Tangier Legation as a “powerful symbol of American diplomacy and of our nation’s longstanding ties with the Islamic world.” “But,” he continued, “the legation needs help, and this listing will bring needed attention and resources, ensuring it continues to thrive as an active center celebrating the friendship between our countries.” Director of Overseas Buildings Operations Will Moser, joined by U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Puneet Talwar, sent a recorded greeting to the gathering from Tangier, where they were visiting the legation. They saw firsthand the structural and systems challenges facing the sprawling, Moorish-style structure, which recently suffered damage when an adjacent building collapsed. The legation no longer hosts U.S. personnel and has been leased since 1976 to the private, nonprofit Tangier American Legation Institute for Moroccan Studies (TALIM), which was established in 1976 by former U.S. diplomats. The site is home to a museum, library, and regional NATO at 75 In July, leaders from Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, and the countries of the European Union met in Washington, D.C., the birthplace of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, to commemorate NATO’s 75th anniversary. During a three-day summit, they discussed common security challenges and areas of cooperation, focusing on three main topics: strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense, bolstering longterm support for Ukraine, and deepening NATO partnerships. low power consumption light upgrades, bicycle storage, and flood fortifications. The 2024 recipients are: Embassies Astana, Beijing, Bern, Bridgetown, Budapest, Dar es Salaam, Islamabad, Kigali, La Paz, Lilongwe, Rome, Santo Domingo, Sofia, and Windhoek; Consulate General Monterrey; and the American Institute of Taiwan. This year’s winners showcased innovative initiatives in support of White House, congressional, and State Department mandates, including Executive Orders 14008 and 14057 and the Federal Sustainability Plan. studies center, but lacks an adequate maintenance budget. To handle the legation’s mounting needs, the nonprofit Fund to Conserve U.S. Diplomatic Treasures Abroad is seeking to establish a $10 million endowment. The fund announced an initial $250,000 gift but stresses the importance of broad participation in the campaign from all who understand the importance of preserving our nation’s diplomatic heritage. (For more on protecting America’s diplomatic treasures, see the Speaking Out by Glyn Davies in the March 2024 FSJ.) GDI-OBO Resilience Innovation Fund Awards
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.
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 15 He lauded the department’s work to provide legal assistance to those who are persecuted, to train human rights defenders, and to secure the release of people in prison for exercising their rights to religious freedom, saying that over the last year, 47 such prisoners were freed. The report is produced by the Office of International Religious Freedom, whose mission is to promote universal respect for freedom of religion or belief as a core objective of U.S. foreign policy. The office monitors global religious freedom, developing and implementing policies and programs to address related concerns. The 2023 Report on International Religious Freedom can be accessed on the Department of State’s website. Secretary Grew’s Address 100 Years Ago However, in whatever degree that prejudice [between the consular and diplomatic services] existed, we now confidently look forward to seeing it completely demolished. We are all members of one big organization, serving the Government with one single intent, namely, to advance its interests in the highest possible degree. And whatever duties we are severally fulfilling, however diverse may be the functions of one office or officer from another, we must now establish and build up a single esprit de corps for our united service, which will yield in point of service pride and practical patriotism not only to no other service under the United States Government, but to no other service under the sun. Cooperation will yield its due practical results and through high service spirit we shall attain to high service efficiency. We have a great future before us and let us not forget that our organization must and will be not only cooperative and efficient, but democratic, representative, patriotic and, above all, wholly and essentially American. —Joseph Clark Grew, U.S. Under Secretary of State, in the American Consular Bulletin (precursor to the FSJ), September 1924. Panda Diplomacy: Meet Bao Li and Qing Bao The Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C., has announced the exciting return of giant pandas to the capital. Two young giant pandas, Bao Li and Qing Bao, are set to arrive from China later this year. Bao Li, a 2-year-old male, has a special connection to the zoo. He is the son of Bao Bao, who was born there in 2013. His grandparents, Mei Xiang and Tian Tian, were beloved residents of the zoo for more than two decades before their departure last year. Qing Bao, a 2-year-old female, will join Bao Li there. The announcement was made by Chinese Ambassador Xie Feng: “For the well-being of both peoples, and the future of the world, China and the United States should choose to be partners, not rivals,” he said. The Smithsonian has had a long-standing tradition of panda diplomacy, a practice that began in 1972 when China gifted two pandas, Ling-Ling and HsingHsing, to the U.S. as a gesture of goodwill following President Richard Nixon’s visit to China. Over the years, panda diplomacy has evolved, with pandas now being loaned to zoos worldwide as a part of a global conservation effort. These efforts have led to scientific advancements in panda breeding and habitat conservation. The pandas are coming on a 10-year lease, with the zoo paying $1 million annually to the China Wildlife and Conservation Association. The zoo is currently renovating its panda habitat and plans to restart the “giant panda cam.” A $25 million fundraising drive has been launched to support these efforts and the overall panda program. Read about one diplomat’s experience serving in Chengdu—“the panda post”— in the March 2024 FSJ. Female giant panda Qing Bao at Dujiangyan Panda Base in Sichuan, China. SMITHSONIAN’S NATIONAL ZOO AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY INSTITUTE/ ROSHAN PATEL
16 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL A Pitch for Civil Service Reform In response to potential plans to revive the “Schedule F” executive order, a group of nonpartisan experts and scholars convened a workshop at the National Academy of Public Administration to discuss “Protecting and Reforming the U.S. Civil Service.” This workshop, spurred by the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, calls for Civil Service reforms to ensure an effective and impartial federal workforce. The proposed Schedule F would reclassify numerous federal positions, stripping them of long-standing protections and making them “at-will” positions. This shift could allow employees to be hired or fired based on political loyalty rather than competence or expertise, potentially undermining the quality and objectivity of U.S. government officials. The working group’s aim was to offer a constructive alternative vision for a more effective federal workforce, structured by five principles: agility, accountability, collaboration, outcomes, and capacity. The vision involves modernizing the outdated pay and classification system, investing in training and education for federal workers, and maintaining loyalty to the Constitution and the rule of law. The group asserts that reviving Schedule F would not help an administration execute policies more effectively or achieve these forward-looking goals. Instead, it would undermine the federal workforce’s ability to innovate and take justified risks. Moving forward, the group plans to further elaborate on how the federal government can evolve to meet 21st- century challenges and ensure a more agile, accountable, collaborative, outcome-driven, and capable civil service. State Department Integrity and Transparency Act Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) has introduced the State Department Integrity and Transparency Act, which aims to professionalize the State Department workforce and ensure senior leaders are selected based on merit, not political connections. Co-sponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the bill was introduced in response to controversies surrounding political-appointee ambassadors who lack diplomatic experience. It is intended to balance the traditional practice of rewarding political donors with ambassadorships and the need for qualified and effective diplomatic representatives. The legislation mandates that at least 75 percent of assistant secretaries come from the Senior Foreign Service or Senior Executive Service, extends reporting requirements on the qualifications of nominees, and requires presidential certification that competence is the primary qualification for chiefs of mission. It also seeks to limit the assignment of unvetted political appointees to overseas posts. The move has garnered support from AFSA and the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training, both of which emphasize the importance of maintaining a professional and capable diplomatic corps. According to AFSA’s ambassador tracker, 62 percent of President Joe Biden’s ambassadors are career personnel. Under the previous administration, just 56.6 percent were career diplomats. FS at 100: Opportunities and Threats On June 20, DACOR and George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs hosted the third in a series of roundtable talks on “The U.S. Foreign Service at 100.” While intended to address broad threats to U.S. foreign policy, the discussion largely focused on Schedule F and its potential ramifications. If you look at the history of the last 12 years, it’s a history of some huge conflicts like Ukraine, like Gaza, like Sudan, like Myanmar. And it’s a history of older conflicts not getting resolved. This is a world that has become unable to make peace. The systems put in place after World War II to make peace are so obsolete, so out of date, that frankly, it doesn’t work anymore. And that means that this accumulation of conflicts with all the refugees and displaced people that it carries with it is growing every year. —Filippo Grandi, the high commissioner of the UN’s refugee agency, in an interview with Foreign Policy on June 14. Contemporary Quote
THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2024 17 President Angela Dickey of DACOR and Dean Alyssa Ayres of the Elliott School of International Affairs opened the event, which was moderated by retired Foreign Service Officer Keith McCormick. The first session, led by Dr. Joshua D. Botts from the State Department’s Office of the Historian, provided a historical overview of how the competitive Foreign Service system evolved. During the second and third discussions, speakers included retired Ambassadors Marcie Ries, Ronald Neumann, Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, and Eric Rubin, who discussed opportunities for constructive reform and threats to effective U.S. foreign policy practice. Valerie Smith Boyd from the Partnership for Public Service and Donald P. Moynihan of Georgetown University added useful perspectives from outside government. They affirmed the importance of respecting the merit principles that underpin the Civil Service, arguing that policy development benefits from diverse perspectives. The original Schedule F policy was never fully implemented, making it challenging to gauge its potential impact on the Foreign Service workforce. However, the discussion revealed concerns that Schedule F could have broader and more disruptive effects than anticipated, potentially conflicting with agency diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) programs. A recording of the event is available at https://bit.ly/DACOR-FS-100. SIGAR Update: State Department Partner Vetting The Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) released an audit report on
18 SEPTEMBER 2024 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL July 17 finding that two of five State Department bureaus did not properly vet partner organizations in Afghanistan. SIGAR reviews evaluate the State Department’s adherence to vetting policies for implementing partners in Afghanistan. The audits are intended to ensure that U.S. funds do not inadvertently benefit terrorist organizations. The report found that three out of five State bureaus with active awards in Afghanistan from March 1, 2022, through Nov. 30, 2022, demonstrated compliance with the State’s vetting requirements. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA), the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM), and the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA/PPD) all provided sufficient documentation to show adherence to vetting policies. However, the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (DRL) and the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) lacked adequate documentation for many programs, failing to comply with federal document retention requirements. In response to these findings, SIGAR has recommended that the Secretary of State take immediate action to ensure all bureaus comply with federal and Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) partner vetting and document retention requirements. State officials acknowledged the compliance gaps and committed to ensuring all program offices adhere to the required standards. The full report can be found at https://www.sigar.mil/pdf/audits/ SIGAR-24-31-AR.pdf. n This edition of Talking Points was compiled by Mark Parkhomenko. Getting Out From Behind the Wall You’ve heard me say over and over again, we aren’t going to out-compete China with our personnel sitting behind embassy walls. They need to get out. As part of this effort, I wrote and got enacted the Secure Embassy Construction and Counterterrorism Act to help the department open new diplomatic spaces quicker and cheaper and to advance our diplomatic interest. —Sen. Jim Risch (R-Idaho), during a May 16 Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing “Modernization and Management: Building a Department to Address 21st Century Challenges.” A Rare Breed So, you’re a rare breed having served three times as ambassador. You’ve served at a very difficult time in the Foreign Service. A moment when American foreign policy changes very quickly from administration to administration. It is just an absolute marvel to me, the quality, and commitment of the people who work in our embassies, despite the fact that they may be running one mission before an election, and asked to do something fundamentally different thereafter. —Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), addressing Ambassador Tracey Ann Jacobson, nominated to be U.S. ambassador to Iraq, during a June 13 Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing. Thank You for Your Service I am such a big fan of our diplomatic corps, and these interagency teams that I encounter when I travel, and I just thank all of you again for your service, and your families as well. I know you make some sacrifices, and I appreciate it. —Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), during a June 13 Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing. A Show of Appreciation As governor, I had a chance to take a number of trade missions around the world, and meet with our embassies, and I just can’t say enough about the Foreign Service people, who sacrifice time away from your friends and family here in the United States to represent our country overseas. I really appreciate the efforts that you all make to do that. —Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), during a June 13 Senate Foreign Relations Committee nominations hearing. Heard on the Hill: Centennial Edition JOSH
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