Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs Josette Sheeran serves as the senior economic official at the State Department, advises the secretary of state on international economic policy, and leads the work of the department on issues ranging from trade, agriculture, and aviation to bilateral relations with America's economic partners.

She oversees programs such as the "Businesses Building Bridges" (BBB) initiative to highlight the importance of the private sector in the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Introduced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in January 2006, this initiative is designed to tap the knowledge, creativity, vision, and good will of high-level American business leaders who can provide strategic vision and guidance to Afghan leaders on how best to activate private sector growth in Afghanistan.

The Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, which is described in the following article by Assistant Secretary Daniel S. Sullivan comes under the Office of Under Secretary Sheeran. It has five units, each headed by a deputy assistant secretary:

• Energy, Sanctions, and Commodities

• International Communications and Information Policy

• International Finance and Development

• Trade Policy and Programs

• Transportation Affairs

Bureau staff develop U.S. policy, administer programs, negotiate, and represent the State Department before Congress, U.S. business and industry, and international organizations.

Under Secretary Sheeran has been named Executive Director of the World Food Program, a post which she is scheduled to assume in April 2007.

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