The Scoop
US President Joe Biden appointed Frances Z. Brown as his new special assistant and senior director for African affairs.
She takes over from Judd Devermont who stepped down in January to take up a role with an Africa-focused investor firm.
Brown joined the White House team two weeks ago without much fanfare, even as the administration winds down what it hopes is a first term and readies for the November presidential election. Brown is expected to continue in the National Security Council role if Biden is re-elected.
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A longtime democracy, development, and defense specialist, Brown had spent just under seven years at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, a Washington think tank. She previously worked for President Barack Obama at the tail end of his second term, and into the first year of President Donald Trump’s administration.
She will initially focus on the build up to the official visit of Kenyan President William Ruto later this month, the first state visit by an African leader in 15 years. The White House also expects Brown to lead the focus on African elections this year, with up to 12 presidential elections expected, including in South Africa later this month. NSC Spokesperson Adrienne Watson described Brown as a “significant asset for our Africa policy work.”
