Professional Affiliation

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, U.S. Department of State

Expert Bio

David Gilmour was appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of African Affairs in August 2013. Previously, he was the Africa Bureau’s Director of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, directing the deployment of public diplomacy personnel and resources at 48 U.S. embassies and consulates in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Mr. Gilmour was Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Panama (2008-2011), where he managed the operations of 22 U.S. federal agencies and over 500 employees, and coordinated the work of a large interagency law enforcement team focused on the security of the Panama Canal, illicit trafficking, money laundering and counter-terrorism. Mr. Gilmour served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Malawi (2004-2007), where he oversaw U.S. assistance programs that totaled nearly $100 million annually, including Millennium Challenge, President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Peace Corps, emergency food aid and peacekeeping programs. His other overseas assignments include Geneva, Switzerland; Sydney, Australia, where he worked on projects including the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games; San Jose, Costa Rica; Pretoria, South Africa, where he managed a large program of exchanges during South Africa’s transition to democracy; Douala, Cameroon and Dakar, Senegal.

Mr. Gilmour joined the Foreign Service in 1986 and attained the rank of Minister Counselor in 2010. He is a recipient of the State Department’s Superior Honor Award and Meritorious Honor Award. Mr. Gilmour holds a master’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin.