African Union Representational Mission to the USA

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Mandate of AU Mission

The Mandate of the AU Mission to the Unites States is to develop, maintain, and consolidate constructive and productive institutional relationships between the African Union and the Government of the United States of America, the Bretton Woods Institutions, non-governmental and academic organizations engaged in African issues and policy, and Africans in the Diaspora.

African Union Ambassador to the USA

H.E. Ambassador Constância Adelina Gaspar

Ambassador Constância Adelina Gaspar is an international legal expert with over fifteen years of experience in public international law, treaty negotiation, and multilateral diplomacy within the African Union (AU) and United Nations (UN) systems.

Prior to her appointment as Ambassador of the African Union to the United States of America, she served as Officer-in-Charge of the AU Permanent Observer Mission to the United Nations in New York, while holding the position of Senior Legal Officer. She previously held senior roles at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa, including Deputy Legal Counsel and Acting Legal Counsel, where she led the portfolio of African Regional integration and treaty matters and negotiations of key legal initiatives of the Union.

Ambassador Gaspar holds an LL.M. in International Law from the University of Paris X Nanterre, in (France) and an LL.B. from the Federal University of Pelotas (Brazil), and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences from the pre-University in Angola. She is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese. She was formally accredited on 16 December 2025, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the African Union to the United States.

The Core Functions of the Mission to the USA include:

Coordinate African Positions; Build, Sustain and Nurture the Bilateral Relationship; Monitor and Advise the African Union Headquarters; Inform America and Promote Africa; Support Multilateral Relationships; Resource Mobilization; Administrative; Build Constituencies for Africa; and Advocacy.

Core Functions of the Mission

Coordinate African Positions

To assist in coordinating activities in Washington, DC regarding contacts with the executive and legislative branches of the US Government, the Bretton Woods institutions, and other organizations, and to mobilize support for Africa’s development efforts
To assist Member States in adopting common positions in their relationships with the Americas

Build, Sustain and Nurture the Bilateral Relationship

To develop relationships of trust and understanding with key US Government offices and institutions working on issues of concern to Africa
To provide timely information on positions of the African Union to US Government, State department, agencies, and other entities.

Monitor and Advise the African Union Headquarters

To advise the AU Headquarters on strategies to address emerging issues in the Americas
To monitor political and economic developments of concern to Africa in the Americas
To submit briefs on the activities of the AU and of the African Group in Washington DC
To follow-up on issues relating to New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Conference on Security, Stability Development and Co-operation in Africa (CSSDCA), programs that address gender issues and other intertwined programs.

Inform America and Promote Africa

To disseminate information on activities of the AU and its Member States in the Americas - To promote a positive image of the AU in the Americas
To inform on a consistent basis, American popular opinion about Africa, the African Union, and about key issues of concern
To counter, when necessary, media distortions of developments and events in Africa

Support Multilateral Relationships

To establish working relationships with World Bank Group, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the Organization of American States (OAS)
To monitor and follow-up on activities and programs of the World Bank and IMF which are of interest and concern to Arica and the African Union
To assist the AU Commission in preparing for meetings with Congress, Bretton Woods Institutions and the OAS

Resource Mobilization

To mobilize resources in support of African Union programs

Administrative

To assist with procurement for the Commission and other Organs

Build Constituencies for Africa

To build a political constituency and support for Africa and the African Union in America
To sensitize the communities in the Diaspora
To maintain contacts with various stakeholders – pro-African Groups, Think Tanks, Universities and other Groups that are interested in Africa – and help these Groups shape and influence progressive policies towards African countries.

Advocacy

- To support and promote the Africa we want.

Contacts

Washington DC Office African Union Mission 1640 Wisconsin Avenue NW Washington, DC 20007, USA Tel: +1 202 342 1100 Fax: +1 202 342 1114 Email: au-washington@africa-union.org or MiriamM@africa-union.org