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Blinken on Revitalizing American Diplomacy
A geopolitical competition is underway to shape a new era in international affairs, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken in a speech to the Foreign Service Institute. At the same time “longstanding challenges remain – conflicts, terrorism, political instability. We see this around the world, from the Middle East, to Sudan, to Venezuela.”
“Now, to address these challenges from a position of strength, we’ve made historic investments here at home in our competitiveness and we’ve worked to re-engage, to rejuvenate, to reimagine our alliances and our partnerships around the world,” he said.
The State Department established the Bureau of Cybersecurity and Digital Policy and the Office of the Special Envoy for Critical and Emerging Technology. “We brought in incredible talent in these areas to ensure that the United States and our partners retain our collective edge in the technologies that are shaping our future,” said Secretary Blinken.
“Across our diplomacy, we’ve prioritized leading on norms and standards, promoting digital freedom, protecting our most sensitive technology, making critical supply chains more resilient.”
In the wake of COVID, the State Department also created a Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy to strengthen health systems, to fight deadly diseases, and to prevent future pandemics.
The State Department has focused on improving development finance, strengthening supply chains, elevating its Office of Sanctions Coordination, and establishing a coordinator on global anti-corruption, among other initiatives.
The modernization agenda has made the State Department a more effective institution, said Secretary Blinken. “[W]e’re better able to strengthen our partnerships, compete with strategic rivals, [and] deliver for our people during a moment of remarkable challenge.” This has enabled the U.S. and its allies regarding China to achieve a level of strategic convergence that was unimaginable just a few years ago, said Secretary Blinken.
The State Department has expanded opportunities for countries to access development finance by reforming international financial institutions and establishing new lending policies.
American diplomats are shaping the rules and norms for emerging technologies like Artificial Intelligence, while extending digital access to the Pacific Islands, Africa, South America, and beyond.
The U.S. is revitalizing its leadership at the United Nations, rejoining organizations like the Human Rights Council and UNESCO.
“These developments, and so many others,” said Secretary Blinken, “show the power and purpose of a revitalized American diplomacy.”