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Assistant Secretary Linda Thomas-Greenfield leads the Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs, the division in the Department focused on the development and management of U.S. policy concerning the continent. There are four pillars that serve as the foundation of U.S. policy toward Africa.

1) Strengthening Democratic Institutions;
2) Supporting African economic growth and development;
3) Advancing Peace and Security;
4) Promoting Opportunity and Development.

Read the full description of the pillars here: U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa.

President Obama's Message on the Ebola Virus

Sept. 2: The 2014 Ebola outbreak is one of the largest Ebola outbreaks in history and the first in West Africa. It is affecting four countries in West Africa: Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone. Educating yourself about the Ebola virus is one way to help stop the virus from spreading. Watch President Obama's message on the Ebola virus and visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more information. More» DipNote» CDC»

African Leaders Summit

Closing of the U.S. Africa Leaders Summit 2014
President Obama (Aug. 6): "Our New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition continues to grow, aiming to lift 50 million Africans from poverty. In our fight against HIV/AIDS, we’ll work with 10 African countries to help them double the number of their children on lifesaving anti-retroviral drugs. And even as the United States is deploying some of our medical first responders to West Africa to help control the Ebola outbreak, we’re also working to strengthen public health systems, including joining with the African Union to pursue the creation of an African Centers for Disease Control." Full Text»

Opening Session of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit
President Obama (Aug. 6): "Africa’s rise means opportunity for all of us -- including the opportunity to transform the relationship between the United States and Africa. As I said in Cape Town last year, it’s time for a new model of partnership between America and Africa -- a partnership of equals that focuses on African capacity to solve problems, and on Africa’s capacity to grow. And that’s why we’re here." Full Text» Summit Page»

Young African Leaders Presidential Summit

Dreams for Africa
Participants from this year's YALI group share their insights on thier hopes and dreams for themselves and what Africa does and can offer. Africa is...

President Obama (July 28): " I launched the Young African Leaders Initiative to make sure that we’re tapping into the incredible talent and creativity of young Africans like you. Since then, we’ve partnered with thousands of young people across the continent -- empowering them with the skills and the training and technology they need to start new businesses, to spark change in their communities, to promote education and health care and good governance." Full Text»

Secretary Kerry (July 28): "We have five hundred fellows from all 49 countries in sub-Saharan Africa. This is really remarkable. This is a first. And I know the real presence of a kind of excitement, a hopefulness, a sense of possibility that is accompanying and defining this meeting." Full Text» Social Media Kit»

A Comprehensive Multiyear Strategy To Counter the Lord's Resistance Army

The strategy outlines four key objectives for U.S. support: (1) the increased protection of civilians; (2) the apprehension or removal of Joseph Kony and senior LRA commanders from the battlefield; (3) the promotion of defections and support of disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration of remaining LRA fighters; and (4) the provision of continued humanitarian relief to affected communities. Fact Sheet»

Travel to African Union Summit

June 25: At the invitation of the African Union, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Linda Thomas-Greenfield led the United States delegation to Malabo, Equatorial Guinea in connection with the AU Summit. More»

#BringBackOurGirls: Addressing the Growing Threat of Boko Haram
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Jackson (May 15): "Boko Haram has also retained its ability to target Abuja, as we saw with two recent bombings at the Nyanya bus depot outside the capital. And we’re concerned by the expansion of the group’s operations beyond Nigeria, including in Cameroon where it has also conducted kidnappings. The group is not just a Nigerian problem; it is a regional security problem." Opening Statement» Fact Sheet»