J. Anthony Holmes
Encyclopedia
Ambassador
J. Anthony Holmes is the second and current Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Activity, U.S. Africa Command
. USAFRICOM was formally stood up in October 2007, as a subunified command initially of EUCOM
, under the command of General William E. Ward
, who is first commander of AFRICOM.
Prior to his becoming U.S. Africa Command’s DCMA, Ambassador Holmes was the Cyrus Vance Fellow in Diplomatic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), focusing on Africa and African Policy Issues. From 2005 to 2007, he was the elected president of the 13,700-member American Foreign Service Association
, which is the professional association and exclusive representative of the United States Foreign Service.
Ambassador Holmes served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Burkina Faso
from 2002 to 2005. Resolving misunderstandings and improving the U.S.–Burkina Faso relationship, Holmes also helped development of democracy and human rights, and the fights against HIV/AIDS and trafficking in children.
Holmes was director of the Africa Bureau's Economic Policy Office from 1999 to 2002, where he worked on an array of issues, including the HIV/AIDS pandemic and working on Africa debt policy.
Holmes has spent many of his thirty-year Foreign Service career on issues affecting Africa, including service as the economic-commercial section chief in Harare
and in the economic section in Nairobi
. Ambassador Holmes has also worked in Egypt
and in Syria
. Additionally, he also headed the economic sections in Singapore
and Sweden
and served as the deputy director of the State Department’s office of sanctions policy.
Holmes holds a BA in Comparative Religion and an MA in Economic Geography from the University of Georgia
, as well as an MBA from the Thunderbird School of International Management.
This article contains information from the United States Military and is in the public domain
.
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
J. Anthony Holmes is the second and current Deputy to the Commander for Civil-Military Activity, U.S. Africa Command
United States Africa Command
The United States Africa Command is one of nine Unified Combatant Commands of the United States Armed Forces, headquartered at Kelley Barracks, Stuttgart, Germany. It is responsible for U.S. military operations and military relations with 53 African nations – an area of responsibility covering all...
. USAFRICOM was formally stood up in October 2007, as a subunified command initially of EUCOM
United States European Command
The United States European Command is one of ten Unified Combatant Commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia, Iceland, Greenland, and Israel...
, under the command of General William E. Ward
William E. Ward
William E. "Kip" Ward , is a retired United States Army four-star general who last served as Commander, U.S. Africa Command from October 1, 2007 to March 8, 2011. He was the first officer to hold this position. General Ward previously served as Deputy Commander, U.S. European Command. General Ward...
, who is first commander of AFRICOM.
Prior to his becoming U.S. Africa Command’s DCMA, Ambassador Holmes was the Cyrus Vance Fellow in Diplomatic Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR), focusing on Africa and African Policy Issues. From 2005 to 2007, he was the elected president of the 13,700-member American Foreign Service Association
American Foreign Service Association
The American Foreign Service Association is the professional association certified by the United States Department of State, the Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service, and U.S. Agency for International Development to represent members of the United States Foreign Service. AFSA's history...
, which is the professional association and exclusive representative of the United States Foreign Service.
Ambassador Holmes served as the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
from 2002 to 2005. Resolving misunderstandings and improving the U.S.–Burkina Faso relationship, Holmes also helped development of democracy and human rights, and the fights against HIV/AIDS and trafficking in children.
Holmes was director of the Africa Bureau's Economic Policy Office from 1999 to 2002, where he worked on an array of issues, including the HIV/AIDS pandemic and working on Africa debt policy.
Holmes has spent many of his thirty-year Foreign Service career on issues affecting Africa, including service as the economic-commercial section chief in Harare
Harare
Harare before 1982 known as Salisbury) is the largest city and capital of Zimbabwe. It has an estimated population of 1,600,000, with 2,800,000 in its metropolitan area . Administratively, Harare is an independent city equivalent to a province. It is Zimbabwe's largest city and its...
and in the economic section in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
. Ambassador Holmes has also worked in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
. Additionally, he also headed the economic sections in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
and served as the deputy director of the State Department’s office of sanctions policy.
Holmes holds a BA in Comparative Religion and an MA in Economic Geography from the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
, as well as an MBA from the Thunderbird School of International Management.
This article contains information from the United States Military and is in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
.