United States Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs | |
---|---|
Inaugural holder | Tim Wirth |
Formation | 1994 |
Final holder | Maria Otero |
Abolished | February 4, 2013 |
Website | Official website |
The under secretary for democracy and global affairs is a former position within the United States Department of State that, according to the department website, "coordinates U.S. foreign relations on a variety of global issues, including democracy, human rights, and labor; environment, oceans, and science; population, refugees, and migration; women's issues; and trafficking in persons." The office was last held by Maria Otero. [1] Other former under secretaries were Timothy Wirth, Frank E. Loy, [2] and Paula Dobriansky.
The State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956 states the under secretary for democracy and global affairs had the responsibility to coordinate with the under secretary of state for public diplomacy and public affairs and other offices from regional bureaus to promote democracy in nondemocratic countries. The under secretary also advises the secretary of the Department of State of the effects on human rights and democracy on a foreign country on any recommendation requested by another official, or any agency program. [3] The position was created when Section 161(b) of the Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1994 and 1995 authorized the appointment of a fifth under secretary of state. [2]
On January 17, 2012, the office of the under secretary for democracy and global affairs (State Department designation G) became the under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights (State Department designation J).
Name | Assumed office | Left office | President served under |
---|---|---|---|
Tim Wirth | May 12, 1994 [4] | December 23, 1997 | Bill Clinton |
Frank E. Loy | October 26, 1998 | January 20, 2001 | Bill Clinton |
Paula Dobriansky | May 1, 2001 | January 20, 2009 | George W. Bush |
Maria Otero | August 10, 2009 | February 4, 2013 | Barack Obama |
The officially stated goals of the foreign policy of the United States of America, including all the bureaus and offices in the United States Department of State, as mentioned in the Foreign Policy Agenda of the Department of State, are "to build and sustain a more democratic, secure, and prosperous world for the benefit of the American people and the international community". Liberalism has been a key component of US foreign policy since its independence from Britain. Since the end of World War II, the United States has had a grand strategy which has been characterized as being oriented around primacy, "deep engagement", and/or liberal hegemony. This strategy entails that the United States maintains military predominance; builds and maintains an extensive network of allies ; integrates other states into US-designed international institutions ; and limits the spread of nuclear weapons.
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