Imagine if the government of the United States decided that it would set up a Bureau of Arctic Affairs to deal with foreign relations with Greenland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Russia and Alaska, even though Alaska is part of the United States. Doesn't that sound absurd?

Actually, the U.S. State Department already defines North Africa under its Bureau of Near East Affairs, even though it is part of Africa. Why exclude Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia and Western Sahara from the Bureau of African Affairs? Isn’t it really absurd that these African countries are lumped together with Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Syria and Saudi Arabia in the Bureau of Near East Affairs?

Help us tell the US government that North Africa is part of Africa!

North Africa is geographically and historically part of the African continent, and all fifty-three (53) independent African states, including North African countries, are represented in the African Union (AU).

However, the United States government continues to draw a distinction between North Africa and the rest of Africa. This distinction is based on false labels and outdated racist categorization with no empirical validity.

The artificial distinction between North Africa and the rest of Africa could be perceived as a balkanization scheme, which negatively impacts US foreign policy relations throughout the entire continent of Africa.

While the State Department lists its priorities in 'Africa' as trade, health, women's justice and empowerment, education and drought relief, its agenda in the 'Near East', of which North Africa is part according to its schema, focuses on anti-terrorism as well as economic and political reforms.

We unequivocally reject the argument that North African countries are outside the scope of African affairs.

We strongly believe that it would be far more productive for the State Department to engage with the entire continent of Africa, including North Africa, under its Bureau of African Affairs.

We are one Africa, from the Cape to Cairo, indivisible and bound together! Therefore, no square inch of African land should be excluded from African affairs.

The United African Organization (UAO), as a representative of African immigrants and refugees in the United States, urges the U.S. Department of State to restructure its diplomatic bureaus so as to include the entire continent of Africa under its Bureau of African Affairs.

Call the White House and the US Department of State to make our statement loud and clear!

The White House: 202-456-1414

US Department of State: 202-647-4000

Your call could be something like this:

"I would like to ask that the U.S. Department of State include the entire African continent, including North Africa, under its Bureau of African Affairs, headed by Johnnie Carson. North Africa is part of Africa too. It should not be lumped into the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs."