United States Ambassador to Rwanda
Encyclopedia
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.
Head of State
A head of state is the individual that serves as the chief public representative of a monarchy, republic, federation, commonwealth or other kind of state. His or her role generally includes legitimizing the state and exercising the political powers, functions, and duties granted to the head of...
of Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
.
Until 1962 Rwanda had been a part of the United Nations Trust Territory
United Nations Trust Territories
United Nations trust territories were the successors of the remaining League of Nations mandates and came into being when the League of Nations ceased to exist in 1946. All of the trust territories were administered through the UN Trusteeship Council...
of Ruanda-Urundi
Ruanda-Urundi
Ruanda-Urundi was a Belgian suzerainty from 1916 to 1924, a League of Nations Class B Mandate from 1924 to 1945 and then a United Nations trust territory until 1962, when it became the independent states of Rwanda and Burundi.- Overview :...
under the trusteeship of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. In June 1962 the UN General Assembly
United Nations General Assembly
For two articles dealing with membership in the General Assembly, see:* General Assembly members* General Assembly observersThe United Nations General Assembly is one of the five principal organs of the United Nations and the only one in which all member nations have equal representation...
terminated the Belgian trusteeship and granted full independence to Rwanda and Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
. 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...
the Rwandan government on its independence day, July 1, 1962, and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The U.S. Embassy in the capital Kigali
Kigali
Kigali, population 965,398 , is the capital and largest city of Rwanda. It is situated near the geographic centre of the nation, and has been the economic, cultural, and transport hub of Rwanda since it became capital at independence in 1962. The main residence and offices of the President of...
was established on July 1, 1962, with David J.S. Manbey 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...
. Charles D. Withers was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Rwanda on March 9, 1963.
Ambassadors and chiefs of mission
- Charles D. Withers – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: March 9, 1963
- 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 19, 1963 - Terminated mission: Left post September 15, 1966
- Leo G. Cyr – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 19, 1966
- Presented credentials: November 4, 1966
- Terminated mission: Left post September 29, 1971
- Robert Foster Corrigan – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 9, 1971
- Presented credentials: March 24, 1972
- Terminated mission: Left post August 3, 1973
- Robert E. Fritts – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 28, 1974
- Presented credentials: April 18, 1974
- Terminated mission: Left post June 18, 1976
- T. Frank Crigler – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 16, 1976
- Presented credentials: October 29, 1976
- Terminated mission: Left post May 12, 1979
- Harry R. Melone, Jr.Harry R. Melone, Jr.Harry Roberts Melone, Jr. is a former US ambassador to Rwanda.Melone was born in Auburn, New York. He completed his undergraduate education at Dartmouth College in 1950....
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 6, 1979
- Presented credentials: December 28, 1979
- Terminated mission: Left post August 17, 1982
- John Blane – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 30, 1982
- Presented credentials: November 9, 1982
- Terminated mission: Left post July 16, 1985
- John Edwin Upston – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 17, 1985
- Presented credentials: February 13, 1986
- Terminated mission: Left post July 14, 1987
- Leonard H.O. Spearman – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 5, 1988
- Presented credentials: April 27, 1988
- Terminated mission: Left post November 10, 1990
- Robert A. Flaten – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 30, 1990
- Presented credentials: December 17, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post November 23, 1993
- David P. Rawson – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 22, 1993
- Presented credentials: January 8, 1994
- Terminated mission: Left post January 6, 1996
- Robert E. Gribbin, 3rd – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: December 19, 1995
- Presented credentials: January 10, 1996
- Terminated mission: Left post January 5, 1999
- George McDade Staples – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 26, 1998
- Presented credentials: January 27, 1999
- Terminated mission: Left post September 22, 2001
- Margaret K. McMillion – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 5, 2001
- Presented credentials: December 13, 2001
- Terminated mission: Left post July 10, 2004
- Michael R. AriettiMichael R. AriettiMichael R. Arietti is a United States diplomat and a career foreign service officer with the Department of State. He served as United States ambassador to the nation of Rwanda 2005–2008.-External links:**...
– Career FSO- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 2, 2005
- Presented credentials: December 5, 2005
- Terminated mission: c. November 2008
- W. Stuart Symington – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 2, 2008
- Presented credentials: Unknown
- Terminated mission:
- Donald W. Koran – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 2011
- Presented credentials: Unknown
- Terminated mission: Incumbent
See also
- Rwanda – United States relations
- Foreign relations of RwandaForeign relations of RwandaRwanda has been the center of much international attention since the war and genocide of 1994. Rwanda is an active member of the United Nations, having presided over the Security Council during part of 1995. The UN assistance mission in Rwanda, a UN chapter 6 peace-keeping operation, involved...
- Ambassadors of the United States