Malcolm Rivera
The conduct of American diplomacy is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of State, which has four main foreign policy goals: fighting international terrorism, protecting Americans, promoting international exchange and understanding, and advancing environmental stewardship. The Department of State works to achieve these goals through its workforce of over 70,000 people across more than 270 diplomatic missions worldwide. The Deputy Secretary of State assists the Secretary of State in the formulation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy, while the Counselor of the Department serves as a special advisor to the Secretary on foreign policy matters. The Under Secretary for Political Affairs manages day-to-day regional and bilateral policy issues, and the Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) leads the Department's public diplomacy efforts. The Department of State also works with other organizations, such as the American Academy of Diplomacy and USAID, to strengthen American diplomacy and address global challenges.
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What You'll Learn
The US Department of State
The Department of State has four main foreign policy goals:
- Protecting Americans and American interests at home and abroad
- Promoting peace
- Delivering humanitarian assistance
- Advancing human rights and democracy
The Department of State has a long history, dating back to 1775 when the Continental Congress established the Committee of Secret Correspondence to handle foreign affairs. In 1781, this became the Department of Foreign Affairs, and in 1789, it was renamed the Department of State. Over the years, the Department's role and structure have evolved, reflecting changing global circumstances. Today, the Department of State has a vast workforce of over 70,000 employees, including members of the Foreign Service, Civil Service, and locally employed staff, serving in more than 270 diplomatic missions worldwide.
The Deputy Secretary of State serves as the principal deputy, adviser, and alter ego to the Secretary of State, assisting in the formulation and conduct of US foreign policy. The Department also includes the Counselor, who advises on foreign policy matters and conducts special international negotiations, as well as several Under Secretaries who report directly to the Secretary and serve as the Department's "corporate board" on foreign policy.
The Department of State promotes transformational diplomacy by advancing environmental stewardship, encouraging economic growth, and fostering social development to create a safer and more secure world. It also addresses global challenges such as climate change and energy security, working with international partners to promote sustainable economic growth while addressing these critical issues.
The Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP) is the public diplomacy communications bureau, supporting US Embassy efforts and engagement with overseas audiences. The Department also maintains diplomatic relations with international organizations and conducts visa operations to ensure homeland security.
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The Secretary of State
The role of the Secretary of State has evolved over time, adapting to changing global circumstances. The first Secretary of State, Thomas Jefferson, oversaw a small staff with only two diplomatic posts, in London and Paris, as well as 10 consular posts. Today, the Department of State has a workforce of over 70,000 people, including members of the Foreign Service, Civil Service, and locally employed staff, working in more than 270 diplomatic missions worldwide.
Domestically, the Secretary of State has a role in the storage and use of the Great Seal, performance of protocol functions for the White House, and the drafting of certain proclamations. The Secretary also negotiates with individual states over the extradition of fugitives to foreign countries and receives written declarations of the resignations of the President and Vice President.
The Deputy Secretary of State serves as the principal deputy, adviser, and alter ego to the Secretary of State, assisting in the formulation and conduct of U.S. foreign policy and the supervision of the Department. The Counselor of the Department is another key position, serving as a special advisor and consultant on foreign policy matters, conducting international negotiations, and providing guidance to the appropriate bureaus.
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The Bureau of Consular Affairs
The US Department of State is responsible for conducting American diplomacy. It has four main foreign policy goals:
- Providing foreign policy oversight and guidance to all US Government international counterterrorism activities
- Supporting US diplomats, government officials, and other personnel at home and abroad
- Advancing environmental stewardship, encouraging economic growth, and promoting social development
- Promoting peace, signing treaties, facilitating trade agreements, and hosting swearing-in ceremonies
The US Department of State comprises several bureaus, including the Bureau of Consular Affairs. The Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) is responsible for protecting the interests and safety of American citizens abroad and strengthening US borders through the vigilant adjudication of visas and passports. The CA issues travel documents that allow Americans to travel the world and lawful immigrants and visitors to enter the US. It also provides essential services to American citizens overseas and offers pre-travel information.
The CA manages eight offices, including the Offices of the Comptroller, Consular Systems & Technology, Executive Director, Fraud Prevention, Overseas Citizen Services, Policy Coordination & Public Affairs, Passport Services, and Visa Services. The CA's Office of Visa Services is responsible for issuing all non-immigrant and immigrant visas, with over 7.75 million and approximately 744,000 cases, respectively, processed in 2006. The CA also began issuing Electronic Passports or "e-passports" in 2006.
The CA provides a full range of management support for the Bureau, including managing the Bureau's IT systems and infrastructure, human resources, and controlled consular supplies. It also advises and supports US citizens, embassies, and consulates worldwide.
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Countering international terrorism
The US Department of State is responsible for the conduct of American diplomacy. The Department of State works to counter international terrorism through the Bureau of Counterterrorism (CT). The CT works to promote US national security by coordinating strategies and approaches with international partners to defeat terrorism abroad. The CT also works with federal agencies such as the Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Department of the Treasury to implement and achieve its objectives.
The CT uses a range of tools and programs to isolate and weaken terrorist groups and their support networks. This includes designating terrorist organizations and individuals, freezing their financial assets, blocking their financial transactions, and preventing others from providing material or financial support. These designations expose and isolate terrorist organizations and individuals, allowing for coordinated action across the US government and with international partners. The CT also helps build the capacity of foreign partners to detect illicit funds, especially those from terrorist organizations, by identifying deficiencies in their national anti-money laundering efforts.
The CT manages the Counterterrorism Partnerships Fund (CTPF), which aims to build a network of partnerships from South Asia to the Sahel to develop more effective counterterrorism efforts in regions where terrorist networks seek to establish a presence. The CT also co-chairs the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG), an interagency forum that coordinates government-wide technology prototyping under the National Combating Terrorism Research and Development (R&D) Program. The TSWG identifies, prioritizes, and coordinates interagency and international R&D requirements, rapidly developing technologies and equipment to meet the needs of those on the front lines of counterterrorism efforts.
In addition to the work of the CT, the Department of State's annual Country Reports on Terrorism provides a congressionally mandated assessment of trends in international terrorism and the nature of the terrorist threat. This report includes policy-related assessments, a country-by-country breakdown of foreign government cooperation, and chapters on state sponsors of terrorism, foreign terrorist organizations, WMD terrorism, and terrorist safe havens. The Department of State also works to counter international terrorism through diplomatic engagement and foreign assistance, building global consensus to degrade and defeat terrorist adversaries.
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Environmental diplomacy
The US Department of State is responsible for the conduct of American diplomacy. It has four main foreign policy goals, one of which is to protect America through diplomacy. The Department promotes transformational diplomacy by advancing environmental stewardship, encouraging economic growth, and promoting social development around the world. This is achieved by working with international partners to slow, stop, and reverse the effects of climate change, such as increasing global temperatures and rising sea levels, and to promote sustainable economic growth.
The Department of State works with international partners to address environmental issues. For example, in 1994, the United States placed sanctions on Taiwan under the Lacey Act for continuing to trade in rhino horn and tiger bone, thereby undermining the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). As a result of this action, Taiwan took steps to curtail all illegal wildlife trade, and the United States lifted the sanctions, counting Taiwan as an ally in protecting endangered wildlife.
The Department of State also works to advance environmental stewardship through its Bureau of International Information Programs (IIP), which leads the Department's support for US Embassy public diplomacy efforts and engagement with overseas audiences. The Bureau of Consular Affairs (CA) also plays a role in environmental diplomacy by protecting the interests of American citizens abroad and strengthening the security of US borders through the adjudication of visas and passports.
In conclusion, the US Department of State conducts American diplomacy and has identified environmental stewardship as one of its key goals. Environmental diplomacy is a challenging and ongoing process that requires international cooperation, domestic political pressure, and the involvement of NGOs. The Department of State works with international partners and utilizes its bureaus to advance environmental stewardship and address global climate change.
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