Dr. John Nkengasong

Dr. John N. Nkengasong stands as the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official for Global Health Security and Diplomacy at the US Department of State. His journey with the department began with his confirmation by the U.S. Senate on May 5, 2022, and was officially initiated on June 13, 2022, when he was sworn in. In a significant stride, Nkengasong launched the State Department's Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy (GHSD) on August 1, 2023, a department he currently leads. The GHSD plays a vital role, serving as the Department's coordinating body for work on strengthening global health security to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS.

Nkengasong's role is vast and impactful. He steers U.S. diplomatic engagement, leverages and helps coordinate U.S. foreign assistance, and fosters international cooperation at the national, regional, and multilateral levels, all aimed at securing the United States and the world from health threats. A ground-breaking achievement, Nkengasong became the first person of African origin to hold the position of U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator. His leadership extends beyond the U.S., as seen with his appointment as the first Director of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) in 2017.

As the Director of Africa CDC, Nkengasong led efforts to create policy frameworks to guide countries in establishing and strengthening their public health institutes. His leadership was prominent in the COVID-19 response in Africa, where he played an instrumental role in securing 400 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines during a period of vaccine scarcity. His expertise has also been recognized in his appointments to the board of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation.