The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs conducts foreign relations with Mexico, Canada, Central and South America and the Caribbean. The offices under this bureau direct, coordinate, and supervise U.S. Government activities within this region, including political, economic, consular, public diplomacy and administrative
management issues. This bureau prefers Spanish-, French-, or Portuguese-speaking/reading applicants.

  • Office of Andean Affairs (WHA/AND): The Office of WHA/AND is responsible for shaping, coordinating and implementing foreign policy in Bolivia, Ecuador, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela.
  • Office of Brazil and Southern Cone (WHA/BSC): The Office of WHA/BSC coordinates interagency policies and programs of the U.S. Government that relate to the countries of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
  • Office of Canadian Affairs (WHA/CAN): The Office of Canadian Affairs (WHA/CAN) is responsible for day-to-day management of relations between the U.S. and Canada.
  • Office of Caribbean Affairs (WHA/CAR): The Office of WHA/CAR is responsible for managing relations with the island nations and dependencies of the Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles). It is the Department’s principal liaison with the 13 Caribbean embassies, which maintain a presence in Washington.
  • Office of the Coordinator for Cuban Affairs (WHA/CCA): The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs’ Office of the Coordinator for Cuban Affairs (CCA) is the focal point within the U.S. Government for developing, coordinating, recommending, and executing U.S. policy on Cuba.
  • Office of Central American Affairs (WHA/CEN): The Office of WHA/CEN is responsible for the management of U.S. relations for Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Belize.
  • Office of Economic Policy and Summit Coordination (WHA/EPSC): The Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs’ Office of Economic Policy and Summit Coordination (EPSC) creates and implements U.S. foreign policy relating to trade, energy, finance, macroeconomic, and ESTH issues, as well as organizing policy for the Summit of the Americas process.
  • Western Hemisphere Affairs Executive Office (WHA/EX): The Executive Office (EX) is the focal point for providing management support services to our WHA domestic offices and overseas missions (28 Embassies, 14 Consul Generals, six Consulates, one U.S. Interest Section, and one American Presence Post).
  • Western Hemisphere Affairs Mexico Desk (WHA/MEX): The WHA/MEX Desk is responsible for the relations between the United States and Mexico. In addition to political and economic matters, other issues that the office deals with include the environment, migration, and drug enforcement.
  • Office of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs (WHA/PDA): The Office of WHA/PDA oversees the public diplomacy activities carried out by WHA posts abroad to promote understanding of the United States and advocate and advance U.S. policy.
  • Office of Policy Planning and Coordination (WHA/PPC): The Office of Policy Planning and Coordination (WHA/PPC) coordinates all socio-political issues that extend beyond a single geographic office (e.g., security assistance, counternarcotics, human rights, labor, international organizations issues). PPC has the lead on strategic planning and evaluation for the bureau, including coordination of policy, program, and foreign assistance funding.