United States Ambassador to Benin
Encyclopedia
The Kingdom of Dahomey
was an overseas possession of France
—part of French West Africa
—until 1958. In that year Dahomey became an autonomous republic, and gained full independence in 1960. The United States immediately recognized Dahomey and began the process of initiating diplomatic relations. A U.S. Embassy at Abidjan
, Cote d’Ivoire
(then named Ivory Coast) was established with Donald L. Norland as Chargé d'Affaires
ad interim
. The embassy was also accredited also to Dahomey, Niger
, and Upper Volta
(now named Burkina Faso
) while resident at Abidjan. On July 31, 1960, Chargé Norland presented his credentials to the government of Dahomey, to take effect on August 1, 1960. On October 14, 1960, R. Borden Reams was appointed as the ambassador
and presented his credentials on November 26, 1960.
On February 15, 1961, the Embassy in Cotonou
, Dahomey was established with Converse Hettinger as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Ambassador Reams remained resident in Abidjan.
In 1961 Robinson McIlvaine
was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary with a separate commission solely to Dahomey. He presented his credentials to the government of Dahomey on June 22, 1961.
The Republic of Dahomey changed its name to Republic of Benin
in 1975.
In June 2009, President Barack Obama nominated James Knight
to succeed Brown as U.S. Ambassador to Benin.
Dahomey
Dahomey was a country in west Africa in what is now the Republic of Benin. The Kingdom of Dahomey was a powerful west African state that was founded in the seventeenth century and survived until 1894. From 1894 until 1960 Dahomey was a part of French West Africa. The independent Republic of Dahomey...
was an overseas possession of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
—part of French West Africa
French West Africa
French West Africa was a federation of eight French colonial territories in Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan , French Guinea , Côte d'Ivoire , Upper Volta , Dahomey and Niger...
—until 1958. In that year Dahomey became an autonomous republic, and gained full independence in 1960. The United States immediately recognized Dahomey and began the process of initiating diplomatic relations. A U.S. Embassy at Abidjan
Abidjan
Abidjan is the economic and former official capital of Côte d'Ivoire, while the current capital is Yamoussoukro. it was the largest city in the nation and the third-largest French-speaking city in the world, after Paris, and Kinshasa but before Montreal...
, Cote d’Ivoire
Côte d'Ivoire
The Republic of Côte d'Ivoire or Ivory Coast is a country in West Africa. It has an area of , and borders the countries Liberia, Guinea, Mali, Burkina Faso and Ghana; its southern boundary is along the Gulf of Guinea. The country's population was 15,366,672 in 1998 and was estimated to be...
(then named Ivory Coast) was established with Donald L. Norland as Chargé d'Affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
ad interim
Ad interim
The Latin phrase ad interim literally means "in the time between" denotes the meaning of "in the meantime", "for an intervening time" or "temporarily" in the English language...
. The embassy was also accredited also to Dahomey, Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
, and Upper Volta
Republic of Upper Volta
The Republic of Upper Volta was established on December 11, 1958, as a self-governing colony within the French Community. Before attaining autonomy it had been French Upper Volta and part of the French Union. On August 5, 1960 it attained full independence from France.Thomas Sankara came to power...
(now named Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
) while resident at Abidjan. On July 31, 1960, Chargé Norland presented his credentials to the government of Dahomey, to take effect on August 1, 1960. On October 14, 1960, R. Borden Reams was appointed as the ambassador
Ambassador
An ambassador is the highest ranking diplomat who represents a nation and is usually accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization....
and presented his credentials on November 26, 1960.
On February 15, 1961, the Embassy in Cotonou
Cotonou
-Demographics:*1979: 320,348 *1992: 536,827 *2002: 665,100 *2005: 690,584 The main languages spoken in Cotonou include the Fon language, Aja language, Yoruba language and French.-Transport:...
, Dahomey was established with Converse Hettinger as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Ambassador Reams remained resident in Abidjan.
In 1961 Robinson McIlvaine
Robinson McIlvaine
Robinson McIlvaine was a career US diplomat who was President of the African Wildlife Foundation from 1978 to 1982.-Early years:McIlvaine was born in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1913. He graduated from Harvard College....
was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary with a separate commission solely to Dahomey. He presented his credentials to the government of Dahomey on June 22, 1961.
The Republic of Dahomey changed its name to Republic of Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
in 1975.
In June 2009, President Barack Obama nominated James Knight
James Knight (Ambassador)
James Knight is the United States Ambassador to Benin. He was nominated by President Barack Obama, and assumed his duties at post in November 2009. He speaks French and Portuguese.Knight is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service...
to succeed Brown as U.S. Ambassador to Benin.
Ambassadors
- R. Borden Reams – Career FSOForeign Service OfficerA Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 14, 1960
- Presented credentials:November 26, 1960
- Terminated mission: Superseded, July 31, 1961
- Robinson McIlvaineRobinson McIlvaineRobinson McIlvaine was a career US diplomat who was President of the African Wildlife Foundation from 1978 to 1982.-Early years:McIlvaine was born in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in 1913. He graduated from Harvard College....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 22, 1961
- Presented credentials: July 31, 1961
- Terminated mission: Left post, March 19, 1964
- Clinton E. Knox – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 9, 1964
- Presented credentials: August 18, 1964
- Terminated mission: Left post, June 11, 1969
- Matthew L. Looram, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: May 27, 1969
- Presented credentials: July 21, 1969
- Terminated mission: Left post, December 3, 1971
- Robert AndersonRobert Anderson (diplomat)Robert Anderson was an American Foreign Service officer who served as the United States Ambassador to Dahomey, Morocco, and the Dominican Republic.Anderson was born in Boston, Massachusetts...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 15, 1972
- Presented credentials: March 25, 1972
- Terminated mission: Left post, April 11, 1974
- James B. Engle – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 23, 1974
- Presented credentials: November 26, 1974
- Terminated mission: Left post, February 15, 1976
- Note: There was no ambassador present between 1976 and 1983. The embassy was represented by a series of chargés d’affaires ad interim:
- W. Kenneth Thompson (August 1976–August 1978)
- John S. Davidson (September 1978–May 1980)
- James R. Bullington (June 1980–July 1982)
- Charles H. Twining, Jr. (July 1982–October 1983)
- George E. MooseGeorge MooseGeorge Edward Moose is an American diplomat who served as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, Ambassador to the UN agencies in Geneva, and as Ambassador to the Republics of Benin and Senegal...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 7, 1983
- Presented credentials: November 4, 1983
- Terminated mission: Left post, July 7, 1986
- Walter Edward Stadtler – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 16, 1986
- Presented credentials: November 19, 1986
- Terminated mission: Left post, December 3, 1989
- Harriet Winsar Isom – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 21, 1989
- Presented credentials: January 26, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post, November 14, 1992
- Ruth A. DavisRuth A. DavisRuth A. Davis, . Ambassador Davis is the 24th Director General of the United States Foreign Service. She holds the distinction of being the first woman of color to be appointed as Director General of the Foreign Service and the first African-American Director of the Foreign Service Institute...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 17, 1992
- Presented credentials: December 24, 1992
- Terminated mission: Left post, November 3, 1995
- John M. Yates – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 3, 1995
- Presented credentials: November 24, 1995
- Terminated mission: Left post October 27, 1998
- Robert C. Felder – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 22, 1998
- Presented credentials: November 20, 1998
- Terminated mission: Left post June 10, 2000
- Pamela E. BridgewaterPamela E. BridgewaterPamela E. Bridgewater is a United States career diplomat, most recently posted as the U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica.-Biography:...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 15, 2000
- Presented credentials: November 24, 2000
- Terminated mission: Left post December 10, 2002
- Wayne E. Neill – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 16, 2003
- Presented credentials: July 4, 2003
- Terminated mission:
- Gayleatha B. BrownGayleatha B. BrownGayleatha Beatrice Brown is a United States foreign service officer and ambassador. She has served in several diplomatic posts during her career with the U.S. Department of State including U.S. ambassador to Benin and Burkina Faso....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 25, 2006
- Presented credentials: Unknown
- Terminated mission:
- James KnightJames Knight (Ambassador)James Knight is the United States Ambassador to Benin. He was nominated by President Barack Obama, and assumed his duties at post in November 2009. He speaks French and Portuguese.Knight is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 7, 2009 http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/133591.htm
- Presented credentials: November 3, 2009
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Benin – United States relationsBenin – United States relationsBenin–United States relations are the international relations between Benin and the United States, the two nations have had an excellent history of relations in the years since Benin embraced democracy. The U.S...
- Foreign relations of BeninForeign relations of BeninAfter seizing power in 1972 Major Mathieu Kérékou declared Dahomey a Marxist-Leninist state and sought financial support from communist governments in Eastern Europe and Asia. To distance the modern state from its colonial past, the country became the People's Republic of Benin in 1975...
- Ambassadors of the United States