List of ambassadors of the United States to Burkina Faso

Last updated

Ambassador of the United States to Burkina Faso
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
Joann M. Lockard, U.S. Ambassador.jpg
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder R. Borden Reams
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
FormationOctober 17, 1960
Website U.S. Embassy - Ouagadougou

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta).

Contents

Until 1960 Upper Volta was a French possession as a part of French West Africa. In 1958 Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community (Communauté française), and achieved independence as the Republic of Upper Volta on August 5, 1960.

The United States recognized Upper Volta immediately and assigned its first envoy on the nation's independence day, August 5. The envoy, Donald R. Norland, had presented his credentials as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim on the previous day, August 4, to take effect on the day of independence. Norland was also the Chargé d'Affaires a.i. to the newly independent nations: Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Dahomey (Benin) and Niger while resident in Abidjan.

The first ranking ambassador, R. Borden Reams, was appointed October 17, 1960. He was also the ambassador to the aforementioned countries while resident in Abidjan. On December 31, 1960, an embassy was established in Ouagadougou with a resident Chargé d'affaires. On May 29, 1961, the first ambassador solely accredited to Upper Volta was appointed.

On August 4, 1984, the nation's name was changed to Burkina Faso.

The United States Embassy in Burkina Faso is located in Ouagadougou.

Ambassadors

NameTitleAppointed Presented credentials Terminated missionNotes
R. Borden Reams [1] [2] – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryOctober 17, 1960December 6, 1960June 26, 1961
Thomas S. Estes – Career FSOMay 29, 1961June 26, 1961July 13, 1966
Elliott P. Skinner – political appointeeMay 27, 1966September 14, 1966July 16, 1969
William E. Schaufele, Jr. – Career FSOSeptember 29, 1969October 16, 1969July 10, 1971
Donald B. Easum – Career FSONovember 5, 1971December 8, 1971January 19, 1974
Pierre R. Graham – Career FSOJune 20, 1974July 30, 1974June 13, 1978
Thomas D. Boyatt – Career FSOJuly 18, 1978September 21, 1978October 23, 1980
Larry C. GrahlChargé d'affaires ad interimOctober 23, 1980November 18, 1981
Julius Waring Walker, Jr. – Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryJuly 18, 1981November 18, 1981July 5, 1984
Leonardo Neher – Career FSOJune 28, 1984September 21, 1984August 1, 1987
David H. Shinn – Career FSONovember 6, 1987November 28, 1987August 6, 1990
Edward P. Brynn – Career FSOOctober 22, 1990January 14, 1991April 17, 1993
Donald J. McConnell – Career FSOAugust 9, 1993November 22, 1993June 4, 1996
Sharon P. Wilkinson – Career FSOJuly 11, 1996October 24, 1996July 12, 1999
Jimmy J. Kolker – Career FSONovember 16, 1999January 11, 2000August 2, 2002
J. Anthony Holmes – Career FSOOctober 3, 2002December 23, 2002July 9, 2005
Jeanine E. Jackson – Career FSOFebruary 21, 2006March 24, 2006March 7, 2009
J. Thomas Dougherty – Career FSOAugust 5, 2010September 30, 2010September 30, 2013
Tulinabo S. Mushingi - Career FSOJuly 9, 2013September 17, 2013October 27, 2016
Andrew Robert Young - Career FSOSeptember 28, 2016November 20, 2016March 26, 2020 [3]
Sandra E. Clark - Career FSOAugust 12, 2020September 25, 2020December 18, 2023
Eric Whitaker - Career FSOChargé d'affaires ad interimDecember 19, 2023June 27, 2024
Joann M. Lockard - Career FSOAmbassador Extraordinary and PlenipotentiaryMay 2, 2024June 28, 2024January 20, 2025

Notes

  1. Reams was commissioned during a recess of the Senate.
  2. Reams was also accredited to Ivory Coast, Dahomey, and Niger while resident at Abidjan.
  3. "Andrew R. Young - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Foreign relations of Burkina Faso</span>

Burkina Faso has good relations with the European Union, African and certain Asian countries.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport in Ivory Coast</span>

Ivory Coast invested remarkably in its transport system. Transport Infrastructures are much more developed than they are other West African countries despite a crisis that restrained their maintenance and development. Since its independence in 1960, Ivory Coast put an emphasis on increasing and modernizing the transport network for human as well as for goods. Major infrastructures of diverse nature were built including railways, roads, waterways, and airports. In spite of the crisis, neighbor countries still strongly depend on the Ivorian transport network for importing, exporting, and transiting their immigrants to Ivory Coast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">French Upper Volta</span> French colony in West Africa (1919-1958); now Burkina Faso

Upper Volta was a colony of French West Africa established in 1919 in the territory occupied by present-day Burkina Faso. It was formed from territories that had been part of the colonies of Upper Senegal and Niger and the Côte d'Ivoire. The colony was dissolved on 5 September 1932, with parts being administered by the Côte d'Ivoire, French Sudan and the Colony of Niger.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of United States diplomatic relations by country</span>

This is a summary history of diplomatic relations of the United States listed by country. The history of diplomatic relations of the United States began with the appointment of Benjamin Franklin as U.S. Minister to France in 1778, even before the U.S. had won its independence from Great Britain in 1783.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. Borden Reams</span> American diplomat

Robert Borden Reams was an American diplomat. He was the first United States Ambassador to Upper Volta, Dahomey, Niger, and Ivory Coast simultaneously. On July 31, 1960, an envoy, Donald R. Norland, had presented his credentials as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim on the previous day of Reams' appointment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donald R. Norland</span> American diplomat

Donald Richard Norland was an American diplomat. He was the United States Ambassador to Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Chad.

The Confédération africaine des travailleurs croyants was a trade union confederation in French West Africa and Togo. C.A.T.C-A.O.F-Togo was founded in Ouagadougou July 8–15, 1956 by the West African branches of the French trade union centre C.F.T.C. David Soumah became the first president of C.A.T.C-A.O.F-Togo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burkina Faso–Sweden relations</span> Bilateral relations

Burkina Faso–Sweden relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Sweden and Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso has a non-resident ambassador located in Copenhagen, Denmark and an honorary consulate in Uppsala. Sweden had an embassy in Ouagadougou, which was opened in 2010 and closed in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burkina Faso–France relations</span> Bilateral relations

Burkina Faso–France relations refers to the diplomatic relations between Burkina Faso and France. Diplomatic relations were established on 4 August 1960. Burkina Faso was formerly part of a French colony called French Upper Volta. France has special forces stationed in Burkina Faso. Burkina Faso has an embassy in Paris, and France has an embassy in Ouagadougou.

References