Why U.S. Diplomacy is Struggling to Compete With China in the Global South

40 countries around the world currently do not have U.S. ambassadors. The corner offices have been empty for months, even years at U.S. embassies in major regional powers like India and Saudia Arabia. Even Italy, a G7 country, doesn’t have a U.S. ambassador in place.

The hold-up in getting ambassadors confirmed by the Senate is the consequence of Washington’s dysfunctional politics that’s adversely impacting the U.S. and its effort to compete with China for influence around the world, particularly in developing countries.

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by Eric Olander

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