U. Desmond Alufohai

U. Desmond Alufohai is the Director of Protocol and International Affairs Division, Miami-Dade Aviation Department. The Office of Protocol and International Affairs Division was created in 1988 to facilitate the movement of diplomats, dignitaries, elected officials, and VIPs through Miami International Airport (MIA) and to support the airport’s international programs and initiatives. 

MIA was the first airport in the U.S., and one of the few major airports in the world, to offer a full array of protocol services, including a diplomatic lounge. Mr. Alufohai leads the largest protocol office of any airport in the United States.

Prior to joining Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Mr. Alufohai served as Senior International Trade Coordinator and head of the International Trade Programs for Miami-Dade County’s Economic Development and International Trade Agency from 2003 until joining the Aviation family in 2019. He previously served as Executive Director and head of membership services & training department for Junior Chamber International (JCI) as well as JCI’s Director for Growth & Development for Africa and the Middle East from 1991 - 2002.

Mr. Alufohai has worked as a leader in the international community for more than 30 years. He continues to travel extensively throughout the world, conducting trade missions, workshops, organizational fieldwork, and essential professional development training. He has visited more than 90 countries and made notable contributions during his tenure at JCI as the liaison to the following organizations: United Nations Agencies (UNICEF & UNESCO); World Health Organization [WHO]; and the African Union (AU). 

He was a delegate to the International Model United Nations (IMUN) in New York (1991). Mr. Alufohai obtained a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree from the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria, and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from Anna Maria University in Paxton, Massachusetts, USA. 

Mr. Alufohai was designated a member of South Florida’s District Export Council by The Honorable Wilbur Ross, United States Secretary of Commerce to contribute leadership and business experience in support of the nation’s joint industry/government expansion effort. The South Florida District Export Council provides leadership and international trade expertise to complement the U.S. Commercial Service’s export promotion efforts.

Mr. Alufohai is the Founding Chairman of the Florida International Affairs Foundation (FIAF). He was appointed to the FIAF by the Florida Secretary of State in 2021. FIAF’s mission is to supplement the programs and services of the Florida Department of State’s Office of International Affairs (OIA) within the Division of Arts and Culture, by fostering, creating, and enhancing diplomatic and cultural relationships and facilitating consular relations between the state and all foreign governments doing business in Florida.

Mr. Alufohai will present the learning lab: The Magic of Africa: Building Bridges through Cultural Understanding