Black Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield: 'Gumbo Diplomacy' to Restore America's Position
(Baonghean.vn) - Linda Thomas-Greenfield attracted the attention of the United States when she used the term “Gumbo diplomacy” in her acceptance speech for the nomination as US Ambassador to the United Nations (UN). She pledged to take a new direction in her efforts to restore America’s position in the international arena, notably by building trust with sincerity and warmth like the gumbo soup she used to cook. In the political world, “Gumbo diplomacy” is a play on words to contrast with “Gunboat diplomacy”, which means diplomacy with warships and guns.
Doing diplomacy is like making gumbo.
During her 35 years in the foreign service, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield built relationships by inviting colleagues to her home to cook gumbo, a traditional dish from her native Louisiana. It was, she said, “a way to break down barriers, connect with people and talk face to face.”
When asked about her gumbo recipe, Thomas-Greenfield said, “I don’t have one.” “I’ve never made gumbo from a recipe. I learned it by watching.” Flexibility and self-regulation are also the diplomat’s working style. She seems accustomed to finding her own way around obstacles, taking notes on dos and don’ts, sometimes being “firm” and sometimes being “soft.” When it comes to flexibility, she says it’s important, but there are also certain principles. “I never use ketchup or sauce in gumbo. I hate red soup… Gumbo should be brown.”
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| US Ambassador to the United Nations nominee Linda Thomas-Greenfield during a hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on January 27. Photo: AP |
A career diplomat, Thomas-Greenfield, 68, has had plenty of opportunities to share her homeland’s gumbo around the world, from Gambia to Kenya to Jamaica to Liberia to Pakistan to Switzerland. She is African-American, born in a small, isolated town in Louisiana, the eldest of eight children. Her father was an illiterate laborer; her mother was a cook. She was one of the few African-American women admitted to Louisiana State University in the 1970s, a deeply segregated school at the time. Linda Thomas-Greenfield went to graduate school in Wisconsin before joining the US State Department in the early 1980s.
She began her career in the foreign service under President Ronald Reagan, then served as ambassador to Liberia under President George W. Bush and assistant secretary of state for African affairs under President Barack Obama. She was forced out in 2017 after President Donald Trump took office. Now, she is poised to take on one of the country’s most senior diplomatic jobs as President Joe Biden has tapped her to be the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Current and former US diplomats have hailed Thomas-Greenfield as an ideal candidate to restore America’s standing and rebuild its credibility at the world’s largest multilateral institution. Several officials who worked for or knew Thomas-Greenfield well described her as warm and gentle but also sharp and seasoned. She does not have the same close relationship with President Biden as her colleagues Antony Blinken (the new Secretary of State) or John Kerry (former Secretary of State and now US Special Envoy for Climate). However, when announcing the nomination, President-elect Biden affirmed: “Thomas-Greenfield will be part of the Cabinet because I want to hear her views on all major foreign policy discussions.”
Heavy mission
Promoting the role of multilateralism and restoring America's reputation are the consistent goals that the Biden administration will carry out in the next 4 years. Thomas-Greenfield will be part of that mission. After 4 years of America "neglecting" multilateral institutions, including the UN, regaining prestige and affirming its return to a more active role in this organization is the first and most difficult task. Ms. Thomas-Greenfield's approach is expected to be flexible but also resolute. During the Senate hearing before the nomination vote, she declared that she would use every "diplomatic tool in the toolkit" to ensure America's interests.
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| Linda Thomas-Greenfield, then Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, meets with her boss John Kerry in Lagos, Nigeria, on January 25, 2015. Photo: AP |
“As we seek to exert influence consistent with our values, the United Nations is an indispensable institution for advancing our peace, security, and well-being. Instead, if we walk away and allow others to fill the void, our communities will suffer—and so will American interests.”
Many US diplomats commented that the future female ambassador will bring more than 3 decades of successful diplomatic experience to the upcoming heavy task. As for her, the guiding principle for all actions and decisions is quite simple. “I have no role models in life. But what I have is the hope and dream of my mother - who taught me very early that I can face any challenge or adversity with compassion and kindness,” she shared in a recent TED Talk.
She paid tribute to her mother in her first tweet after being nominated for a position in the new administration. “My mother taught me that leading with the power of kindness and compassion makes the world a better place. I have carried that lesson with me throughout my career and, if confirmed, will do so as the United States Ambassador to the United Nations.”
Tough on China
Thomas-Greenfield’s reputation and experience have helped her gain support from both Democratic and Republican politicians. However, some are still concerned that this diplomat seems to have a “soft” stance on China - a country that is considered the top security rival of the US. However, in a speech before the Senate on January 27, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield made her views clear and affirmed that she will spend her term as ambassador to the UN tocontain Chinese influenceat the Security Council, curbing Beijing's efforts to place Chinese citizens in key leadership positions at the multilateral body.
“We know that China is moving throughout the UN system to advance an agenda that is antithetical to the values that this organization was founded on — American values. They will succeed if we back down. I will not let that happen,” Thomas-Greenfield told senators.
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| Ms. Linda Thomas-Greenfield is considered a friendly and trustworthy diplomat. Photo: AP |
In recent years, China has placed many of its officials in leadership positions at the United Nations, including senior positions at the International Telecommunication Union and the International Civil Aviation Organization. Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said China is trying to insert its “harmful” language into UN resolutions. In addition to blocking China’s actions at the UN, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield said she would work with leaders in Africa, where China is investing heavily in infrastructure projects, to push back against Beijing’s ambitions on the continent.
Of course, with a “modified” diplomatic style, Ms. Thomas-Greenfield could still seek to coordinate with China to achieve President Biden's goals on climate change and some other issues.
