The Foreign Service Journal, December 2021

14 DECEMBER 2021 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL TALKING POINTS America Rejoins the U.N. Human Rights Council O n Oct. 14, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the United States has been elected to a three-year term on the United Nations Human Rights Council, beginning Jan. 1, 2022. The decision to rejoin the UNHRC, first floated back in February, came three years after former President Don- ald Trump pulled the U.S. off the panel halfway through its 2017-2020 term, citing its apparent bias against Israel. Cameroon, Eritrea and the United Arab Emirates will also be joining the Human Rights Council in January, despite widespread concerns over their domestic human rights records. Does the Middle Class Like Its Foreign Policy? T he latest Chicago Council on Global Affairs Survey, released on Oct. 7, examines the question of how well the Biden administration’s “Foreign Policy for the Middle Class” is reso- nating with its target audience. The White House should be encouraged by the results, which show strong support for its stance on China and domestic renewal to support global competitive- ness. The survey also indicates that Ameri- cans are not particularly skeptical about the value of trade, or weary of U.S. global engagement and leadership. Two-thirds of respondents (68 percent) say globalization is mostly good for the United States. And nearly as many (64 percent) want America to take a leading role in address- Some 22 nominees for senior posi- tions at the foreign affairs agencies await confirmation. Visit afsa.org/list-ambassadorial- appointments for a complete list of nominations, and track appointments of senior-level officials at the various foreign affairs agencies at afsa.org/tracker-senior- official-appointments. Looking Forward and Back: State’s Role in Afghanistan O n Oct. 12, the State Department tapped veteran diplomat Ambas- sador (ret.) Elizabeth Jones as the new coordinator for Afghan relocation efforts, days after a U.S. delegation met face-to-face with representatives from the Taliban in Doha for the first time since the militants seized power in August. Jones, who previously served as ambassador to Kazakhstan and deputy special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, will be responsible for facil- itating the departure of Afghans who still want to leave Afghanistan and helping them resettle in the United States. Meanwhile, State’s Office of the Inspector General is opening multiple investigations into the end of U.S. diplo- matic operations in Afghanistan, accord- ing to an Oct. 18 letter Acting Inspector General Diana Shaw sent to Congress. Shaw said her office will review the Special Immigrant Visa program, Afghans processed for refugee admis- sion into the U.S., the resettlement of refugees and visa recipients, and the emergency evacuation of Embassy Kabul. The probe will also “include evacua- tion of U.S. citizens and Afghan nation- als,” as well as “several oversight proj- ects” related to the withdrawal of U.S. ing many of the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic. Diplomatic Confirmations Update A s of early November, the Senate had confirmed an additional 10 foreign affairs nominees since its return from the August recess. At State, 11 assistant secretaries have been confirmed since the start of the Biden administration. Among them are career FSOs Brian Nichols (Western Hemisphere), Mary Catherine “Molly” Phee (Africa), Donald Lu (South and Central Asia), Todd Robinson (Interna- tional Narcotics and Law Enforcement), Daniel Kritenbrink (East Asia and Pacific), Rena Bitter (Consular) and Gentry Smith, retired SFS (Diplomatic Security). In addition, political appointees Karen Donfried (Europe and Eurasia), Brett Holmgren (Intelligence and Research), Jes- sica Lewis (Political-Military Affairs) and Monica Medina (Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs) made it through confirmation. The assistant secretary for global public affairs position is not a Senate-confirmed one; political appointee Elizabeth Allen was announced in August. At USAID, political appointee Paloma Adams-Allen was confirmed as deputy administrator for management and resources. The Senate’s record on ambassadorial confirmations remains bleak: Only six of 71 nominees have been confirmed. Four political appointees were confirmed in late October: former Senators Tom Udall (New Zealand and Samoa) and Jeff Flake (Turkey), as well as the widows of two senators—Cindy McCain (U.N. Agencies in Rome) and Victoria Reggie Kennedy (Austria).