*The United States proposes to drastically reduce the country’s diplomatic footprint in Africa with ‘full structural reorganisation’ and scrap State Department offices dealing with climate change, democracy and human rights on the continent, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio describes the existence of such a draft order as ‘fake news’

Gbenga Kayode | 绿帽献妻

United States (US) President Donald Trump’s administration plans to eliminate most of the State Department鈥檚 Africa operations in its planned overhaul of the department, the New York Times reports, citing a draft Executive Order that could be signed this week.

It was gathered the new draft order proposes shutting down embassies and consulates across the African continent, report said.

The emerging Executive Order also would replace the Bureau of African Affairs, which oversees policy in sub-Saharan Africa, with a much smaller special envoy office for African affairs that would report to the White House National Security Council and focus on a handful of issues, including…. White House National Security Council and focus on a handful of issues, including coordinated counter-terrorism operations.

The draft order states the aim of the proposed Executive Order is 鈥渢o streamline mission delivery, project American strength abroad, cut waste, fraud, abuse, and align the Department with an America First Strategic Doctrine.鈥�

‘This is fake news,’ claims US Secretary of State

Reacting to the public awareness of the White House proposal, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said The New York Times, which first reported the existence of the draft order, had fallen 鈥渧ictim to another hoax.鈥�

Rubio, in a post Sunday, April 20, 2025, on X stated: 鈥淭his is fake news.”

However, a copy of the draft executive order viewed by AFP calls for 鈥渇ull structural reorganisation鈥� of the State Department by October 1 of this year.

The biggest change would be organising US diplomatic efforts into four regions: Eurasia, the Middle East, Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

Likewise, the current Africa Bureau would be eliminated, report stated.

In its place would be a 鈥淪pecial Envoy Office for African Affairs鈥�, who reports to the White House鈥檚 internal National Security Council, rather than the State Department.

The m draft order further notes that “all non-essential embassies and consulates in Sub-Saharan Africa shall be closed”, with all remaining missions consolidated under a special envoy 鈥渦sing targeted, mission-driven deployments.鈥�

The latest proposal under discussion follows the leaking to US media of another proposed plan under which the State Department would see its entire budget slashed by half, according to report.

In the latest draft plan, current offices dealing with climate change and human rights would be 鈥渆liminated.鈥�

The US footprint in Canada, a key ally of Washington that Trump has repeatedly suggested should be annexed and made a 51st state, would see a 鈥渟ignificantly reduced team.鈥�

The embassy in Ottawa would 鈥渟ignificantly downscale,” report said.

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