List of ambassadors of the United States to Botswana
Ambassador of the United States to Botswana | |
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![]() Seal of the United States Department of State | |
since May 24, 2023 | |
Nominator | The President of the United States |
Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
Inaugural holder | Charles H. Pletcher as Chargé d'Affaires |
Formation | September 1966 |
Website | U.S. Embassy - Gaborone |
From 1885 until 1966 the area of Southern Africa that is now Botswana was part of the Bechuanaland Protectorate of Great Britain.
In June 1964, Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. The seat of government was moved from Mahikeng in South Africa, to newly established in Gaberones (now Gaborone) in 1965. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on September 30, 1966.[citation needed]
The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in Gaberones was established on September 30, 1966—independence day for Botswana. Charles H. Pletcher was appointed as Chargé d'affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador.[1] He served June 1970–September 1971.
Ambassadors
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U.S. diplomatic terms |
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Career FSO After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time. Political appointee A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president (often as a reward to political friends). Appointed The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a Congressional recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office. Presented credentials The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador's arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador's letter, but this occurs only rarely. Terminated mission Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador's commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy. Chargé d'affaires The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. Ad interim Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". |
- Note: Charles H. Pletcher served as chargé d'affaires September 1966–June 1970. W. Kennedy Cromwell III
Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
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Charles J. Nelson – Political appointee[a] | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 9, 1971 | November 3, 1971 | Left Gaborone, March 2, 1974 | |
David B. Bolen – Career FSO[a] | February 28, 1974 | April 22, 1974 | Left Gaborone, August 11, 1976 | ||
Donald R. Norland – Career FSO[b] | November 17, 1976 | February 23, 1978 | Left Gaborone, September 8, 1979 | In 1979 the first ambassador was appointed solely for Botswana. | |
Horace Dawson – Career FSO | October 12, 1979 | November 27, 1979 | August 27, 1982 | ||
Theodore C. Maino – Political appointee | September 30, 1982 | December 2, 1982 | September 6, 1985 | ||
Natale H. Bellocchi – Career FSO | October 28, 1985 | November 19, 1985 | September 16, 1988 | ||
John Florian Kordek – Career FSO | August 11, 1988 | September 29, 1988 | November 1, 1989 | ||
David Passage – Career FSO | June 27, 1990 | August 7, 1990 | April 29, 1993 | ||
Howard Franklin Jeter – Career FSO | July 16, 1993 | September 9, 1993 | June 21, 1996 | ||
Robert Krueger – Political appointee | June 6, 1996 | July 23, 1996 | December 6, 1999 | ||
John E. Lange – Career FSO | November 16, 1999 | December 15, 1999 | August 8, 2002 | ||
Joseph Huggins – Career FSO | November 15, 2002 | January 28, 2003 | July 26, 2005 | ||
Katherine H. P. Canavan – Career FSO | August 2, 2005 | September 27, 2005 | June 27, 2008[2] | ||
Stephen J. Nolan – Career FSO | June 23, 2008[3] | October 6, 2008 | June 13, 2011[4] | ||
Michelle D. Gavin – Political appointee | April 18, 2011 | June 20, 2011 | February 22, 2014 | ||
Earl Robert Miller – Foreign Service Specialist | December 2014 | December 18, 2014 | September 24, 2018 | ||
Craig L. Cloud - Career FSO | January 7, 2019 | April 2, 2019[5] | May 24, 2022 | ||
Howard Van Vranken - Career FSO | December 21, 2022 | May 24, 2023 | Incumbent |
Notes
[edit]See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Botswana - Chiefs of Mission - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- ^ United States Dep’t of State: Biography of Stephen J. Nolan
- ^ "Stephen James Nolan - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
- ^ Molefhi, Aobakwe (3 April 2019). "Botswana: Four Envoys Present Credentials". allAfrica. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- United States Department of State: Background notes on Botswana
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.