America's New Diplomacy: A Shift In Foreign Policy Focus

The United States Department of State has been working to strengthen and revitalise American diplomacy for a new age in international affairs. This involves re-engaging, revitalising, and reimagining America's alliances and partnerships. The ultimate goal is to make American diplomacy stronger, better, more inclusive, and more impactful. The US is working to fill the State Department with talented individuals who can lead on the most pressing issues of our time. This includes the 235 newest members of the Foreign Service, the largest single class ever.

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Modernization agenda

The Modernization Agenda is a comprehensive initiative to strengthen American diplomacy and prepare the Department of State to face the challenges of a new era in international affairs. It was introduced by Secretary Antony J. Blinken in October 2021, with the aim of making American diplomacy stronger, better, more inclusive, and more impactful.

The agenda has three main lines of effort: ensuring support for critical missions, strengthening the workforce, and encouraging reasonable risk and innovation. Firstly, it focuses on supporting critical missions by addressing pressing issues such as geopolitical competition, global challenges, and the need to rebalance technological and economic interdependence. The agenda also aims to strengthen the workforce by attracting, training, and retaining top talent, ensuring diversity, and improving regional expertise, foreign language fluency, and negotiation skills. Additionally, it encourages reasonable risk and innovation by creating offices that address new challenges, adopting cutting-edge tools, and fostering a creative and agile work environment.

The implementation of the modernization agenda has resulted in several achievements. For instance, the development of the Operations Response Interagency Online Network (ORION) improved the Department's ability to monitor, train for, and respond to crises. The Online Passport Renewal (OPR) system, a major modernization of government services, allowed over one million Americans to renew their passports securely from their homes. The agenda has also led to the creation of a suite of data and analytical tools for diplomats to advance U.S. climate priorities, as well as the establishment of a Special Representative for City and State Diplomacy to better connect foreign policy with the American people.

The Modernization Agenda is a long-term endeavour that requires strong bipartisan support. It builds upon past initiatives and strives to secure America's future, deliver for its people, and lay the foundation for a more prosperous era, both domestically and internationally.

Strengthening and revitalizing American diplomacy

The modernization agenda aims to make American diplomacy stronger, better, more inclusive, and more impactful. It seeks to deepen, broaden, and align American alliances and partnerships to meet the challenges of an emerging era, including strategic competition, global threats, and the need to rebalance technological and economic interdependence.

The State Department's efforts have yielded tangible benefits for American families and communities, demonstrating the power and purpose of revitalized American diplomacy. This includes the recent induction of 235 new members into the Foreign Service, the largest single class ever, representing the future of American diplomacy.

To effectively navigate the complex landscape of international affairs, the State Department must continue to adapt and strengthen its diplomatic approach. This involves recognizing the essential role that the United States plays on the world stage and leveraging its power and principles to shape global affairs. By doing so, the United States can secure its position and influence in the world, ultimately benefiting both its citizens and people worldwide.

Shaping a new era in international affairs

The future of American diplomacy is promising, with 235 new members of the Foreign Service taking their oath of office, the largest single class ever. This year, over 2,000 people joined the Foreign Service and Civil Service, representing the future of American diplomacy. The modernization agenda has been successful, and it has made the State Department more effective in delivering for the American people.

To secure America's future and lay the foundation for a more prosperous era, the U.S. must act decisively and strategically, with humility and confidence, to reimagine the power and purpose of its diplomacy. At the core of this strategy is re-engaging, revitalizing, and reimagining America's alliances and partnerships. The U.S. must deepen, broaden, and align its friends in new ways to meet the challenges of the emerging era, including strategic competition, global threats, and the need to rebalance technological and economic interdependence.

American diplomacy in this new era aims to bring tangible benefits to American families and communities while spending less than one percent of the federal budget on diplomacy and global development. By strengthening the State Department and modernizing American diplomacy, the U.S. can effectively shape a new era in international affairs and deliver successful outcomes for its citizens.

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Re-engaging, revitalizing and reimagining alliances

Re-engaging, revitalizing, and reimagining America's alliances and partnerships is at the core of the country's diplomatic strategy. This involves deepening, broadening, and aligning with allies in new ways to meet the challenges of an emerging era.

The United States is committed to strengthening its diplomatic efforts to deliver tangible benefits for American families and communities. This includes addressing pressing global challenges, such as technological and economic interdependence, that pose existential threats to lives and livelihoods worldwide. To achieve this, the State Department must be well-resourced and talented enough to lead on these critical issues.

The modernization agenda of the United States aims to make its diplomacy stronger, better, more inclusive, and more impactful. This involves investing in the talent and resources necessary to lead on critical issues, such as geopolitical competition and global challenges. The United States is also committed to making its diplomacy more effective and successful in delivering for its citizens.

The United States is taking steps to strengthen its diplomatic corps, with a record number of new Foreign Service members joining the State Department. This influx of talent will help to ensure that American diplomacy is fit for purpose and able to navigate the complex landscape of international relations. Ultimately, the United States recognizes that its diplomatic efforts play an essential role in shaping the future, both for Americans and people worldwide.

Leading on pressing issues

The United States Department of State has been working towards modernizing American diplomacy for a new era in international affairs. The core of this strategy is to re-engage, revitalize, and reimagine America's alliances and partnerships. The goal is to deepen, broaden, and align with friends in new ways to meet the pressing issues of the emerging era.

To achieve this, the State Department has been strengthening its diplomacy and talent pool. For instance, 235 new members joined the Foreign Service, the largest single class ever, with over 2000 others joining the Foreign Service and Civil Service in the same year. This modernization agenda has already shown results, with American diplomacy becoming stronger, better, more inclusive, and more impactful.

The strategy also involves working with purpose and urgency to address three key challenges: first, fierce and lasting strategic competition; second, global challenges that pose existential threats, such as economic and technological interdependence; and third, the urgent need to rebalance economic and technological futures so that interdependence is a source of strength rather than vulnerability.

By addressing these pressing issues, the United States aims to secure its future, deliver for its people, and lay the foundation for a freer, more open, and prosperous era for Americans and people worldwide.

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