The Foreign Service Journal, December 2010

enhancing. And, an officer bidding for an onward assign- ment from a “functional” position can have a harder slog than one coming out of a mighty regional bureau. These are all real concerns, but we must overcome them. While the learning curve in a multilateral tour is steep, State Department officers working with interna- tional organizations develop technical and substantive knowledge that will stand them in good stead as they ad- vance in their careers. Officers working in a multilateral setting will draw on skills they’ve learned in bilateral work: establishing good working relations with fellow diplomats; discerning who has the authority to act alone and who requires instruc- tions from a capital; and evaluating the information we gather for reporting and policy recommendations. But working in multilateral settings requires additional skills. Deciding what information to share with whom, and when, is a skill of paramount importance. Reporting on not just one country’s policies and plans, but those of many, requires detailed knowledge and intense coordina- tion among numerous contacts, as well as the ability to sum up potentially dozens of country views concisely. Working in a multilateral environment also requires skills that are unique to international organizations. Un- derstanding the rules and mores of a body’s secretariat, and successfully enlisting its assistance, are challenges whose importance is matched only by their difficulty. Routinely coordinating meetings and positions among nu- merous countries, and negotiating with blocs and identi- fying their local leaders and fault lines, are all crucial skills. Mastering U.S. policy on many countries and issues, not just one country or functional topic at a time, requires a high level of expertise and ongoing education. And co- ordinating public statements among many like-minded partners and reaching out to media in third countries to explain policy and garner support requires public diplo- macy staff to think beyond their immediate operating en- vironment and establish contacts all over the world. Secretary of State Hillary RodhamClinton highlighted the significance of global solutions in her January 2009 confirmation testimony: “The best way to advance Amer- ica’s interests in reducing global threats and seizing global opportunities is to design and implement global solu- tions.” The threats posed by nuclear proliferation and nu- clear weapons, terrorism, organized crime and trafficking in persons are global in scope and require considerable coordination to combat. Our success in addressing ur- gent challenges in international organizations hinges on the effective practice of multilateral diplomacy by officers experienced and trained in its challenges and intricacies. This has never been truer than now. For all these reasons, FSOs should seek out a multi- lateral tour. Such positions add substantial knowledge and skills to an officer’s professional repertoire. Moreover, the State Department’s ability to effectively advance U.S. pol- icy goals hinges on having a diverse cadre of skilled diplo- mats shepherding its efforts in multilateral fora. As Pres. Obama declared to the United Nations Gen- eral Assembly in September 2009: “This cannot solely be America’s endeavor. Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone. We have sought — in word and deed — a new era of engagement with the world. And now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.” ■ D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 0 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 21 F O C U S