U.S. Mission to the Organization for American States

The United States Mission to the Organization of American States was formally established in 1948, and is the only embassy located within the Department of State in Washington, D.C. The Organization of American States (OAS) is the world’s oldest regional organization, dating back to the First International Conference of American States held in Washington, D.C. in October 1889. It is the premier multilateral forum for dealing with political issues in the Western Hemisphere. The main goals of the Mission are to strengthen peace and security, promote the effective exercise of representative democracy, ensure the peaceful settlement of disputes among members, and provide for common action in the event of aggression. They also seek solutions to political, juridical, and economic problems that may arise by promoting cooperative action, and economic, social, educational, scientific and cultural development.

2017-08-25T10:20:42-04:00

Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator (S/GAC)

The Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator oversees and directs all resources and international activities of the U.S. Government to combat the global HIV/AIDS pandemic, including U.S. contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Additional information about the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator may be found at www.state.gov/s/gac.

2017-08-08T14:34:36-04:00

Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR)

The Office of Civil Rights (S/OCR) exists to propagate fairness, equity and inclusion at the Department of State. S/OCR has four main components: the Legal Team, the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Intake and Resolution Team, Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, and the Diversity Management and Outreach Team. These teams manage the Department’s EEO Process, run the Department’s Anti-Harassment Program, oversee the Department’s diversity and inclusion efforts, and provide real-time management advice to senior-level officials worldwide.

2020-05-26T11:18:52-04:00

South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA)

The Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs conducts U.S. foreign relations with countries in the region of South and Central Asia. This bureau directs, coordinates and supervises diplomatic activities within this region, including consular and administrative management issues.

  • SCA Front Office (SCA/FO): directs, coordinates, and supervises diplomatic activities within the South and Central Asian countries, including consular and administrative management issues.
  • Office of Central Asia (SCA/CEN): informs policy and coordinates with U.S. Missions in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.
  • Office of INSB (SCA/INSB): informs policy and coordinates with U.S. Missions in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and Maldives.
  • Afghanistan Desk (SCA/A): is responsible for U.S. policy toward Afghanistan, and liaises with the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan.
  • India Desk (SCA/I): is responsible for U.S. policy toward India, and liaises with the U.S. Embassy in India.
  • Pakistan Desk (SCA/P): is responsible for U.S. policy toward Pakistan, and liaises with the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan.
  • Office of Press and Public Diplomacy (SCA/PPD): integrates public diplomacy planning, programming, and evaluation into the overall work of the SCA Bureau.
  • Office of Regional Affairs (SCA/RA): provides the Bureau of South and Central Asia with expertise on and coordination of a broad spectrum of functional, global, and trans-border issues pertaining to the South and Central Asian region.
2017-08-08T14:29:06-04:00

Political-Military Affairs (PM)

The Bureau of the Political-Military Affairs (PM) builds enduring security partnerships to advance U.S. national security objectives. The Bureau of Political-Military Affairs is the Department of State’s principal link to the Department of Defense. The PM Bureau provides policy direction in the areas of international security, security assistance, military operations, defense strategy and plans, and defense trade.

  • Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC): Ensuring commercial exports of defense articles and defense services advance U.S. national security and foreign policy objectives. The Department of State is responsible for the export and temporary import of defense articles and services governed by 22 U.SC. 2778 of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and Executive Order 13637. The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR,” 22 CFR 120-130) implements the AECA. The Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC) in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs at the U.S. Department of State implements the ITAR including the United States Munitions List (USML).
  • Office of Congressional and Public Affairs (PM/CPA): The Office of Congressional and Public Affairs (CPA) is responsible for facilitating effective communication and interaction between the Assistant Secretary and the staff of the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs and the Congress, foreign and domestic media, and the general public. CPA is responsible for managing the PM Bureau’s congressional affairs, public affairs, and public diplomacy functions.
  • Office of State-Defense Integration (PM/SDI): The Office of State-Defense Integration (PM/SDI) promotes and facilitates closer synchronization and coordination between the Department of State (DOS) and Department of Defense (DoD) by managing several high-profile political-military programs and functions. These include the Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) and Military Advisor (MILAD) programs; DoD visits to the Department (military education, pre-deployment briefings, and senior leader engagements); DoD requests for DOS participation in military exercises; DOS approvals of Foreign Government Employment (FGE) requests from retired military personnel; and PM University training courses for DOS personnel. These programs and functions build partnerships and foreign policy expertise in matters pivotal to both DOS and DoD. The end result is that both agencies more efficiently and effectively advance U.S. national security interests, prepare for and respond to emerging threats, and ensure the strategic alignment of our U.S. military and diplomatic efforts.
  • Office of Global Programs and Initiatives (PM/GPI): The Office of Global Programs and Initiatives (PM/GPI) integrates strategic approaches with programmatic support to promote international cooperation on a broad range of global security issues. PM/GPI is comprised of three divisions: Peace Operations Capacity Building, Security Forces Capacity Building, and Aviation and Operations – and a team that is implementing the Strategic Impact Assessment Framework.
  • Office of Security Assistance (PM/SA): The Office of Security Assistance (SA) has three core functions: (1) managing State Department Title 22 military grant assistance – to include directing over $6 billion annually in U.S. military grant assistance to allies and friends through policy development, budget formulation, and program oversight; (2) managing concurrence/coordination on various Department of Defense (DoD) Title 10 authorities, including joint planning and development of section 333; and (3) participating in, and coordinating State Department input into, DoD planning efforts.
  • Office of Security Negotiations and Agreements (PM/SNA): The mission of Security Negotiations and Agreements (PM/SNA) is to strengthen the nation’s security partnerships throughout the world by coordinating, negotiating and concluding international agreements to meet U.S. security requirements.
  • Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers (PM/RSAT): The Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers (RSAT) advances U.S. foreign policy and national security interests through its management of bilateral/ multi-lateral political-military and regional security relations and the sale/transfer of U.S.-origin defense articles and services to foreign governments.
  • Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA): The Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM/WRA) works to deliver programs and services aimed at reducing the harmful effects of at-risk, illicitly proliferated, and indiscriminately used conventional weapons of war.
2019-10-21T10:39:42-04:00

Overseas Building Operations (OBO)

OBO assists the Secretary of State and the Under Secretary for Management with formulating policy on the Department of State’s worldwide buildings program abroad for the Department of State and the U.S. Government community. Through its extensive program of new construction, facility rehabilitation, and operations programs, OBO provides safe, secure, and functional living and working space for the thousands of men and women who represent the United States and perform the important work of diplomacy. Since 2001, OBO has constructed over 56 new facilities and has moved more than 17,000 personnel into safer structures, and many more new facilities are either in the design or construction phase.

2017-08-08T14:14:30-04:00

International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN)

The Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation (ISN) leads the Department of State’s efforts to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction (WMD)—whether nuclear, biological, chemical, or radiological—and their delivery systems, as well as destabilizing conventional weapons, including guns, tanks and attack helicopters. It does this by:

  • Spearheading efforts to promote international consensus on WMD proliferation through bilateral and multilateral diplomacy;
  • Addressing WMD proliferation threats posed by non-state actors and terrorist groups by improving physical security, using interdiction and sanctions, and actively participating in the Proliferation Security Initiative (PSI) and other programs to counter nuclear terrorism;
  • Coordinating the implementation of key international treaties and arrangements, working to make them relevant to today’s security challenges and working closely with the UN, the G-8, NATO, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and other international institutions and organizations to reduce and eliminate the threat posed by WMD; and
  • Supporting efforts of foreign partners to prevent, deter and respond to the threat or use of WMD by terrorists.

ISN offices include:

  • Multilateral Nuclear and Security Affairs (ISN/MNSA): Formulates and directs U.S. policy relating to the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), safeguards controls on fissile material, and other multilateral nuclear issues pertaining to Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (NWFZ) treaties, the Group of Eight (G8) nations and the European Union.
  • Nuclear Energy, Safety and Security (ISN/NESS): Develops U.S. policy related to peaceful nuclear cooperation, the future of the international nuclear fuel cycle, nuclear safety, nuclear export controls, and the physical protection of nuclear materials and facilities.
  • Cooperative Threat Reduction (ISN/CTR): Engages worldwide with countries, facilities, and scientists to keep weapons of mass destruction (WMD) expertise, materials, and equipment out of the hands of proliferators and terrorists.
  • Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund (ISN/NDF): Rapid-response fund to exploit nonproliferation and disarmament opportunities, circumstances, or conditions that are unanticipated or unusually difficult (e.g., missile destruction, removal of fissile material).
  • Weapons of Mass Destruction Terrorism (ISN/WMDT): Develops policy and plans, directs initiatives, and coordinates partner capacity-building activities to prevent, protect against, and respond to the threat or use of nuclear, radiological, chemical, or biological weapons by terrorists. Leads the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear Terrorism, the Nuclear Smuggling Outreach Initiative, the Nuclear Trafficking Response Group, and the Foreign Consequence Management Program.
  • Missile, Biological and Chemical Nonproliferation (ISN/MBC): Combats the proliferation of ballistic and cruise missiles capable of delivering WMD via the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and impedes proliferation of chemical and biological weapons via the Australia Group regime. Also responsible for coordinating interdiction, sanctions and associated export controls, and direct diplomacy with missile-possessing and technology- supplying countries.
  • Conventional Arms Threat Reduction (ISN/CATR): Leads USG efforts to curb the proliferation of advanced conventional weapons (ACW) such as Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), major weapons systems (tanks, aircraft, missiles), sensors and lasers, and precision-guided munitions.
  • Export Control Cooperation (ISN/ECC): Helps other countries improve their nonproliferation export control systems, including directly via the Export Control and Related Border Security Assistance (EXBS) program and by coordinating and strengthening nonproliferation export control assistance efforts of other USG agencies and other countries.
  • Biological Policy Staff (ISN/BPS): Leads USG coordination for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) and related biological policy issues.
  • Counterproliferation Initiatives (ISN/CPI): Develops and implements counterproliferation efforts designed to interdict or deny shipments of WMD and their means of delivery, to shut down illicit procurement and financial networks, and to promote compliance with UN Security Council Resolutions. Leads Department efforts related to the Proliferation Security Initiative and promoting observance of UN Security Council Resolution 1540.
  • Regional Affairs (ISN/RA): Leads the bureau’s work on diplomatic responses to nuclear threats posed by Iran, North Korea, and Syria. Develops and supports strategic dialogues with India, Pakistan, and China. Pursues regional nonproliferation strategies in key areas such as the Middle East and East Asia (including via the ASEAN Regional Forum).
  • Strategic Communications and Outreach (ISN/SCO): Supports the bureau’s interaction with Congress, the media, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and coordinates public diplomacy and outreach efforts in support of nonproliferation.
2017-08-08T14:05:18-04:00

Office of eDiplomacy (IRM/EDIP)

The Office of eDiplomacy (EDIP) seeks to promote the creative and innovative use of 21st-century web 2.0 tools to advance U.S. diplomacy. The office imagines, creates, advocates for, and educates on platforms for working collaboratively and sharing knowledge across all of State’s diverse communities. The Office of eDiplomacy uses innovative new media tools to provide creative, lightweight, and user-friendly solutions that are easily adaptable to region-specific needs and job functions. It oversees creative outreach-oriented programs such as the Virtual Student Foreign Service, the networking site for Foreign Service professionals, Corridor, and the Department’s Innovation Fund for promoting creative, high-impact use of existing technology.

2017-08-08T14:03:05-04:00

International Organizations (IO)

The Bureau of International Organization Affairs, domestically and through its seven missions, develops and implements U.S. policy in the United Nations, its specialized and voluntary agencies, and other international organizations. Our mission is to enhance U.S. leadership and influence throughout the multilateral system, advance U.S. interests through multilateral diplomacy, and help shape multilateral institutions into more efficient and effective instruments to meet the challenges of the 21st Century.

  • Office of Economic and Development Affairs (IO/EDA): Ensures that U.S. interests are effectively advanced in negotiations and debates on economic and development issues throughout the United Nations system. In doing so IO/EDA works closely with U.S. Missions to the UN in New York, Geneva, Rome, and Nairobi. IO/EDA core issues include those related to economic growth, sustainable development, financing for development, international development goals (such as the Millennium Development Goals and the post-2015 development agenda), food security, global health and population, the wellbeing of children, and urbanization.
  • Office of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs (IO/HRH): Advances U.S. human rights policy through the United Nations, including the Human Rights Council, UN General Assembly, UN Security Council, ECOSOC, and across its specialized agencies. IO/HRH also reflects U.S. policy and objectives in the UN’s humanitarian system, which includes the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA); it coordinates multilateral humanitarian assistance and addresses global humanitarian crises, including those caused by political conflict. Through its work with the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), IO/HRH coordinates multilateral responses to both natural and manmade disasters, as well as efforts to mitigate risks of natural disasters. IO/HRH also coordinates U.S. participation in the UN Democracy Fund, an initiative supporting civil society organizations carrying out democratization projects worldwide that the United States helped to create in 2005.
  • Office of International Conferences (IO/C): Accredits, instructs, and manages some 4,000 U.S. delegates to almost 400 multilateral conferences each year, ensuring that U.S. Government representation consists of those whose presence and participation reflect the highest possible value to U.S. foreign policy. The dedicated staff of 15 provides preparatory and on-site logistical support for nearly two dozen large conferences annually, and is committed to conscientious stewardship of the resources funded by America’s taxpayers.
  • Office of Management Policy and Resources (IO/MPR): Develops, coordinates, and implements U.S. policies within the UN system and in a broad range of non-UN organizations as they relate to financial, budgetary, administrative, and management issues. IO/MPR also promotes U.S. citizen employment in international organizations through public outreach and diplomatic engagement.
  • Office of Peace Operations, Sanctions & Counter-terrorism (IO/PSC): Leads the coordination and formulation of U.S. policy on UN peacekeeping operations, UN Security Council sanctions, and UN counter-terrorism activities. This includes active engagement on issues ranging from protecting civilians from lethal violence to counter-terrorism sanctions.
  • Office of Public Affairs, Planning, and Congressional Outreach (IO/PPC): Advances U.S. interests by communicating with global publics about U.S. priorities in international organizations, supporting outreach to Congress on U.S. multilateral activities, furthering the effectiveness of international organizations, and acting as the Bureau’s strategic planning element.
  • Office of Regional Policy and Coordination (IO/RPC): Ensures policy coherence and coordination in U.S. engagement in the multilateral system as a whole, including the UN and regional organizations; supports U.S. engagement in certain global and regional multilateral groupings (e.g. G-7); coordinates U.S. diplomacy on key Israeli-Palestinian multilateral issues; and oversees the bureau’s “Multilateral Moneyball” quantitative analysis initiative.
  • Office of Specialized and Technical Agencies (IO/STA): Handles U.S. participation in over 40 international organizations in order to enhance national security, build economic prosperity, and promote democracy. These organizations include the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Universal Postal Union) UPU, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN’s other environmental activities, and the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
  • Office of United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization Affairs (IO/UNESCO): Formulates and implements U.S. policy in UNESCO to contribute to building peace, eradicating poverty, sustainable development, and intercultural dialogue. The office also serves as the headquarters of the executive secretariat of the U.S. National Commission to UNESCO.
  • Office of United Nations Political Affairs (IO/UNP): Provides guidance and support to the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) in New York on political matters before the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly (UNGA), and coordinates the State Department’s participation in the annual opening of UNGA.
2017-09-14T10:34:44-04:00

Foreign Service Institute (FSI)

Housed at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center, FSI trains Department of State and other U.S. Government agency employees involved in foreign affairs and encourages research and other studies of new and developing areas of foreign policy concerns. FSI develops training materials for total curriculum including video and multimedia-based training courses. A critical function of FSI is to provide intensive instruction in over 60 languages, for Foreign Service Officers and other government employees assigned overseas. FSI also offers a variety of area studies courses that familiarize Foreign Service personnel with the specific geographic/cultural area to which they are assigned. The Institute also assists personnel and their families going to, or returning from, overseas assignments in cross- cultural and lifestyle adaptation, in addition to family and work adjustment/readjustment.

  • Leadership and Management School (FSI/LMS): The Leadership and Management School offers mandatory and elective leadership and management training for supervisors and managers from entry to executive levels, roundtables and policy seminars for senior leaders, and crisis management training overseas and at the Shultz Center. LMS oversees the Leadership and Managing Training Continuum to ensure participation by Foreign Service and Civil Service employees and works with bureaus and overseas missions to improve organizational effectiveness and crisis management.
  • Office of Public Affairs (FSI/OPA): The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Office of Public Affairs is a fast-paced, creative and collaborative office that offers an internship experience providing insight into public diplomacy, diplomatic training and foreign affairs. The office manages FSI’s Congressional Affairs and media relations, oversees the bureau’s social media and public-facing digital engagement, and spearheads a number of programmatic campaigns and initiatives such as the Heroes of U.S. Diplomacy initiative. For additional background on our work, intern applicants can refer to www.state.gov/fsi and follow links to our social media channels.
  • School of Applied Information Technology (FSI/SAIT): The School of Applied Information Technology provides training for the Department of State’s IT workforce, end-user training and IRM Tradecraft training for all levels at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI). In addition, SAIT provides training to users from other federal agencies and contractor employees on a reimbursement basis.
  • School of Language Studies (FSI/SLS): The School of Language Studies helps students enhance their language learning skills as an aid in their FSI studies and as a foundation for advancing their learning while at post. In this office, Foreign Service Officers study over 70 languages split into different areas: East Asian and Pacific languages (EAP), European and African languages (EUA), Near East, Central, and South Asian languages (NEA), Romance languages (ROM), Slavic, Pashto, and Persian languages (SPP).
  • School of Professional and Area Studies (FSI/SPAS): The School of Professional and Area Studies (SPAS) provides tradecraft, orientation, and area studies training for State Department employees, as well as employees from other U.S. government agencies. SPAS training prepares the full range of foreign affairs professionals to successfully advance U.S. government foreign policy goals and objectives by providing world class orientation and area studies training to the broadest possible community of Foreign and Civil Service professionals, as well as appropriate professional tradecraft training across all relevant fields. SPAS works with strategic partners across the Department of State, the U.S. government, and the academic and private sectors to continually deliver the highest quality training utilizing the latest knowledge about adult professional learning. SPAS provides hundreds of professional courses to all categories of Department personnel in a wide range of topics, namely, Orientation, Area Studies, Management, Consular, Public Diplomacy, Political, Economic/Commercial, and Office Management.
  • Transition Center (FSI/TC): The Transition Center (FSI/TC) helps prepare employees and their family members for effectiveness in the foreign affairs community transitions throughout, and after, their careers. It is comprised of the Training Division (TC/T), the Overseas Briefing Center (OBC), and the Career Transition Center (CTC).
2024-05-10T15:47:42-04:00
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