Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations

United States
Assistant Secretary of State
for Conflict and Stabilization Operations
United States; Assistant Secretary of State; for Conflict and Stabilization Operations
	Seal of the United States Department of State
	Incumbent; Denise Natali; since October 2018
Reports to	Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
Nominator	President of the United States
Inaugural holder	Rick Barton
Formation	2011
Website	Official website

The Assistant Secretary of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations is the head of the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations within the United States Department of State, supporting the department's conflict and crisis-response efforts.^[1] The assistant secretary reports to the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights.

The first assistant secretary, Rick Barton, was nominated by President Barack Obama on November 29, 2011,^[2] and confirmed by the Senate on March 29, 2012.^[3]

David Malcolm Robinson served as the most recent assistant secretary.^[4]^[5]^[6]

Responsibilities

The Assistant Secretary of CSO is the Secretary of State's senior adviser on instability, conflict, and stabilization.^[7] The assistant secretary's responsibilities include:

Formulating and implementing policies on conflict prevention, response, and stabilization policies and programs under the overall direction of and in coordination with the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights;
Leading the developing of a unique brand of conflict prevention and mitigation analysis, programming, and operations in coordination with relevant Department bureaus and other agencies;
Working with other U.S. government agencies such as the Department of Defense to strengthen the U.S. government’s analysis and planning to conduct operations that prevent political violence, atrocities, and the spread or emergence of violent extremism;
Engaging with the U.S. Congress in coordination with the Bureau of Legislative Affairs on conflict prevention, response, and stabilization capabilities and operations;
Strengthening staff expertise to serve as an early warning, analysis, planning and monitoring capability for conflict prevention and response for the Atrocities Prevention Board (APB), as well as the department, Chiefs of Mission, and other USG agencies;
Working with relevant partners, including NATO, nongovernmental organizations, foreign governments, international/regional organizations, the private sector, and the public to harmonize civilian and military plans.^[7]^[1]

List of Assistant Secretaries of State for Conflict and Stabilization Operations

Name	Assumed Office	Left Office	President(s) served under
Rick Barton	March 2012	September 30, 2014^[8]	Barack Obama
John Hushek (acting)	August 17, 2015	December 30, 2015	Barack Obama
David Malcolm Robinson	January 4, 2016	January 31, 2017^[9]	Barack Obama Donald Trump
John Hushek (acting)	February 2, 2017		Donald Trump
Denise Natali	October 18, 2018	Present	Donald Trump

References

^ ^a ^b Serafino, Nina (October 10, 2012). "In Brief: State Department Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO)" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". White House. November 29, 2011. Retrieved November 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
^ "Senate Ends March Madness With Lots of State Dept Confirmations". Diplopundit. April 2, 2012. Retrieved November 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
^ "David Malcolm Robinson". U.S. Department of State. December 30, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
^ "David Malcolm Robinson – From Office of the High Representative to Conflict and Stabilization (State/CSO)". Diplopundit. April 14, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
^ "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". White House. April 7, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.
^ ^a ^b "1 FAM 470 Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations". Foreign Affairs Manual. November 10, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
^ "Departure of Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations". U.S. Department of State. August 13, 2014. Retrieved November 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
^ "Trump's state department purge sparks worries of 'know-nothing approach' to foreign policy". The Guardian. January 27, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.

External links

Official website

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[FAS-1] Serafino, Nina (October 10, 2012). "In Brief: State Department Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations (CSO)" (PDF). Congressional Research Service. Retrieved April 1, 2016.

[2] "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". White House. November 29, 2011. Retrieved November 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

[3] "Senate Ends March Madness With Lots of State Dept Confirmations". Diplopundit. April 2, 2012. Retrieved November 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

[4] "David Malcolm Robinson". U.S. Department of State. December 30, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.

[5] "David Malcolm Robinson – From Office of the High Representative to Conflict and Stabilization (State/CSO)". Diplopundit. April 14, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.

[6] "President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts". White House. April 7, 2015. Retrieved March 10, 2016.

[FAM-7] "1 FAM 470 Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations". Foreign Affairs Manual. November 10, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2016.

[8] "Departure of Assistant Secretary for Conflict and Stabilization Operations". U.S. Department of State. August 13, 2014. Retrieved November 2015. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)

[9] "Trump's state department purge sparks worries of 'know-nothing approach' to foreign policy". The Guardian. January 27, 2017. Retrieved February 2, 2017.

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v t e United States Assistant Secretaries of State (and equivalent ranks)
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