United States Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea
Encyclopedia
The United States
has maintained diplomatic ties to Equatorial Guinea
since independence in 1968. Until 1981, US ambassadors served as the contacts to other African countries simultaneously rather than have a separate person just for Equatorial Guinea.
that now contains the nation of Equatorial Guinea
was under Spanish
control. The area was known as Spanish Guinea
and included the small mainland area of Río Muni
and the island of Fernão do Pó (or Fernando Pó), now named Bioko
. Rio Muni became a Spanish protectorate
in 1885 and a colony
in 1900. In 1926 the island of Bioko and the mainland area of Río Muni were united as the colony of Spanish Guinea.
In 1959, the Spanish territory of the Gulf of Guinea was established as a province of Spain
known as the Spanish Equatorial Region. Local elections were held and representatives elected to the Cortes Generales
(Spanish parliament).
In 1963 limited autonomy was granted to Spanish Guinea and the people were able to elect members to its own legislature.
In March 1968, under pressure from Equatorial Guinean nationalists and the United Nations
, Spain announced that it would grant independence to Equatorial Guinea. A constitutional convention produced an electoral law and draft constitution. In the presence of a UN observer team, a referendum was held on August 11, 1968, and a new constitution was approved. In September 1968, the first president was elected, and independence was granted in October.
The United States immediately recognized
Equatorial Guinea and moved to establish diplomatic relations. Albert W. Sherer, Jr.
, the ambassador to Togo
, was additionally accredited as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Equatorial Guinea on October 28, 1968 and presented his credentials to the president on November 21. Sherer remained resident at Lomé
, Togo.
An embassy in Santa Isabel (now Malabo
) was opened August 1, 1969, with Albert N. Williams as chargé d'affaires
ad interim
.
In December 1969 the ambassador to Cameroon
was accredited to Equatorial Guinea while resident in Yaoundé
, Cameroon.
The embassy in Malabo was closed in 1995 and its functions were transferred to the embassy in Cameroon. The embassy was reopened in 2004.
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
has maintained diplomatic ties to Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...
since independence in 1968. Until 1981, US ambassadors served as the contacts to other African countries simultaneously rather than have a separate person just for Equatorial Guinea.
History
In the 19th century, the area of Central AfricaCentral Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
that now contains the nation of Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea, officially the Republic of Equatorial Guinea where the capital Malabo is situated.Annobón is the southernmost island of Equatorial Guinea and is situated just south of the equator. Bioko island is the northernmost point of Equatorial Guinea. Between the two islands and to the...
was under Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
control. The area was known as Spanish Guinea
Spanish Guinea
Spanish Guinea was an African colony of Spain that became the independent nation of Equatorial Guinea.-History:The Portuguese explorer, Fernão do Pó, seeking a route to India, is credited with having discovered the island of Bioko in 1472. He called it Formosa , but it quickly took on the name of...
and included the small mainland area of Río Muni
Río Muni
Río Muni is the Continental Region of Equatorial Guinea, and comprises the mainland geographical region, covering 26,017 km².-History:Río Muni was ceded by Portugal to Spain in 1778 in the Treaty of El Pardo...
and the island of Fernão do Pó (or Fernando Pó), now named Bioko
Bioko
Bioko is an island 32 km off the west coast of Africa, specifically Cameroon, in the Gulf of Guinea. It is the northernmost part of Equatorial Guinea with a population of 124,000 and an area of . It is volcanic with its highest peak the Pico Basile at .-Geography:Bioko has a total area of...
. Rio Muni became a Spanish protectorate
Protectorate
In history, the term protectorate has two different meanings. In its earliest inception, which has been adopted by modern international law, it is an autonomous territory that is protected diplomatically or militarily against third parties by a stronger state or entity...
in 1885 and a colony
Colony
In politics and history, a colony is a territory under the immediate political control of a state. For colonies in antiquity, city-states would often found their own colonies. Some colonies were historically countries, while others were territories without definite statehood from their inception....
in 1900. In 1926 the island of Bioko and the mainland area of Río Muni were united as the colony of Spanish Guinea.
In 1959, the Spanish territory of the Gulf of Guinea was established as a province of Spain
Provinces of Spain
Spain and its autonomous communities are divided into fifty provinces .In other languages of Spain:*Catalan/Valencian , sing. província.*Galician , sing. provincia.*Basque |Galicia]] — are not also the capitals of provinces...
known as the Spanish Equatorial Region. Local elections were held and representatives elected to the Cortes Generales
Cortes Generales
The Cortes Generales is the legislature of Spain. It is a bicameral parliament, composed of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate . The Cortes has power to enact any law and to amend the constitution...
(Spanish parliament).
In 1963 limited autonomy was granted to Spanish Guinea and the people were able to elect members to its own legislature.
In March 1968, under pressure from Equatorial Guinean nationalists and the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, Spain announced that it would grant independence to Equatorial Guinea. A constitutional convention produced an electoral law and draft constitution. In the presence of a UN observer team, a referendum was held on August 11, 1968, and a new constitution was approved. In September 1968, the first president was elected, and independence was granted in October.
The United States immediately recognized
Diplomatic recognition
Diplomatic recognition in international law is a unilateral political act with domestic and international legal consequences, whereby a state acknowledges an act or status of another state or government in control of a state...
Equatorial Guinea and moved to establish diplomatic relations. Albert W. Sherer, Jr.
Albert W. Sherer, Jr.
Albert William Sherer, Jr. was an American diplomat. In 1938 he received a B.A. from Yale University and an LL.B. in 1941 from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1941 to 1945....
, the ambassador to Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
, was additionally accredited as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Equatorial Guinea on October 28, 1968 and presented his credentials to the president on November 21. Sherer remained resident at Lomé
Lomé
Lomé, with an estimated population of 737,751, is the capital and largest city of Togo. Located on the Gulf of Guinea, Lomé is the country's administrative and industrial center and its chief port. The city exports coffee, cocoa, copra, and palm kernels...
, Togo.
An embassy in Santa Isabel (now Malabo
Malabo
Malabo is the capital of Equatorial Guinea, located on the northern coast of Bioko Island on the rim of a sunken volcano....
) was opened August 1, 1969, with Albert N. Williams 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...
.
In December 1969 the ambassador to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
was accredited to Equatorial Guinea while resident in Yaoundé
Yaoundé
-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
, Cameroon.
The embassy in Malabo was closed in 1995 and its functions were transferred to the embassy in Cameroon. The embassy was reopened in 2004.
Ambassadors
- Albert W. Sherer, Jr.Albert W. Sherer, Jr.Albert William Sherer, Jr. was an American diplomat. In 1938 he received a B.A. from Yale University and an LL.B. in 1941 from Harvard University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force from 1941 to 1945....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 13, 1967
- Presented credentials: October 13, 1967
- Terminated mission: Left post March 5, 1970
- Note: Beginning in 1969 one ambassador, resident in YaoundéYaoundé-Transportation:Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport is a major civilian hub, while nearby Yaoundé Airport is used by the military. Railway lines run west to the port city of Douala and north to N'Gaoundéré. Many bus companies operate from the city; particularly in the Nsam and Mvan neighborhoods...
, was accredited to Equatorial Guinea and Cameroon. - Lewis Hoffacker – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 2, 1969
- Presented credentials: January 21, 1970
- Terminated mission: Left Yaoundé June 6, 1972
- C. Robert Moore – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 25, 1972
- Presented credentials: January 9, 1973
- Terminated mission: Left Yaoundé July 28, 1975
- Herbert J. Spiro – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 24, 1975
- Presented credentials: September 1, 1975
- Terminated mission: Declared persona non grata by government of Equatorial Guinea March 14, 1976.
- Note: After the ambassador was rejected by the government of Equatorial Guinea, the post was vacant until 1979.
- Mable Murphy Smythe – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 17, 1979
- Presented credentials: December 19, 1979
- Terminated mission: Left Yaoundé February 24, 1980
- Hume A. Horan – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 30, 1980
- Presented credentials: August 14, 1980
- Terminated mission: Resigned as Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea September 29, 1981
- Note: In 1981 the first ambassador was appointed solely accredited to Equatorial Guinea.
- Alan M. Hardy – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 26, 1981
- Presented credentials: November 19, 1981
- Terminated mission: Left post June 26, 1984
- Francis Stephen Ruddy – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 5, 1984
- Presented credentials: January 27, 1985
- Terminated mission: Left post March 25, 1988
- Chester E. Norris, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 5, 1988
- Presented credentials: March 15, 1988
- Terminated mission: Left post April 18, 1991
- John E. Bennett – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 2, 1991
- Presented credentials: September 5, 1991
- Terminated mission: Left post February 25, 1994
- Note: Embassy Malabo was closed October 31, 1995. Its functions were transferred to the Embassy in Yaoundé November 1, 1995. The ambassador to Cameroon was also accredited to Equatorial Guinea while resident in Yaoundé.
- Charles H. Twining – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 19, 1995
- Presented credentials: May 16, 1996
- Terminated mission: Left Yaoundé August 17, 1998
- John Melvin Yates – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 22, 1998
- Presented credentials: February 4, 1998
- Terminated mission: Left Yaoundé November 4, 2001
- George McDade Staples – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 5, 2001
- Presented credentials: January 24, 2002
- Terminated mission: Left Yaoundé, July 10, 2004
- Note: The embassy in Malabo was reopened in 2004 with the ambassador solely accredited to Equatorial Guinea.
- R. Niels MarquardtR. Niels MarquardtR. Niels Marquardt is an American diplomat and incumbent United States Ambassador to Madagascar and Comoros. He was nominated by President George W. Bush on March 26, 2007. On May 25, 2007, the Senate confirmed his nomination. He was sworn in on August 17, 2007.-Biography:R...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 2, 2004
- Presented credentials: September 2, 2004
- Terminated mission: Left post September 2006
- Donald C. JohnsonDonald C. JohnsonDonald C. Johnson is an American career diplomat. He is the current United States Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea, sworn in on October 16, 2006. He previously served as Ambassador to Cape Verde and to Mongolia.-Early life and education:...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 16, 2006
- Presented credentials: Unknown
- Terminated mission: July 2008
- Alberto M. FernandezAlberto Fernandez (United States Official)Alberto Fernandez , is US Ambassador to Equatorial Guinea since February 2010. Previously he was Charge D'affaires of the U.S. Embassy in Khartoum, Sudan. He was the director of the office of press and public diplomacy in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs at the United States Department of State...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 10, 2010
- Presented credentials: March 11, 2010
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Equatorial Guinea – United States relations
- Foreign relations of Equatorial GuineaForeign relations of Equatorial GuineaA transitional agreement, signed in October 1968, implemented a Spanish preindependence decision to assist Equatorial Guinea and provided for the temporary maintenance of Spanish forces there. A dispute with President Macias in 1969 led to a request that all Spanish troops immediately depart, and a...
- Ambassadors of the United States