The Public Affairs Section (PAS) is the office which is primarily responsible for the public diplomacy efforts of the Embassy. These efforts fall into two main areas, cultural and information affairs. This section is divided in three sub-sections headed by a Public Affairs Officer and assisted by an Assistant of Public Affairs Officer.
The Cultural and Educational Exchange Section manages:
- The Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) – Mandela Washington Fellowship Program
- The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program (HHHFP)
- the Fulbright Undergraduate Visiting Student Program
- The Fulbright Junior Staff Development Program
- The Fulbright Junior Staff Development Enhancement Program
- The Fulbright African Research Scholar Program (ARSP)
The section is also responsible for presenting various aspects of American culture to Burkinabe audiences through events such as seminars, musical concerts, and speaker programs.
The Information Section is charged with articulating American foreign policy to Burkinabe through press events, communiques, and outreach initiatives to journalists and other contacts. The Information Section is also tasked with tracking developing news for senior officials at the embassy.
The American Library is an ultra-modern library offering over 6,000 books in English and French, expert research, and a computer lab where patrons can search and print information about the U.S.
The EducationUSA Center is the Section which provides Educational advising services 20 hours per week. These services consist mainly of:
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Advising prospective students in one-on-one advising sessions during walk-in visits to the EducationUSA Center; and
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Providing information and answering questions about American Colleges and Universities and the U.S. Educational System by mail, phone, fax or e-mail.
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Assisting students throughout the application process.
The Internship Program allows students to serve four months in the Public Diplomacy section and other sections of the Embassy. It is an unpaid internship open to students from Public and Private Universities and Educational or vocational institutes in Burkina Faso.