Former Undersecretary of State
Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns is one of America's top foreign policy experts and practitioners. Over the course of his 27-year career in the state department, he played a key leadership role in U.S. foreign policy toward the Middle East, Europe, and South Asia. He was the nation's top career diplomat as undersecretary from 2005-08, and he is viewed as one of the country's most articulate spokespeople on globalization and U.S. foreign policy. He demonstrated great versatility as a diplomat and earned respect on both sides of the aisle as a nonpartisan expert on public diplomacy and world affairs. Burns has served three presidents--George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush--in key positions including senior director for Russian affairs, State Department spokesman, U.S. ambassador to Greece, and U.S. ambassador to NATO. He is currently professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government and chair of the school's Middle East Initiative and a new program on India and South Asia. Burns speaks with candor and passion about his experiences at the forefront of American foreign policy, what works and what doesn't in America's foreign relations, and what the future holds for America's position on the world stage.
Day-to-day diplomat. Named as one of GQ magazine's most powerful people in DC, Ambassador Burns shares a big-picture perspective of America's place in the world culminating in his appointment as undersecretary of state where he managed America's day-to-day diplomacy, including world crises. Among his many accomplishments are shepherding negotiations of the first civil nuclear energy agreement with India, leading U.S. negotiations with China, Russia, and Europe on the Iran nuclear crisis, and helping to forge an agreement with Brazil on the development of biofuels. He also negotiated a $30 billion long-term military assistance agreement with Israel.
Current Events. In addition to his positions at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, Burns is also director of the Aspen Strategy Group, a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a member of several boards of directors. In July 2009, he joined the Cohen Group, a global business consulting firm in Washington, D.C., as a senior counselor.
The future of foreign policy. Ambassador Burns' nonpartisan approach is buttressed by a clarion call for America to project itself more positively before the rest of the world. His work has fueled his insights that America needs to become more assertive and effective in leading the world on climate change, terrorism, trade, narcotics, in dealing with emerging powers in China and India. He sees our nation's prosperity and security depending in great part on our ability to provide more effective leadership internationally and a greater emphasis on multilateralism. In a globalized world, he believes that it is more important than ever for America to take account of the world's concerns, deliver a positive, hopeful image, and become a more energized, enlightened, and effective global leader.
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Download Speech Topics: Nicholas Burns' Topics
The Economic Crisis: Its impact on American Competitiveness and Our Standing in the World. Wall Street's collapse and the current economic crisis have affected every American and people around the world. How should the Obama Administration and Congress react to this crisis and lead the way toward an eventual recovery? How should the U.S. and American businesses act to protect our global economic interests? Nick Burns believes this is the most serious challenge Americans will face in the coming years. He outlines how Americans must make an international economic recovery our overriding national goal. He makes a strong case that the new U.S. Administration must continue to support American exports, resist protectionism, and work to restructure many of the leading international institutions to make them more effective in responding to current global challenges. Finally, he argues passionately that the U.S. must remain engaged in the world as an active and strong global leader and thus resist the twin illusions of isolationism and unilateralism.
Key Questions, Moving Forward. As the global financial crisis continues, one of the central challenges for President Obama and other world leaders in 2009 will be to decide how to create effective international actions to contain and overcome it. No nation can hope to address the financial and economic challenges alone but must instead work with the IMF and World Bank and other international institutions to coordinate recovery efforts. In addition, the leading world powers must consider creation of new institutions to regain economic stability. As China, India, Brazil and other emerging market countries rise in power, they will want greater leadership roles in existing institutions, including the United Nations Security Council. How should the U.S. work to promote more effective global governance? Can President Obama keep the U.S. in a leadership position but also open the door to greater involvement by the rising powers in the most important global institutions? What are the implications of the rise of China, India and the other countries for America's long-term security? Will we be able to work with Russia effectively at a difficult time in our bilateral relationship? These are among the most important questions for the American people as we look to the future. Nicholas Burns, Harvard Professor and a former senior American diplomat, will discuss these vital issues and their implication for America's security and long-term prosperity.
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