
William M. Bellamy is a senior adviser to the Africa Program at CSIS and Warburg Professor of International Relations at Simmons University in Boston, MA. He was previously director of the Africa Center for Strategic Studies (ACSS) at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., and, before that, senior vice president of the National Defense University itself. Ambassador Bellamy retired from the Foreign Service after a 30-year career in 2007. His last overseas posting was as U.S. ambassador to Kenya (2003–2006), where he directed U.S. security programs in the Horn of Africa, supervised the U.S. government’s largest foreign HIV/AIDS program, and led multinational efforts to combat corruption and promote good governance. He has served as principal deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs (2001–2003) and as deputy assistant secretary of state for African affairs (2000–2001). His earlier diplomatic assignments include deputy chief of mission in Canberra (1997–2000), political minister-counselor in Paris (1993–1997), and political counselor in Pretoria and Cape Town (1991–1993). In South Africa, he was closely engaged in U.S. diplomatic efforts to promote a peaceful transition from apartheid to democratic rule.
Ambassador Bellamy holds a B.A. in history from Occidental College and an M.A. in international relations from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. He holds certificates from the Institute Universitaire de Hautes Etudes Internationales in Geneva and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration in Paris. He is the recipient of a Presidential Meritorious Service Award, the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Distinguished Civilian Service Award, and a Distinguished Honor Award and two Superior Honor Awards conferred by the U.S. secretary of state.
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What Africa Experts Are Watching in 2023
Commentary by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele , Catherine Nzuki , William Mark Bellamy , Mimi Alemayehou , Maria E. Burnett , Emilia Columbo , Ryan Cummings , Cameron Hudson , and Laird Treiber — March 8, 2023
U.S. Priorities in Eastern Africa
Commentary by William Mark Bellamy — December 8, 2022
What to Watch in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2022
Commentary by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele , William Mark Bellamy , Hannah Ryder , Laird Treiber , Emilia Columbo , Will Brown , Rafiq Raji , Ryan Cummings , Maria E. Burnett , and Marielle Harris — January 20, 2022
What African Leaders Want at Biden’s Climate Summit
Commentary by William Mark Bellamy , Mvemba Phezo Dizolele , Idayat Hassan , Judd Devermont , and Topaz Mukulu — April 21, 2021
Kenya’s Case of Covid-19
Critical Questions by William Mark Bellamy — June 16, 2020
What to Watch in Sub-Saharan Africa in 2020
Commentary by William Mark Bellamy , Emilia Columbo , Mvemba Phezo Dizolele , Jon Temin , Judd Devermont , Marielle Harris , and Richard Downie — January 10, 2020
Elections Deepen Kenya’s Partisan Divide
Commentary by William Mark Bellamy — January 4, 2018
Raila Odinga on the Kenyan Elections
Event by William Mark Bellamy and Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga — November 9, 2017
Raila Odinga on the Kenyan Elections
Podcast Episode by William Mark Bellamy — November 9, 2017

Spotlight on Kenya: Assessing Risks and Opportunities in East Africa's Largest Economy
Event by Jennifer G. Cooke , William Mark Bellamy , Amb. Johnnie Carson , Lauren Ploch Blanchard , John Tomaszewski , Kate Almquist Knopf , Dr. Kevin Carey , Samuel Mwale , Tony Carroll , and Dr. Korir Sing’Oei — September 22, 2017