In 2001, Colin L. Powell was 64 years old when President George W. Bush appointed him U.S. Secretary of State to lead U.S. foreign policy. His nomination by Bush was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate, making him the first Black American to hold the position.
At the beginning of his term, Powell emphasized reaffirming alliances throughout the world and also reforming the Department of State’s organizational culture, with an infusion of resources for personnel, IT, security, and facilities. He pushed the Administration to increase its commitment to the international fight against AIDS, and oversaw a doubling of development assistance funding