Top Africa official in US government to leave in July, says state department
The US state department's top official for Africa, Troy Fitrell, will retire in mid-July, a department spokesperson said on Thursday, adding the Africa bureau's No 2, Jonathan Pratt, will step into the role.
The change in leadership at the state department's Africa bureau will come as President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to shift its strategy in the region to focus on trade rather than assistance.
"After a long and distinguished career, the department of state's Bureau of African Affairs senior bureau official ambassador Troy Fitrell is retiring in mid-July as planned," the department spokesperson said.
"The Bureau of African Affairs principal deputy assistant secretary Jonathan Pratt will step into the senior bureau official role after ambassador Fitrell's departure."
Troy Fitrell, previously US ambassador to Guinea, has been running the Bureau of African Affairs in the absence of an officially nominated assistant secretary of state under Trump. The senior bureau official position serves in an acting capacity when an assistant secretary, a Senate-confirmed position, is yet to be named.
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Top Africa official in US government to leave in July, says state department
The US state department's top official for Africa, Troy Fitrell, will retire in mid-July, a department spokesperson said on Thursday, adding the Africa bureau's No 2, Jonathan Pratt, will step into the role. The change in leadership at the state department's Africa bureau will come as President Donald Trump's administration is seeking to shift its strategy in the region to focus on trade rather than assistance. "After a long and distinguished career, the department of state's Bureau of African Affairs senior bureau official ambassador Troy Fitrell is retiring in mid-July as planned," the department spokesperson said. "The Bureau of African Affairs principal deputy assistant secretary Jonathan Pratt will step into the senior bureau official role after ambassador Fitrell's departure." Troy Fitrell, previously US ambassador to Guinea, has been running the Bureau of African Affairs in the absence of an officially nominated assistant secretary of state under Trump. The senior bureau official position serves in an acting capacity when an assistant secretary, a Senate-confirmed position, is yet to be named.
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