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Fifty Years of U.S. Africa Policy:Reflections of Assistant Secretaries for African Affairs and U.S. Embassy Officials
Fifteen men and women have occupied the position of Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. They charted the course of U.S. Africa policy for fifty years that spanned the dawn of African independence to the present era of globalized engagement. In these pages each assistant secretary describes his or her stewardship and assesses the state of U.S.-African relations during their tenure. Their perspectives are enhanced by the oral histories of six Foreign Service officers who recall the excitement and challenges of living and working in Africa and associating with such leaders as Kwame Nkrumah, Patrice Lumumba, and Nelson Mandela. The courage and dedication of all these men and women illuminate every page.
Claudia Anyaso served more than 40 years with the former U.S. Information Agency and the U.S. Department of State. Her overseas assignments included cultural attaché at U.S. embassies in Nigeria and Haiti and counselor for public affairs in Niger and Nigeria. Ms. Ayaso was also a member of the Implementation Planning Team for the U.S. Unified Command for Africa (Africom). Her last position in the State Department was as director of the Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs in the Africa Bureau.