IAM members in the serving the United States government moving segment are likely seeing fewer high-profile relocations, as 115 ambassador posts around the world sit empty.
According to figures from the American Foreign Service Association, the union representing foreign service officers, over 40% of the total 195 total positions remain vacant. With heightened tensions in the Middle East, vacancies include Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq and Kuwait. In Africa, 37 of the 51 embassies have no ambassador.
The vacuum is reported to relate to a number of factors, including the speed with which the Trump administration is nominating ambassadors, an increasingly slow confirmation process, and the decision in December by Secretary of State Marco Rubio to recall nearly 30 career ambassadors. The vacancy figures remain high compared to previous administrations, although there are currently over 20 ambassador nominees in the Senate confirmation process.
IAM Member Impact: Although some of the vacant posts will be filled, the Trump Administration increasingly relies upon envoys to manage relations with multiple countries, likely leading to fewer ambassador moves in the foreseeable future.
Source: The Wall Street Journal