Welcome from Ambassador Thomas Dougherty

Ambassador Thomas Dougherty

Welcome to the U.S. Embassy Ouagadougou website

Our team at the U.S. Mission in Ouagadougou is working to strengthen the U.S.-Burkina Faso partnership through policies and programs that support Burkina Faso’s efforts to build strong democratic institutions, promote economic reform, encourage sustainable development, improve health and education, and foster regional stability.

The U.S. Mission works with the Burkinabè at all levels of government and society.  The Millennium Challenge Corporation, with its Burkinabè partners, has funded a five-year, $481 million Compact to reduce poverty by improving agriculture, rural land governance, roads, and education. More than 156 Peace Corps volunteers live and work directly with Burkinabé in their villages in the areas of health, education and small enterprise development. USAID professionals oversee a wide range of programs in the areas of education, health care, agricultural development and food security. The Department of Defense and the Burkinabé military are working together to build peacekeeping capabilities. Staff from the Centers for Disease Control are helping Burkina Faso with vaccination programs and strengthening disease surveillance and evaluation. Our consular section provides services to American citizens in Burkina Faso, and assists more than 5,000 non-immigrant visa applicants and 200 immigrant visa applicants a year. Our economic section follows and reports on key trends in the Burkinabè economy as well as provides American companies country-specific commercial briefings and Gold Key Services.

In addition, it assists exporters by working with the AGOA (African Growth Opportunities Act) Center, designed to help them understand how they can export goods produced in Burkina Faso into the United States duty-free. Our political section promotes democracy, rule of law and respect for human rights by supporting development of democratic institutions and funding NGO-led democracy and human rights projects.

We also offer a number of educational services throughout Burkina Faso. The Information Resource Center (IRC), an American library located at the U.S. Embassy in Ouaga 2000, offers free Internet access, EducationUSA advising services and more than 4,000 American books, resource materials, magazines and films in English and French.  The American Language Center, located in the Samandin district (Sector 7), offers high-quality English language instruction to almost 500 students each quarter.  Finally, our “American Corners,” located in Bobo Dioulasso, Koudougou and Fada N’Gourma, provide free computer access and training, English-language books, magazines and films, as well as speakers, conferences and book clubs.

As this multi-faceted relationship between the United States and Burkina Faso continues to grow, we hope you will use this virtual information space to learn more about the United States.  Via this website, visitors can learn about upcoming and recent U.S. Embassy events, conduct research on U.S. Government policy related to Burkina Faso and the region, and even pose individual questions to our librarians.

We also offer a number of services at various locations throughout Burkina Faso. The American Library located at the U.S. Embassy in Ouaga 2000 offers free Internet access and lends more than 4,000 American books, resource materials, magazines, and films in English and French. The American Center offers free Internet access as well as advising services to those seeking educational opportunities in the United States.  It also hosts events, conferences, and concerts, and has several hundred books and periodicals to lend. The American Language Center, located in the Samandin district (Sector 7), offers high-quality English language instruction to almost 500 students each quarter.  And finally, our American Corners in Bobo Dioulasso, and Fada N’Gourma provide free computer access and training, English-language books, magazines, and films, as well as speakers, conferences and book clubs.

Thank you for visiting our website and for your interest in the United States.

Sincerely,

Thomas Dougherty

Ambassador