Office of Public Affairs (AF/PA)

Africa is a continent of great challenge and promise and the Bureau of African Affairs’ Office of Public Affairs (AF/PA) is committed to making our U.S.-Africa policy experts available to the community. How? By connecting with representatives from high schools, colleges/universities, non-governmental/private organizations (NGO/PVOs) and the media. In keeping with this Administration’s commitment to a more peaceful and prosperous future for all the peoples of Africa, AF/PA strives to do the following:

• Educate the public about our efforts to advance democratic and economic reform;
• Ensure that the nations of Africa are full partners in the trade and prosperity of the world;
• Seek support for our involvement in helping African peoples overcome the spread of HIV/AIDS; and
• Promote security and prosperity across the continent.

We urge schools, universities, colleges and PVO/NGOs interested in learning more about the continent as well as those already committed to the success of Africa to utilize AF Bureau resources to support Africa through better understanding.

Our representatives meet regularly with the community to talk about HIV/AIDS, sovereign credit ratings, the Millennium Challenge Account, Conflict Diamonds, Environment and the Congo River Basin, Liberia, Nigeria and Zimbabwe to name a few topics. Experts from the Offices of Economic Policy, Sudan Special Programs Group, West, Central, Eastern or Southern African Affairs can be made available to your organization, group, school or university.

Alongside our work with NGO/PVOs we also work to reach our goals with the private news media. AF/PA responds to press inquiries on issues that affect or involve the Bureau of African Affairs. We provide responses to traditional print and electronic media as well as "new media" and internet services. In all we do we focus on given the public access to the correct information they want and need and ensuring that the message of the United States is heard.

Even where we do not respond directly we play a role in getting the message out. By coordinating the preparation and distribution of press guidance to the Office of the Spokesman and to our constituent posts, we make sure that our Public Affairs Officers overseas are equipped to answer questions quickly and accurately.