Ambassador of the United States to Vanuatu | |
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Nominator | The President of the United States |
Inaugural holder | Paul Fisher Gardner as Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary. |
Formation | September 1986 |
Website | U.S. Embassy - Port Moresby |
Diplomatic presence of the United States of America in Vanuatu began in September 1986 when the latter established diplomatic ties with U.S. The United States Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea handles the U.S. interests in Vanuatu. In addition to Papua New Guinea, United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea is accredited to both Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. [1] [2]
Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission |
---|---|---|---|---|
Paul Fisher Gardner – Career FSO [1] | Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | September 7, 1984 | October 1, 1986 | |
Everett E. Bierman | March 13, 1987 | April 10, 1987 | October 30, 1989 | |
Robert William Farrand – Career FSO | March 8, 1990 | June 25, 1990 | September 13, 1993 | |
Richard W. Teare [3] – Career FSO | October 8, 1993 | July 11, 1994 | July 14, 1996 | |
Arma Jane Karaer – Career FSO | February 10, 1997 | April 15, 1997 | May 28, 2000 | |
Susan S. Jacobs – Career FSO | June 14, 2000 | November 29, 2000 | August 1, 2003 | |
Robert W. Fitts – Career FSO | July 1, 2003 | October 3, 2003 | October 2, 2006 | |
Leslie V. Rowe – Career FSO | July 5, 2006 | December 7, 2006 | July 11, 2009 | |
Teddy B. Taylor – Career FSO [4] | August 12, 2009 | February 2, 2010 | October 6, 2012 | |
Walter North – Career FSO | September 27, 2012 | February 19, 2013 | January 22, 2016 | |
Catherine Ebert-Gray – Career FSO | December 15, 2015 | July 5, 2016 | November 17, 2019 | |
Erin Elizabeth McKee – Career FSO | September 30, 2019 | January 27, 2020 [5] | April 14, 2022 | |
Ann M. Yastishock - Career FSO | November 29, 2023 | April 16, 2024 | Incumbent |
Fiji has experienced many coups recently, in 1987, 2000, and 2006. Fiji has been suspended various times from the Commonwealth of Nations, a grouping of mostly former British colonies. It was readmitted to the Commonwealth in December 2001, following the parliamentary election held to restore democracy in September that year, and has been suspended again because of the 2006 coup, but has been readmitted a second time after the 2014 election. Other Pacific Island governments have generally been sympathetic to Fiji's internal political problems and have declined to take public positions.
Vanuatu maintains diplomatic relations with many countries, and it has a small network of diplomatic missions. Australia, France, Japan, New Zealand, the People's Republic of China, South Korea and the United Kingdom maintain embassies, High Commissions, or missions in Port Vila. The British High Commission maintained a continued presence for almost a century, though closed from 2005 until reopening in 2019.
Ambassadors of the United States are persons nominated by the president to serve as the United States' diplomatic representatives to foreign nations, international organizations, and as ambassadors-at-large. Under Article II, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, their appointment must be confirmed by the United States Senate; while an ambassador may be appointed during a recess, they can serve only until the end of the next session of Congress, unless subsequently confirmed.
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From 1916 to 1975, Tuvalu was part of the Gilbert and Ellice Islands colony of the United Kingdom. A referendum was held in 1974 to determine whether the Gilbert Islands and Ellice Islands should each have their own administration. As a consequence of the referendum, the separate British colonies of Kiribati and Tuvalu were formed. Tuvalu became fully independent as a sovereign state within the Commonwealth on 1 October 1978. On 5 September 2000, Tuvalu became the 189th member of the United Nations.
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Solomon Islands–United States relations are bilateral relations between Solomon Islands and the United States. Initial relations were forged during World War II with what was then the British Solomon Islands Protectorate during the Japanese occupation, and this relationship remained strong as Solomon Islands gained its independence in 1978. Relations continued until 1993 when post-Cold War budget cuts closed the United States Embassy in Honiara. Beginning in 2022, in an attempt to counter growing Chinese influence in Solomon Islands, the United States has demonstrated increased commitment to the restoration of relations with the country. In February 2023, the United States re-opened its embassy in Honiara.
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Teddy Bernard Taylor is a United States diplomat. A member of the Senior Foreign Service, Taylor served as the United States Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu. He was succeeded by Walter E. North on November 7, 2012.
Papua New Guinea–Philippines relations are the bilateral relations of Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Papua New Guinea has an embassy in Manila and the Philippines has an embassy in Port Moresby, which is also accredited to the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji.
Catherine Ebert-Gray is an American diplomat. She served as the United States ambassador to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu from 2016 to 2019.
Ann Marie Yastishock is an American diplomat who is serving as the United States ambassador to Papua New Guinea, along with the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.