# World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa

> organization in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo

**Wikidata**: [Q30262121](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q30262121)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/world-health-organization-regional-office-for-africa

## Summary
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO AFRO) is the African regional administrative hub of the World Health Organization, located in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. Established in 1951, it serves as the primary office for coordinating WHO activities across the African continent. The entity operates officially in English, French, and Portuguese.

## Key Facts
- **Established:** 1951
- **Location:** Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
- **Coordinates:** Latitude -4.30305, Longitude 15.207661
- **Parent Organization:** World Health Organization
- **Website:** https://www.afro.who.int/ (Also available in French and Portuguese)
- **Twitter Handle:** @WHOAFRO (Established April 3, 2012)
- **Acronym:** AFRO
- **GRID ID:** grid.463718.f
- **ROR ID:** 04rtx9382
- **Subsidiary:** World Health Organization (Nigeria)

## FAQs
### Q: Where is the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa physically located?
A: The office is headquartered in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. Its specific coordinates are latitude -4.30305 and longitude 15.207661.

### Q: When was the WHO Regional Office for Africa established?
A: The office was founded in 1951. It serves as the regional branch of the World Health Organization for the African continent.

### Q: What languages does the WHO Regional Office for Africa operate in?
A: The organization maintains official websites and communication in English, French, and Portuguese.

## Why It Matters
As a regional arm of the World Health Organization, this entity acts as the central administrative and operational node for health initiatives across the African region. Its location in Brazzaville places it at the heart of the continent it serves, facilitating the coordination of health policies, emergency responses, and technical support provided by the parent organization. By managing specific country-level subsidiaries, such as the World Health Organization office in Nigeria, it ensures that global health standards and strategies are adapted to local contexts. Its establishment in 1951 marks a long-standing commitment to regional health governance, serving as a critical link between global health mandates and national implementation in Africa.

## Notable For
- **Regional Hub:** Being the designated regional office (AFRO) for the World Health Organization on the African continent.
- **Location:** Being situated in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo, distinct from the WHO Headquarters in Geneva.
- **Multilingual Operations:** Maintaining a comprehensive digital presence across three languages (English, French, Portuguese).
- **Administrative Hierarchy:** Functioning as the parent organization for country-specific WHO offices, such as the one in Nigeria.
- **Unique Identification:** Possessing distinct academic and organizational identifiers including GRID ID (grid.463718.f), ROR ID, and ISNI (0000000406392906).

## Body

### Organizational Structure and Hierarchy
The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa operates as a distinct entity within the broader United Nations system. It is classified as an **office** and functions under the parent body of the **World Health Organization**. The office maintains a hierarchical structure that includes subsidiary bodies; specifically, it serves as the parent organization for the **World Health Organization (Nigeria)**.

### Geography and Location
The office is physically situated in **Brazzaville**, Republic of the Congo. This placement serves as the central coordinating point for the region. Precise geospatial data places the office at coordinates **-4.30305 latitude and 15.207661 longitude**.

### History
The inception of the Regional Office for Africa dates back to **1951**. Since then, it has operated continuously as the regional authority for the WHO.

### Digital Presence and Media
The organization maintains an active digital footprint designed to serve a multilingual population.
*   **Websites:** The primary web portal is `https://www.afro.who.int/`. It maintains distinct portals for French (`/fr/`) and Portuguese (`/pt/`) speakers.
*   **Social Media:** The office operates the Twitter handle **@WHOAFRO**, which was created on April 3, 2012 (Twitter ID: 544389588). It also maintains a Facebook presence under the handle **WHOAFRO**.

### Identifiers and Aliases
The entity is recognized by various names and codes across international databases.
*   **Common Aliases:** WHO African Region, WHO Regional Office for Africa, AFRO, WHO AFRO, WHO-Regionalbüro für Afrika.
*   **Academic IDs:**
    *   **GRID ID:** grid.463718.f
    *   **ROR ID:** 04rtx9382
    *   **ISNI:** 0000000406392906
    *   **Ringgold ID:** 93781 (Listed as "Organisation mondiale de la Santé pour Afrique")
    *   **CiNii Research ID:** 1140845216737608832
    *   **NACSIS Cat Author ID:** DA01172282

## References

1. GRID Release 2017-05-22
2. CiNii Research