The Global Friendship City Association (GFCA), a U.S.-based international cooperation organisation, has appointed Nigerian politician and diplomat Ambassador Timi Frank as a Senior Advisor, in a move designed to deepen Africa–U.S. relations through city-to-city collaboration, youth-focused programmes and cultural exchange.
The appointment was announced on November 25 in San Francisco, California, signalling GFCA’s renewed push to expand sustainable partnerships between African cities and communities across the United States.
GFCA’s Executive Director, Jonathan Ginsberg, said Frank brings strategic political and diplomatic insight that will strengthen the organisation’s mission.
“Ambassador Timi Frank’s experience across African political and diplomatic circles makes him an invaluable addition,” Ginsberg noted. “His leadership will help expand Africa–USA friendship city partnerships, empower young people and foster meaningful cross-cultural engagement.”
Frank, a former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been active in governance advocacy and civic mobilisation. Internationally, he also serves as the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) Ambassador to East Africa and the Middle East.
In his new role, Frank will guide GFCA’s global partnership development, with a focus on building long-term institutional links between African and American cities. He is expected to help drive initiatives in education, culture, innovation, public service and youth leadership.
Reacting to the appointment, Frank said he is honoured to contribute to an era where Africa–U.S. relations increasingly rely on people-to-people diplomacy.
“Connecting African cities and U.S. communities, and building sustainable bridges across continents, is both a profound responsibility and a privilege,” he said.
GFCA, an independent non-profit based in California’s Bay Area, promotes global cooperation by linking cities, businesses and individuals through dialogue, exchange and collaborative development.
With Frank’s entry into its leadership structure, the organisation says it is poised to accelerate cross-regional collaboration and expand its footprint across Africa.