List of ambassadors of the United States to Botswana

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Ambassador of the United States to Botswana
US Department of State official seal.svg
Seal of the United States Department of State
Flag of a United States ambassador.svg
Flag of a United States ambassador
Howard-van-Vranken.jpg
since 24 May 2023
NominatorThe president of the United States
AppointerThe president
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder Charles H. Pletcher
as Chargé d'Affaires
FormationSeptember 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.

Contents

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 30 September 1966.[ citation needed ]

The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in Gaberones was established on 30 September 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

NameTitleAppointed Presented credentials Terminated missionNotes
Charles J. Nelson – Political appointee [a] Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary9 June 19713 November 1971Left Gaborone, 2 March 1974
David B. Bolen – Career FSO [a] 28 February 197422 April 1974Left Gaborone, 11 August 1976
Donald R. Norland – Career FSO [b] 17 November 197623 February 1978Left Gaborone, 8 September 1979In 1979 the first ambassador was appointed solely for Botswana.
Horace Dawson – Career FSO12 October 197927 November 197927 August 1982
Theodore C. Maino – Political appointee30 September 19822 December 19826 September 1985
Natale H. Bellocchi – Career FSO28 October 198519 November 198516 September 1988
John Florian Kordek – Career FSO11 August 198829 September 19881 November 1989
David Passage – Career FSO27 June 19907 August 199029 April 1993
Howard Franklin Jeter – Career FSO16 July 19939 September 199321 June 1996
Robert Krueger – Political appointee6 June 199623 July 19966 December 1999
John E. Lange – Career FSO16 November 199915 December 19998 August 2002
Joseph Huggins – Career FSO15 November 200228 January 200326 July 2005
Katherine H. P. Canavan – Career FSO2 August 200527 September 200527 June 2008 [2]
Stephen J. Nolan – Career FSO23 June 2008 [3] 6 October 200813 June 2011 [4]
Michelle D. Gavin – Political appointee18 April 201120 June 201122 February 2014
Earl Robert Miller – Foreign Service SpecialistDecember 201418 December 201424 September 2018
Craig L. Cloud - Career FSO7 January 20192 April 2019 [5] 24 May 2022
Howard Van Vranken - Career FSO21 December 202224 May 2023Incumbent

Notes

  1. 1 2 Accredited to Botswana, Eswatini, and Lesotho.
  2. ↑ Norland was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on 24 June 1977.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Botswana - Chiefs of Mission - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
  2. ↑ United States Dep’t of State: Biography of Katherine H. Canavan
  3. ↑ United States Dep’t of State: Biography of Stephen J. Nolan
  4. ↑ "Stephen James Nolan - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
  5. ↑ Molefhi, Aobakwe (3 April 2019). "Botswana: Four Envoys Present Credentials". allAfrica. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
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