Ambassador of the United States to Djibouti
السفارة الأميركية فى جيبوتى
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Christopher Snipes
since October 2, 2023[1]
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderJerrold M. North
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
FormationSeptember 26, 1980
WebsiteU.S. Emabssy - Djibouti

This is a list of ambassadors from the United States to the Republic of Djibouti.

The area on the Horn of Africa on which Djibouti is situated had been under French control since 1885 as part of the protectorate of French Somaliland. The area was ruled by the Vichy (French) government from the fall of France in 1940 until December 1942, but Free French and the Allied forces recaptured Djibouti at the end of 1942. In 1957 the colony was given a large measure of self-government and became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. In a May 1977 referendum the populace chose independence from France. The Republic of Djibouti was established on June 27, 1977.

The United States immediately recognized the nation of Djibouti and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The embassy in Djibouti was established June 27, 1977, with Walter S. Clarke as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. The first ambassador, Jerrold M. North, was appointed on September 26, 1980.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

Career FSO
After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee
A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends).

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.

Presented credentials
The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission
Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d'affaires
The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".
Name Title Appointed Presented credentials Terminated mission Notes
Jerrold M. North – Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary September 26, 1980 October 27, 1980 August 27, 1982
Alvin P. Adams Jr. – Career FSO April 28, 1983 July 16, 1983 August 20, 1985
John Pierce Ferriter – Career FSO August 1, 1985 September 30, 1985 August 27, 1987 The post was vacant August 1987–September 1988. John E. McAteer served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim during that period.
Robert South Barrett IV – Career FSO July 11, 1988 September 5, 1988 April 18, 1991
Charles R. Baquet III – Career FSO March 25, 1991 October 10, 1991 December 9, 1993
Martin L. Cheshes – Career FSO November 22, 1993 January 19, 1994 July 30, 1996 President Clinton’s nomination of Stanley Schrager of May 6, 1996, was withdrawn and he was not appointed. The post was vacant July 1996–January 1998. During that period the following officers served as Chargés d’Affaires ad interim: Joseph Philippe Gregoire (July–September 1996) and Terri Robl (September 1996–January 1998).
Lange Schermerhorn – Career FSO November 10, 1997 January 26, 1998 November 17, 2000
Donald Y. Yamamoto – Career FSO September 15, 2000 December 9, 2000 June 16, 2003
Marguerita Dianne Ragsdale – Career FSO December 12, 2003 February 23, 2004 July 6, 2006[2]
W. Stuart Symington – Career FSO August 18, 2006 September 18, 2006 May 31, 2008
James C. Swan August 6, 2008 November 10, 2008 June 30, 2011
Geeta Pasi July 5, 2011 September 12, 2011 August 30, 2014
Thomas P. Kelly III August 18, 2014 October 13, 2014 January 15, 2017
Larry André Jr. November 20, 2017 February 19, 2018 January 20, 2021
Jonathan Pratt December 15, 2020 February 22, 2021 May 18, 2023[3]
Andrea Tomaszewicz Chargé d’Affaires May 19, 2023[4] June 9, 2023
Mario Fernandez June 9, 2023 October 2, 2023
Christopher Snipes October 2, 2023 Incumbent

See also

References

  1. ^ https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=701582928671590&set=pb.100064596675331.-2207520000
  2. ^ "Marguerita Dianne Ragsdale Ambassador, Republic of Djibouti". State Department Archives. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  3. ^ @US_Emb_Djibouti (May 18, 2023). "All the Embassy staff say farewell & send best wishes to Ambassador Pratt & family who have returned to Washington" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  4. ^ "Speech of the Chargé d'Affaires, Andrea Tomaszewicz - ECE Launch". June 2023.

External links

Ambassadors of the United States
Categories