The Foreign Service Journal, December 2019

28 DECEMBER 2019 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL HJC: I served in the Paris visa section. Every embassy section had an interest in visas because so many of their key contacts were traveling to the United States. With so many people having been members of the Communist Party, we were constantly working to get visa waivers for important travelers. Because of my embassy contacts, I decided to take training to be a labor attaché. FSJ: How different was France when you returned 16 years later to serve as political counselor? HJC: The progress of economic development was remarkable. Where there was very little automobile traffic in 1955, traffic jams were abundant in 1974. There were many new buildings in Paris, especially apartment houses. Tourism was massive. FSJ: Tell us a bit about your assignment as chief of mission to Senegal and The Gambia. HJC: Senegal and The Gambia have Muslim-majority popu- lations. The people are very tolerant and welcoming. At Christ- mastime they celebrate with lights and gift giving. The educated people are quite sophisticated and a pleasure to talk to. FSJ: You spent nearly all of the 1960s as a labor attaché. What led you to focus on labor issues? HJC: I come from a blue-collar family associated with labor unions. I grew up in a working-class neighborhood in New York. In my first assignment in Paris, working with the embassy labor attaché on visa issues, I saw how important labor movements are with respect to both politics and economics. Labor unions are a separate and unique window into the political system. FSJ: You are, of course, best known as an Africa hand. What made you decide to concentrate on that part of the world? HJC: Whilemajoring in international affairs in college, I did a thesis comparing economic planning in India and Brazil. That gaveme a new interest in the economics of the develop- ing world. And when I saw that 35 African colonies were about to become independent just as I was beginningmy career, I saw an opportunity to apply economic theory to the real developing world. FSJ: What were some of the opportunities and challenges you’ve experienced working in that region, both as an FSO and now? HJC: The fact that the new African political leadership was so open to ideas constituted a great opportunity for an American diplomat because the United States had a strong reputation as a proponent of ending colonialism. The American voice was trusted. As an American diplomat, I felt proud that I was con- stantly being called on for advice. FSJ: Do you feel Africa is coming into its own on the world stage? Should the United States be doing more to promote politi- cal and economic reform there? If so, how? HJC: Africa has not moved ahead rapidly, neither in eco- nomic development nor political democracy. Africa is far less successful than Southeast Asia and Latin America. I attribute this mainly to poor governance. I am pleased that U.S. policy started to emphasize good governance in Africa when I was assistant secretary. Progress has been much too slow, however. FSJ: You were able to get to know every first-generation African leader (Mandela, Mobutu, Gaddafi and many others). I know you wrote a whole book about this, but could you tell us something of what you learned through those relationships? HJC: Most of the African leaders whom I got to know well did not wake up in the morning and ask themselves, “What am I going to do for my people today?” Most of them were more interested in enhancing their personal power. Mandela was a notable exception, as were several other leaders in southern Africa. I attribute this to the presence of Christianity in Southern Africa for more than 400 years. In the rest of Africa, Judeo- Christian values have yet to become strong. Washington Assignments FSJ: When you came back to Washington from Kinshasa in 1969, it was to head the Office of Central African Affairs, right? What were some of the main issues you handled during five years with the African Affairs Bureau? Ending the war for Eritrean independence: London, England, May 31, 1991. Hank Cohen is at the center. To his left is Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia. To his right is President Isayas Afwerki of Eritrea. COURTESYOFHERMANJ.COHEN