“The General and the Ambassador” discuss role of development in national security

On September 7, Ambassador (retired) Deborah McCarthy was joined by former Acting U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Alonzo Fulgham and former Senior USAID Mission Director James Bever on a new episode of “The General and the Ambassador.” This episode is a departure from the podcast’s typical format. Instead of examining how U.S. diplomats and military leaders work together overseas, McCarthy and her guests focus on the role of development assistance in U.S. national security, specifically development in conflict zones, such as Afghanistan.

In this episode, Fulgham and Bever give a behind the scenes account of the challenges faced in Afghanistan and how USAID worked with the U.S. military in the field. Fulgham and Bever discussed how USAID and military leaders worked together to resolve issues facing different provinces, and noted how interagency fund transfers between USAID and the Department of Defense enabled the military to literally build (or rebuild) bridges within the effected communities.

The interviews are part of Ambassador McCarthy’s podcast series “The General and the Ambassador: A Conversation.” The podcast promotes interagency cooperation and is produced by the American Academy of Diplomacy.

McCarthy was the 2018 DACOR Visiting Professor of Diplomacy for the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College (CGSC). The DACOR Visiting Professor of Diplomacy Program is conducted in partnership with the Diplomatic and Consular Officers, Retired, Inc. (DACOR) organization located in Washington D.C., and the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College Foundation. Several times a year retired senior officials, usually Ambassadors with extensive diplomatic experience, come to Fort Leavenworth to interact with the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College students and faculty to provide a Department of State and Chief of Mission perspective to the curriculum. During their visit they also interact with area universities and civic organizations discussing policy, regional, and political expertise, as well as speaking about careers in the Foreign Service.

To learn more and listen to the podcast, please follow the link below.
Development as a Tool of National Security in Conflict Zones Part I: The Case of Afghanistan with USAID Senior Leaders Alonzo Fulgham and James Bever