Rubio reveals US state department overhaul targeting human rights, democracy programs

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio attends a meeting of the Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Task Force at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., April 22. Reuters-Yonhap U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday unveiled a State Department reorganization plan that includes a reduction of offices related to democracy and human rights, as he seeks to ensure the department is aligned with President Donald Trump's America First policy. The department's proposed organizational chart showed the removal of the under secretary post for civilian security, democracy and human rights and the creation of a new post — the coordinator for foreign assistance and humanitarian affairs. Under the coordinator's office, there will be two assistant secretaries — one for democracy, human rights and religious freedom and the other for population, refugees and migration, whereas the under secretary for civilian security, democracy and human rights has four assistant secretaries and three ambassadors at large. The assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement under the soon-to-be removed under secretary will be subordinate to the under secretary for arms control and international security, while the three ambassadors at large will be eliminated. The chart also showed the elimination of the office of global women's issues and the office of diversity and inclusion. Changes in the plan will be implemented over the next several months, according to the department. "In its current form, the department is bloated, bureaucratic, and unable to perform its essential diplomatic mission in this new era of great power competition," Rubio said in a statement. "Over the past 15 years, the department's footprint has had unprecedented growth and costs have soared. But far from seeing a return on investment, taxpayers have seen less effective and efficient diplomacy." Under the plan, region-specific functions will be consolidated to increase functionality, redundant offices will be removed, and nonstatutory programs that are misaligned with America's core national interests will cease to exist, the secretary said. This week's announcement did not include the reorganization of America's overseas diplomatic missions. Last week, CNN reported on what it called an internal State Department document that recommended the closure of 10 embassies and 17 consulates, including a consulate in South Korea. Asked to confirm a plan to close the consulate in Korea, a State Department spokesperson told Yonhap News Agency that the department continues to assess the United States' global programs and posture to ensure it is best positioned to address modern challenges.