United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Ambassador of the United States to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
James C. Swan
since August 6 2013[1]
Nominator Barack Obama
Inaugural holder Clare H. Timberlake
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Formation July 5, 1960
Website U.S. Embassy - Kinshasa

This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

From 1877 until 1960, the republic had been a colony of Belgium, first under the name Congo Free State and then Belgian Congo.

The Congo was granted its independence on June 30, 1960, adopting the name “Republic of the Congo” (République du Congo). As the French colony of Middle Congo (Moyen-Congo) also chose the name Republic of Congo upon receiving its independence, the two countries were more commonly known as Congo-Léopoldville and Congo-Brazzaville, after their capital cities.

The United States immediately recognized the new Republic of the Congo and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The embassy in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) was established on June 30, 1960, with John D. Tomlinson as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. The first ambassador, Clare H. Timberlake was appointed on July 5, 1960.

In 1971, President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu changed the country’s official name to Zaire.

In 1997, President Laurent Kabila restored the name "Democratic Republic of the Congo", previously used from 1964 to 1971.

Ambassadors

U.S. diplomatic terms

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.

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. See chargé d'affaires.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime". See ad interim.

Notes

  1. ↑ http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/ambassador.html
  2. ↑ Hinton was declared persona non grata by the Government of Zaire on June 18, 1975 and he left the country three days later.
  3. ↑ Swing was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned following confirmation on March 25, 1999.

See also

References

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