The Academy is an association of former ambassadors and senior-level government officials whose miss
The American Academy of Diplomacy is a prestigious, independent non-profit association of former ambassadors and senior-level diplomats. The Academy represents a unique wealth of talent and experience in the practice of American foreign policy.
Operating as usual
AAD member Amb. Charles Ray explores the outcomes of the US-Africa Leaders Summit. Though the agenda was ambitious, there were three important deliverables. Read more here:
Delegates from forty-nine African countries and the African Union traveled to the United States to attend the US-Africa Leaders Summit earlier this month.
Wishing you and yours a very happy holiday season, and all the best in the New Year!
The Taliban has banned women from universities and ordered the closure of women's universities in Afghanistan, causing condemnation internationally and anguish in the country.
The move further restricts women's education, after girls were already excluded from secondary schools.
Retired US Ambassadors who served as Chief of Mission in Kabul, including AAD President Ambassador Ronald Neumann urge Congress to include in more at http://afghanevac.org/ambassador-letter
Yesterday, we had our annual holiday lunch in the office with the lovely ladies of the Una Chapman Cox Foundation. We are very grateful for the AAD team this holiday season!
With experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, AAD members Ronald Neumann, Charles Ray, and James Jeffrey reflect on their earlier careers as infantry officers in Vietnam and offer insightful lessons for the future.
US Policy – With recent experiences of Iraq and Afghanistan in mind, three former US ambassadors look back at their earlier careers as infantry officers in Vietnam
AAD member Amb. Peter Pham breaks down Sudan's history from the past 25 years, including, in more recent years, the deposition of Omar al-Bashir and the failure of a transitional government, which led to full military control of the state. However, a transitional authority led by a civilian PM has once again been appointed, and Amb. Pham discusses why this is beneficial for the U.S. and how the U.S. must be engaged to encourage the transition to a democratic and free state.
A more stable and democratic Sudan would send ripples across the Horn of Africa and impact conflicts as far as Libya and Yemen.
AAD member Amb. Earl Anthony Wayne will be a speaker at the Mexico Institute's "200 Years of U.S.-Mexico Bilateral Relations: An Ambassadorial Perspective" event on Dec. 14 at 1:30 pm. Learn more information and register for the event here:
Involving nearly every government agency and encompassing collaboration at the federal, state, and local levels, the United States-Mexico bilateral relationship is one of the most complex global partnerships. This makes the stewardship of the relationship complicated and challenging, requiring skill...
This , we are highlighting Frank Almaguer, retired U.S. Foreign Service Officer, who achieved the personal rank of Career Minister in the U.S. Foreign Service. Throughout his career in the Foreign Service, he served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize, Peace Corps country director in Honduras, mission director for USAID in Ecuador, Eastern Europe and Bolivia; and ambassador to Honduras.
📸1: “President Flores and his family became good family friends. In this photo, my wife, our visiting adult children and I hosted the Flores family for a post Christmas family dinner at the Ambassador’s residence.”
📸2: "In late 2001, Honduras elected a new president, Ricardo Maduro (2002-06), a strong ally of the US. This photo (early 2002) shows the continuation of the close relationship."
📸3: “It was almost impossible for me to visit any location in Honduras without being surrounded by media... They all competed aggressively for a comment from the US ambassador. I got to know the media quite well and they treated me gently since they appreciated my willingness to converse with them.”
📸4: “As ambassador to Honduras (1999-2002) I interacted frequently with Honduran authorities, particularly with President of Honduras, Carlos Flores Facusse (1998-2002). In this photo, I am discussing the issues of the day in the President’s office (circa 2000).”
📸5: “As USAID Mission Director in Bolivia, I often visited project sites throughout the country, often accompanied by my wife (Antoinette, with dark glasses).”
📸6: “While serving as USAID Mission Director in Bolivia (1996-99), we were visited (in December 1996) by First Lady Hillary Rodman Clinton. In this photo, Mark Schneider (USAID Assistant Administrator for Latin America) is signing a health project agreement. The signing ceremony was witnessed by First Lady Clinton, Bolivia’s First Lady, Ximena de Sanchez de Lozada, as well as US Ambassador Curt Kamman (rear center) and me (to Mrs. Clinton’s left).”
“There is no greater honor, no greater responsibility and no greater satisfaction than representing my adopted country and its values around the world. I am both a development professional and a diplomat. That line of work requires a broad understanding of the political, economic and social dynamics that shape the world. It also requires the sensitivity and depth of knowledge to communicate, understand, and appreciate different national perspectives. Our job is in the front lines of our national interests. Day in and day out, we are asked to use our negotiating skills to bridge diverging national interests as we help make our nation safer and more prosperous. In the process, we also contribute to building freer, more open societies, with greater opportunities for all citizens of the world.”
Amb. Almaguer is an invaluable member of the Academy, and we are honored to share his stories and experiences with our community!
Congratulations to Academy member Ambassador Anne Patterson, recipient of American Foreign Service Association's award for Lifetime Contributions to American Diplomacy. Read more about their annual awards in the December publication of the Foreign Service Journal.
The December is out! In this issue: honoring excellence and constructive dissent, the ethics of resigning in protest, promoting democracy in tumultuous times, the biannual education supplement, the case for expanding the Diplomat in Residence Program, the enduring value of international exchange, and more! https://afsa.org/fsj
AAD member Amb. Ken Brill warns against the impact of atrocity fatigue and explains that in order to stop Putin's atrocities in the invasion of Ukraine, those of us witnessing these acts must take outraged action.
Putin hopes to salvage his position by waging war on civilian targets.
For this week’s , we are highlighting Ambassador June Carter-Perry. Ambassador Perry served as the highest-ranking official U.S. diplomat to the Republic of Sierra Leone from 2007 to 2009, during which she achieved the return of the Peace Corps to the country after a 12-year absence due to the regional war. Previously, she served as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Lesotho from 2004 to 2007. She has also served as a Peace Corps official in the 1970s and served in the State Department as director of the Office of Social and Humanitarian Affairs in the International Organizations (IO) Bureau with responsibility for policy matters within the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, the Economic and Social Council and the Commission on the Status of Women.
Amb. Perry is a graduate of Loyola University/Chicago (B.A.) and the University of Chicago (M.A.), the State Department’s Senior Seminar and the National Defense University’s CAPSTONE program. She is on the Board of American Diplomacy Publishers and is a member of the Association of Black American Ambassadors, the Thursday Luncheon Group, and the Advisory Council of Africa Program Foreign Policy Research Institute. She was also inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame in 2016. While she has earned many achievements throughout her career, her major accomplishments include the creation of the bursaries program for non-white South Africans in 1988 and the creation of the first MOU between the U.S. and the South African Development Community as part of Vice President Gore’s Bilateral Commission in 1995. She also facilitated Lesotho’s PEPFAR status, which had been omitted from the original legislation in 2006.
Photo 1: As part of the work she did during her ambassadorship in Sierra Leone, Amb. Perry also supported the reforestation program that would combat climate change and help conserve the forests in the country.
Photo 2: Amb. Perry (second from the right) with Lesotho’s First Lady and UNDP representative during a Fourth of July event.
Photo 3: In Maseru, Lesotho, during her time as the ambassador to Lesotho, Amb. Perry (second from the right), recognized the hard work and dedication of the Peace Corps staff.
Photo 4: In Lesotho, Amb. Perry is pictured at the AIDS Secretariat with Lesotho’s First Lady on the far left and Director of Gender on site to her right.
Photo 5: Amb. Perry pictured with a Howard student during her Diplomat in Residence tour at Howard from 2001 to 2002. During her year at Howard, she mentored students who had hopes of pursuing a career in diplomacy, and she received the DIR of the year award in 2002.
Her unique experiences and work bettering the lives of the people she served during her ambassadorships speaks to the kind of people that belong in the Foreign Service representing the U.S. We are honored to have Amb. June Carter-Perry as a member of the Academy!
President Biden used the first state visit of his presidency to announce his willingness to negotiate with Putin in efforts to end the war in Ukraine. In response, the Kremlin said Putin is open to discussions, but is unwilling to pull out of Ukraine.
President Vladimir Putin is open to talks on a possible settlement to the conflict in Ukraine and believes in a diplomatic solution, the Kremlin said on Friday after Joe Biden suggested he was prepared to speak to the Russian leader.
"The protesters are threatening the foundations of a system that has kept a few senior clergymen in their offices and villas." AAD member Amb John Limbert writes about what the Iranian protests mean for the country's clerics.
Iran’s anti-clerical tradition re-emerged after Mahsa Amini’s death, and the establishment can respond only with repression.
In this article, AAD member William Courtney co-writes about the post-war reconstruction of Ukraine, stating, "Ukraine may undergo reconstruction on the scale of the post-World War II Marshall Plan."
To the extent Western donors contribute to reconstruction funding, the U.S. may look to the European Union and its member states to shoulder most of the burden.
Co-written by AAD member Amb Kurtzer, this article considers what the Biden administration's approach will be in handling Israeli-Palestinian relations with the political shifts taking place in Israel. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/11/29/israel-government-netanyahu-biden-palestinians-arabs/
In this article, AAD member Amb Earl Anthony Wayne co-writes about the importance of the USMCA and the ability of the North American partners to resolve differences to support the trade agreement.
The USMCA provides continent-wide rules, norms, and problem-solving processes that can help the three countries to continue the trade and co-production system established under its predecessor, NAFTA. If the USMCA is to maintain its credibility, the three governments must demonstrate that they can r...
AAD member in govt service Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin calls on congress to pass the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which specifies the annual budget for DoD and also includes the State Dept. Authorization Act.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is urging congressional lawmakers to pass a new spending bill for the Pentagon, saying a “failure to do so will result in significant harm” to the U.S. an…
Today is Giving Tuesday! We at AAD ask that you don't forget about diplomacy today, and that you donate to help us continue to support U.S. diplomacy transnationally.
Your contribution will allow us to conduct our various outreach programs, publish reports, make recommendations to the State Department and other agencies, produce podcasts and carry out our internship program. Visit our website to donate today, and thank you for supporting our mission: https://www.academyofdiplomacy.org/donate/voluntary-contribution/
For this week’s , we are highlighting Secretary Rose Gottemoeller! She served as the Deputy Secretary General of NATO from 2016 to 2019. Secretary Gottemoeller took up her position in October 2016, after serving nearly five years as the Under Secretary for Arms Control and International Security at the U.S. Department of State. As Under Secretary, she advised the Secretary of State on arms control, nonproliferation and political-military affairs. She was acting in this position from 2012 to 2014, while concurrently serving as Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance (2009-2014). In this capacity, she was the chief U.S. negotiator of the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START) with the Russian Federation, which entered into force on February 5, 2011 and is currently in implementation.
📸 1. Spaso shot: "Here we are, beginning the New START negotiations in June 2009, all fresh-faced and smiling. I was so happy Ambassador John Beyrle hosted us at Spaso House when those beautiful lilacs were blooming."
📸 2. US del shot in plenary: "Nine weary months later, we were smiling again at the last plenary of the New START negotiations at the Russian Mission in Geneva. Many tough days of hard work, but we got there."
📸 3. Kids table: "The whole New START delegation celebrated Easter together at the US Mission in April 2009, complete with a kids table: that's where my place was, but I was taking the picture! Karen Kirchgasser, a wonderful FSO who has sadly left us, is on the left."
📸 4. A mess: "I pitched in to do the Easter dishes along with Ambassador Marcie Ries (on the right): a highly experienced diplomat and my No. 2 on the delegation. Also a wonderful FSO!"
Secretary Gottemoeller has had a range of unique experiences in the Foreign Service that has shaped her legacy and paved the way for future women in the Foreign Service. We are honored to have her as a member of the Academy.
Secretary Blinken criticizes the threat of yellow card penalties if FIFA teams wear armbands to support diversity and inclusion. FIFA does allow for 'No Discrimination' bands as a compromise, but many say that this is not enough.
America's top diplomat on Tuesday criticized a decision by FIFA to threaten players at the World Cup with yellow cards if they wear armbands supporting inclusion and diversity.
The US called a meeting of the UN Security Council yesterday, seeking international condemnation of North Korea's ballistic missile test last Friday that violated Japan's northern territory.
Council meeting follows the DPRK’s second intercontinental ballistic missile test this month
Since the morality police arrested and murdered 22-year-old Mahsa Amini - allegedly for wearing her hijab incorrectly - protests have gained intensity. We've seen protests in Iran before. How and why is it different this time? Goli Ameri and Frank Ricciardone offer personal observations and policy perspectives.
Show American Diplomat, Ep Gender Apartheid and Protests in Iran - Nov 3, 2022
For this week’s , we are highlighting Ambassador Julia Chang Bloch. She is the President of the U.S.-China Education Trust, a program devoted to promoting American Studies in China. Amb. Bloch has had an extensive career in international affairs. She began as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Sabah, Malaysia in 1964 – and was the first Asian-American to hold the rank of U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Nepal, in 1989.
From 1981 to 1988, Amb. Bloch served at the U.S. Agency for International Development as Assistant Administrator for Food for Peace and Voluntary Assistance and as Assistant Administrator for Asia and the Near East – positions appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.
Photo 1: Amb. Julia Chang Bloch at her embassy office in Kathmandu. “I arrived in Nepal in September 1989 at a momentous period in the country’s history – witnessing its transformation from absolute monarchy to multi-party democracy.”
Photo 2: “As ambassador to Nepal, one of United Nations’ designated least developed countries, I visited Nepal’s poorest villages to observe USAID development projects – whether they were addressing the poverty of the Nepali people and supporting the economy to deliver on the high expectations of a better life in a democracy.”
Amb. Bloch’s work in the Foreign Service has directly improved the lives of those within the communities she worked with, and her continued commitment to helping people is part of her incredible legacy on the international community. We are honored to have her as a member of the Academy.
This Friday’s Fun Fact:
The State Department has an award called Linguist of the Year.
The award is given annually to Foreign or Civil Service employees that have reached a high proficiency in one or more foreign languages and used their language skills to advance US diplomacy.
The honor of receiving this award comes alongside a certificate signed by the Secretary of State and a $10,00 cash prize!
Pete and Laura just posted an episode, "The Spy Who (I Thought) Loved Me". Can you imagine discovering that your best friend for years was in fact a traitor and a spy? American Diplomat tells the story of Marta Velazquez and her dear friend Ambassador Liliana Ayalde, who had no idea of her friend's duplicity until Marta fled.
Show American Diplomat, Ep The Spy Who (I Thought) Loved Me - Nov 10, 2022
Photos from The American Academy of Diplomacy's post
Photos from The American Academy of Diplomacy's post
In remarks to the U.S. National Defense University’s College of National Security Affairs, AAD member Amb Freeman explores American relations with East Asia, stating, "It is time to replace hubris with realism in U.S. Asian policy."
Refashioning the East Asian Order Chas Freeman 2022-11-16 ASEAN, Asia, China, Diplomacy, Economics, Europe, Finance, Global, India, Japan, Korea, Military, Nuclear, Russia, Speeches, Strategy, Taiwan, U.S. Foreign Policy, War Refashioning the East Asian Order Remarks to the U.S. National Defense Uni...
As a citizen of the Chickasaw Nation, Franklin Keel became the first Native American commissioned as a Foreign Service Officer by the U.S. Diplomatic Corps in 1971. He has represented Native Americans at the highest levels of government, and as a lawyer, assisted Native Americans through his work with Legal Aid in Lawton.
One week after our Annual Awards Luncheon and we are still so grateful to have been able to honor and celebrate those who have worked to strengthen U.S. diplomacy and shed light on what's happening around the world. To learn more about this year's award winners, visit here: https://www.academyofdiplomacy.org/?post_type=program&p=5705&preview=true
U.S. secretary of state Antony Blinken is set to visit China next year to follow up on the recent meeting between President Biden and President Xi Jinping. The visit is to keep lines of communication open about important issues at senior levels.
The trip is aimed at keeping the lines of communication open and having frank exchanges about important issues at senior levels in order to avoid conflict.
This year's Arthur Ross Media Awards centered around recognizing the necessary and outstanding reporting in Ukraine. Read more about the Washington Diplomat's coverage of this year's awards.
Each year, the American Academy of Diplomacy (AAD) honors one outstanding reporter and one commentator with its Arthur Ross Media Awards for Distinguished Reporting and Analysis on Foreign Affairs. This […]
For this week’s , we are highlighting Ambassador Tibor Nagy. Ambassador Nagy arrived in the U.S. as a political refugee from Hungary, and he received his B.A. from Texas Tech University and M.S.A. from George Washington University. He served as ambassador to Ethiopia from 1999-2002, during the Ethio-Eritrean War. Previously, he was Ambassador to Guinea after serving as Deputy Ambassador in Nigeria, Cameroon, and Togo. He also had assignments in Zambia, the Seychelles, Washington DC, and an earlier tour in Ethiopia.
Photos 1 and 2: “After the Ethio-Eritrean War the USG rehabilitated the most hard-hit area: Irob. Two photos show me inaugurating our first projects – shortly after 9/11 in 2001. The village was beyond welcoming. There had also been a long drought, and when we started the ceremony the skies opened up with rain.”
Photos 3 and 4: “Again, after the war – the US Govt hired contractors to train Ethiopian army folks to demine impacted areas. Shortly before my term ended I was invited, with my family, to inspect one of the demined fields. I was also asked to walk through the field to show our confidence in our training and trainees. I did so, with my wife Jane – despite considerable nervousness!
Amb. Nagy’s experiences and work in the Horn of Africa have greatly shaped U.S. diplomacy, and his dedication to improving the lives of those impacted by war and tragedy is part of his great legacy on the Foreign Service. We are deeply honored to have him as a member of the Academy.
In honor of Veterans Day, we at the Academy want to thank all of those who have fought for this great country and made sacrifices for the sake of American people. We thank you for your service.
AAD member Amb James Jeffrey argues that American troops should remain in Syria, stating, "the U.S. approach is succeeding, if modestly, and U.S. strategic interests abound."
America’s presence helps check regional powers.
A warm welcome to the Academy, Ambassador Atul Keshap! More pictures from the Awards Luncheon to come…
It's Election Day! Make sure to head to the polls and cast your vote!
Voting is a crucial part of democracy, and in an American Diplomat podcast episode, we see what happens when you "Never, Ever Allow Free and Fair Elections"
https://americandiplomat.libsyn.com/never-ever-allow-free-and-fair-elections?tdest_id=1754555
AAD member Amb. Wayne discusses takeaways from the one-year review that Mexican and US cabinet members just held after launching the "High Level Security Dialogue" in October 2021. He argues that there is still serious work that needs to be done to combat cross-border crime.
In October 2021, Mexico and the United States launched a “High Level Security Dialogue” (HLSD) to step up collaboration and rebuild trust in efforts to counter deadly cross-border crime. Mexican and US cabinet members just held a one-year review.
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In celebration of #WorldPressFreedomDay the Academy is posting a #tbt our 2021 Monticello program on “News, Propaganda, and Diplomacy.” Listen to a snippet of keynote speaker, Nick Schifrin discussing the threat of disinformation to democracy around the globe. Watch the full program at https://youtu.be/B2Q3YyNGfAQ
Watch Academy member Ambassador Harry K. Thomas illuminate his experiences as a Black diplomat, his work helping young mothers in the Philippines, and recruiting pupils from HBCUs for the Foreign Service. #AADBlackHistoryMonth
As part of the Academy's interview series, Ambassador Susan Burk offers advice to those interested in diplomatic careers. Watch Amb. Burk's full interview here: https://youtu.be/Z7_bybNr_xI
10 years after the #fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan, Adm. Robert Willard and Amb. John Roos recall the devastation, nuclear radiation fears and coordinating the massive US disaster assistance program in an episode for the General and the Ambassador podcast #rememberingmarch11 https://generalambassadorpodcast.org/029
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