Johnnie Carson (Tanzania) Special Presidential Representative for U.S.-Africa Leaders

MEDIA ADVISORY | February 23 Digital Press Briefing with Johnnie Carson, Special Presidential Representative for U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Implementation

EVENT:  Please join us on Thursday, February 23, 2023, for a digital press briefing with Ambassador Johnnie Carson, Special Presidential Representative for U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Implementation. Ambassador Carson will discuss his recent high-level engagements with African leaders on the margins of the AU Summit and his plans to continue his important dialogues with members of civil society and the business community. After brief remarks, Ambassador Carson will take questions from participating journalists.

Date: Thursday, February 23, 2023

Time: 10:00 Johannesburg | 09:00 Abuja | 8:00 GMT | 03:00 Washington

Language: English.

Ground rules: The briefing will be on the record.

Login info: To be provided upon RSVP.

RSVP: Please RSVP by clicking here 

Twitter: Join the conversation at #AFHubPress; follow us @AfricaMediaHub. 

Biography:

Johnnie Carson
Special Presidential Representative for U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Implementation

Ambassador Johnnie Carson was appointed as the Special Presidential Representative for U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit Implementation in December 2022.  Formerly, he served as the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of African Affairs from May 2009 to March 2013.  Prior to this he was the national intelligence officer for Africa at the National Intelligence Council, after serving as the senior vice president of the National Defense University in Washington, D.C. (2003-2006).

Ambassador Carson’s 37-year foreign service career includes ambassadorships to Kenya (1999-2003), Zimbabwe (1995-1997), and Uganda (1991-1994); and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs (1997-1999). Earlier in his career he had assignments in Portugal (1982-1986), Botswana (1986-1990), Mozambique (1975-1978), and Nigeria (1969-1971). He has also served as desk officer in the Africa section at State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (1971-1974); Staff Officer for the Secretary of State (1978-1979), and Staff Director for the Africa Subcommittee of the U.S. House of Representatives (1979-1982).

Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Carson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania from 1965-1968. He has a bachelor’s in history and political science from Drake University and a master’s in international relations from the School of Oriental and Africa Studies at the University of London.

Ambassador Carson is the recipient of several Superior Honor Awards from the Department of State and a Meritorious Service Award from Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. The Centers for Disease Control presented him with its highest award, “Champion of Prevention Award,” for his leadership in directing the U.S. Government’s HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in Kenya.

LOGISTICS: 

• Participants should log in to join the conference 10 minutes early.
• Participants will be asked to type in their name, press affiliation, and location.
• The speaker will give brief opening remarks, and then the moderator will open the floor to questions.
• Participants will be instructed to type their questions or indicate to the moderator in the chat that they wish to ask a live question.  Journalists may also submit written questions in advance when registering on Eventbrite or via e-mail to afmediahub@state.gov.
• If you experience technical difficulties during the briefing, you may send an e-mail to afmediahub@state.gov  to alert the moderator to any issues.