United States Ambassador to Mozambique
Encyclopedia
Mozambique
was an overseas possession of Portugal until 1975. On June 25, 1975, Portugal granted independence to Mozambique, much later than other European nations had freed their own African possessions.
The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in the capital Maputo
(then named Lourenço Marques) was opened November 8, 1975, with Johnnie Carson as chargé d’affaires ad interim
. On February 4, 1976, Ambassador Willard A. De Pree was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mozambique.
Mozambique
Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique , is a country in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west and Swaziland and South Africa to the southwest...
was an overseas possession of Portugal until 1975. On June 25, 1975, Portugal granted independence to Mozambique, much later than other European nations had freed their own African possessions.
The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in the capital Maputo
Maputo
Maputo, also known as Lourenço Marques, is the capital and largest city of Mozambique. It is known as the City of Acacias in reference to acacia trees commonly found along its avenues and the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. It was famous for the inscription "This is Portugal" on the walkway of its...
(then named Lourenço Marques) was opened November 8, 1975, with Johnnie Carson as chargé d’affaires 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...
. On February 4, 1976, Ambassador Willard A. De Pree was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mozambique.
Ambassadors
- Willard A. De Pree – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 4, 1976
- Presented credentialsLetter of CredenceA letter of credence is a formal letter usually sent by one head of state to another that formally grants diplomatic accreditation to a named individual to be their ambassador in the country of the head of state receiving the letter...
: April 16, 1976 - Terminated mission: Left post, July 7, 1980
- David E. Simcox – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed:
- Presented credentials:
- Terminated mission:
- Note: The post was vacant from July 7, 1980 until September 23, 1983. William H. Twaddell served as chargé d’affaires ad interim during that period.
- Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 23, 1983
- Presented credentials: November 4, 1983
- Terminated mission: Left post, February 12, 1987
- Melissa Foelsch Wells – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 11, 1987
- Presented credentials: September 26, 1987
- Terminated mission: Left post, October 12, 1990
- Townsend B. Friedman, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 6, 1990
- Presented credentials: November 10, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post, September 15, 1993
- Dennis C. Jett – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 16, 1993
- Presented credentials: November 17, 1993
- Terminated mission: Left post, July 20, 1996
- The post was vacant between July 20, 1996 and December 3, 1997. P. Michael McKinley served as chargé d’affaires ad interim during that period.
- Brian D. Curran – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 24, 1997
- Presented credentials: December 3, 1997
- Terminated mission: Left post June 21, 2000
- Sharon P. WilkinsonSharon P. WilkinsonSharon P. Wilkonson is an American diplomat. She served as United States Ambassidor to Burkina Faso from 1996-1999 and United States Ambassidor to Mozambique from 2000-2003.-Biography:...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 15, 2000
- Presented credentials: October 25, 2000
- Terminated mission: Left post July 21, 2003
- Helen R. Meagher La Lime – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: April 16, 2003
- Presented credentials: September 3, 2003
- Terminated mission: December 2006
- The post was vacant 2006–09. Todd C. Chapman served as Chargé d’Affaires.
- William R. SteigerWilliam R. SteigerWilliam Raymond Steiger was Special Assistant to the Secretary for International Affairs and the Director of the Office of Global Health Affairs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services during the George W. Bush Administration, with a portfolio that included HIV/AIDS, malaria, avian...
was nominated by President Bush on January 10, 2007, but the Senate has not acted on the nomination. - Leslie V. Rowe - Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 12, 2009
- Presented credentials: January 28, 2010
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Mozambique – United States relations
- Foreign relations of MozambiqueForeign relations of MozambiqueWhile allegiances dating back to the liberation struggle remain relevant, Mozambique's foreign policy has become increasingly pragmatic. The twin pillars of the policy are maintenance of good relations with its neighbors and maintenance and expansion of ties to development partners.During the 1970s...
- Ambassadors of the United States