Obama’s American man in France

US Ambassador, Charles Rivkin, meeting RT editor Hannah Marshall in Cannes

This kind of unguarded enthusiasm is typical of the fomer media man: whether discussing the Franco-US alliance, his current projects or the virtues of the French lifestyle, the same positive energy is applied.

Sworn in on 3rd of August 2009, Charles Rivkin stepped from the world of entertainment into diplomacy. His lineage (his father was ambassador to Luxembourg under Kennedy and Senegal under Johnson) and his love for France (he lived in Brittany at 17 and has returned to the country often) make him the perfect choice for the prestigious Paris post.

"To be here at the moment, given the strength of Franco-American relations, and to be the personal representative of President Obama is extraordinary," he says, adding that the relationship between France and the States is at its strongest in 50 years: "With the election of Presidents Sarkozy and Obama, and with France’s reintegration into NATO, France is by America's side on every major issue." Monaco too is a strong ally with Obama and Prince Albert in sync on almost every point of foreign policy.

Rivkin adds that the US is in a fortunate position at present because Obama has a high popularity rating with the French, which in turn makes this an opportune moment to advance their initiatives.
The embassy is America's oldest: As far back as the 1700s Benjamin Franklin and John Adams were making the first diplomatic missions. Today there are offices in seven locations across France, providing a home for 1,000 employees and 51 US government agencies.

So what role does the modern ambassador play? Primarily, says Rivkin, the job is dedicated to advancing the bilateral relationships between the US and France and the US and Monaco and, of course, ensuring the safety and security of Americans in these countries.

This encompasses far-reaching issues, from conflict and peace in Afghanistan to global warming and the economic crisis.

Rivkin is also pushing a number of additional projects. At the forefront is the green initiative, which reflects the importance of the environment to the President and US Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton. "As embassies are the face of our country to the world" Rivkin organised a conference in Paris earlier this year with 20 US embassies in Europe to discuss both the "greening" of official residences and other ways US  representatives in foreign countries can demonstrate the "importance of green". Equally exciting is the integrated youth strategy: "I'm the youngest person to have the honour of holding this job in 60 years and although I'm not young (48) I want to reinvent how we communicate with local constituents." To reach the next generation of French and Monegasque leaders, the embassy are using Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites and are also doing outreach work with young people living in the capital’s banlieues (suburbs).

The scheme has provided the ambassador with some memorable moments, most notably when he introduced local kids to a Hollywood star: "I had been in La Corneuve, asking students what they like about America. They replied, 'We love Samuel L Jackson, we love Will Smith, Jay-Z', all these guys, and I had said, 'Well who knows, maybe one day I'll bring one of them back to see you.' The next day, I noticed that some bloggers were questioning whether I'd deliver on my promise. By good fortune, I saw that Samuel L Jackson was in Paris so I called him up and we made a trip to the banlieue. He then gave a wonderful speech about what it had taken to grow up in America in the 1950s. I mean he is a living embodiment of the American Dream and I think he was able to put a face to the US that is very true and representative.”   

Being only six days after his initial commitment, Rivkin jokes that his delivery was pretty timely. However, his intention in recounting this story is not only to prove that he is a man who keeps his word but also to demonstrate how the media can act as a bridge between nations. This is something he is particularly keen to stress, in part because of his own background (as  CEO and President to entertainment corporations). "I happen to understand the power of media and how it can be used in diplomacy. Not only with visits from celebrities but in terms of promoting jobs, for example. I'd love to create an environment where American companies want to invest in France and Monaco and to employ more of their citizens."

This brings the ambassador neatly to the subject of the economy, another focus. Every day some 1.5 billion US dollars pass between America and France and with 750,000 French employed by US  companies here and some 540,000 Americans working for French companies in the States the links are enormous.

And of course he still has time to look after his flock. “A large part of the job is engaging with US organisations and supporting them. I have a ton of exposure to American citizens living here and the overall feeling is that they feel as I do, which is how fortunate they are to be living in this extraordinary country, how much they love both America and France and thus how important it is to have a good bilateral relationship.”       

HM