Thursday, April 15, 2021

Biden Announces Career Diplomats as U.S. Ambassador Nominees


President Biden announced his intent to Nominate Nine Diplomats for Ambassadorships, on Thursday, marking his First selection of Ooverseas Envoys since taking Office.

He also named his picks for Senior State Department Official Roles based at the Agency's Headquarters in Washington, DC.

His Selection of a Slate of Predominantly Career Officials for the Top Posts, may send a Signal about his move away from the Trump Administration's Reliance on Political Appointees after the Biden Team pledged to invest in Career Diplomats.

The White House said Biden Plans to Nominate:

- Elizabeth Moore Aubin as Ambassador to Algeria.

- Tulinabo Mushingi as Ambassador to Angola and Sao Tome & Principe.

- Steven Bondy as Ambassador to Bahrain.

- Christopher Lamora as Ambassador to Cameroon.

- Maria Brewer as Ambassador to Lesotho.

- Eugene Young as Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo.

- Michael Raynor as Ambassador to Senegal and the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

- Larry André as Ambassador to Somalia.

- Marc Knapper as Ambassador to Vietnam.

The White House said that the Nomination of Career Diplomats for Ambassador Posts would come before the Announcement of Political Appointee Ambassadors.

Biden has been presented with the Names of Top Contenders for Ambassadorships to the European Union, NATO, and other High-Level Posts, including China, and is expected to make a Decision on at least some of those Positions later this month.

In the meantime, most Embassies without Confirmed Ambassadors are being helmed by the Diplomats who were Second-in-Command at the Post.

At the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, the Biden Administration has kept on John Sullivan, a Trump Appointee, for the foreseeable future.

The Average number of Political Appointee Ambassadors from Jimmy Carter to Barack Obama was 31% and that number rose to 43% under Trump, according to a, Council on Foreign Relations report, authored by experienced State Department Officials who are now part of Biden's Administration.

The White House also announced Seven Nominees for Senior Positions at the State Department, including Three Current Career Diplomats. Many of those Posts were left Vacant or given to Political Appointees under the Trump's Administration.

Those intended Nominees include:

- Marcia Bernicat for Director General of the Foreign Service and the Chair of the Board of the Foreign Service.

- Karen Donfried to Lead the Europe Bureau.

- Barbara Leaf to Lead the Middle East Bureau.

- Molly Phee to Lead the Africa Bureau and to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation.

- Michele Sison to Lead the Bureau of International Organization Affairs.

- Gentry Smith to Lead the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

- Anne Witkowsky to Lead the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations, and serve as Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote! Michael H. Drucker


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