Ambassador of the United States to Rwanda
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Eric W. Kneedler
since October 18, 2023
NominatorThe President of the United States
Inaugural holderCharles D. Withers
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
FormationMarch 9, 1963
WebsiteU.S. Embassy – Kigali

The United States ambassador to Rwanda is the official representative of the president of the United States to the head of state of Rwanda.

Until 1962 Rwanda had been a part of the United Nations Trust Territory of Ruanda-Urundi under the trusteeship of Belgium. In June 1962 the UN General Assembly terminated the Belgian trusteeship and granted full independence to Rwanda and Burundi. The United States immediately recognized the Rwandan government on its independence day, July 1, 1962, and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The U.S. Embassy in the capital Kigali was established on July 1, 1962, with David J.S. Manbey as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Charles D. Withers was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Rwanda on March 9, 1963.[1][2]

Ambassadors and chiefs of mission

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
Charles D. Withers – Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary March 9, 1963 April 19, 1963 September 15, 1966
Leo G. Cyr – Career FSO September 19, 1966 November 4, 1966 September 29, 1971
Robert Foster Corrigan – Career FSO December 9, 1971 March 24, 1972 August 3, 1973
Robert E. Fritts – Career FSO February 28, 1974 April 18, 1974 June 18, 1976
T. Frank Crigler – Career FSO September 16, 1976 October 29, 1976 May 12, 1979
Harry R. Melone, Jr. – Career FSO November 6, 1979 December 28, 1979 August 17, 1982
John Blane – Career FSO September 30, 1982 November 9, 1982 July 16, 1985
John Edwin Upston – Political appointee December 17, 1985 February 13, 1986 July 14, 1987
Leonard H. O. Spearman – Political appointee February 5, 1988 April 27, 1988 November 10, 1990
Robert A. Flaten – Career FSO October 30, 1990 December 17, 1990 November 23, 1993
David P. Rawson – Career FSO November 22, 1993 January 8, 1994 January 6, 1996
Robert E. Gribbin III – Career FSO December 19, 1995 January 10, 1996 January 5, 1999
George McDade Staples – Career FSO October 26, 1998 January 27, 1999 September 22, 2001
Margaret K. McMillion – Career FSO November 5, 2001 December 13, 2001 July 10, 2004
Michael R. Arietti – Career FSO November 2, 2005 December 5, 2005 November 2, 2008
W. Stuart Symington[3] – Career FSO August 4, 2008 November 3, 2008 July 5, 2011
Donald W. Koran – Career FSO July 5, 2011 October 10, 2011 January 7, 2015
Erica Barks-Ruggles – Career FSO December 15, 2014 January 26, 2015 March 15, 2018
Peter H. Vrooman – Career FSO February 15, 2018 April 7, 2018 January 24, 2022
Deb MacLean - Career FSO Chargé d'Affairs ad interim January 24, 2022 September 13, 2023
Eric W. Kneedler - Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary July 27, 2023 October 18, 2023

Notes

  1. ^ "Background Note: Rwanda". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
  2. ^ "Rwanda". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2011-08-21.
  3. ^ United States Embassy in Kigali: Ambassador

See also

References

External links

Ambassadors of the United States
Categories