United States Ambassador to Tanzania

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Michael L. Retzer, U.S. Ambassador to Tanzania

The area of southern Africa that is now the nation of Tanzania first came under European domination in 1884 when the German Gesellschaft für Deutsche Kolonisation Society for German Colonization under Dr. Karl Peters concluded treaties with the local chiefs in the name of the Society. After concluding the treaties, Dr. Peters returned to Germany, obtained an imperial charter from Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, and formed the Deutsch-Ostafrikanische Gesellschaft (German East Africa Company).

At the same time British presence and influence had been growing in the area. In 1886 and 1890, Anglo-German agreements were negotiated that delineated the British and German spheres of influence in the interior of East Africa and along the coastal strip previously claimed by the Omani Sultan of Zanzibar. In 1891, the German Government took over direct administration of the territory from the German East Africa Company and appointed a governor with headquarters at Dar es Salaam. The territory was named Tanganyika after nearby Lake Tanganyika. Zanzibar became a protectorate of the United Kingdom that year.

During The Great War Germany lost its colonies in German East Africa and after the war the League of Nations gave the United Kingdom the mandate to administer the former German colony. British administration under the mandate was continued until the end of World War II and the formation of the United Nations in 1946. In that year Tanganyika became a trust territory of the United Nations, still governed by the United Kingdom.

In December 1959, the United Kingdom agreed to the establishment of internal self-government following general elections to be held in August 1960. In May 1961, Tanganyika became autonomous. Full independence was achieved on December 9, 1961. One year later on December 17, 1962 Tanganyika became a republic within the Commonwealth of Nations.

The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in Dar es Salaam was established on December 9, 1961—independence day for Tanganyika. William R. Duggan was appointed as chargé d’affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. The first ambassador, William Leonhart was appointed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary on August 22, 1962, and presented his credentials to the government on October 3, 1962.

Zanzibar received its independence from the United Kingdom on December 19, 1963, as a constitutional monarchy under the sultan. On January 12, 1964, the African majority revolted against the sultan and a new government was formed. On April 26, 1964, Tanganyika united with Zanzibar to form the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar. The country was renamed the United Republic of Tanzania on October 29, 1964.

The Embassy in Zanzibar was established on December 10, 1963, with Frederick P. Picard III as chargé d’affaires ad interim. An ambassador to Zanzibar had not yet been appointed when that country was united with the Tanganyika. Frank C. Carlucci III was serving as chargé d’affaires ad interim in Zanzibar when the embassy was changed to a U.S. consulate on June 27, 1964. Ambassador Leonhart in Dar es Salaam continued to serve as the ambassador to Tanzania.

1 Ambassadors
2 Notes
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Ambassadors

Diplomatic Terms

Career FSO: After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSO) 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 to reward political friends.

Appointed: The date that the ambassador took the oath of office—also called “commissioning.” This 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 must be later confirmed 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: For the time being; in the meantime. See ad interim.

William Leonhart – Career FSO^[1]^[2]
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 22, 1962
- Presented credentials: October 3, 1962
- Terminated mission: Left post December 22, 1965
John H. Burns – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 24, 1965
- Presented credentials: January 3, 1966
- Terminated mission: Left post June 22, 1969
Claude G. Ross – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 9, 1969
- Presented credentials: December 27, 1969
- Terminated mission: Left post June 25, 1972
W. Beverly Carter, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 27, 1972
- Presented credentials: July 24, 1972
- Terminated mission: Left post October 14, 1975
James W. Spain – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 20, 1975
- Presented credentials: January 8, 1976
- Terminated mission: Left post August 21, 1979
Richard Noyes Viets – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: September 28, 1979
- Presented credentials: October 18, 1979
- Terminated mission: Left post May 16, 1981
David Charles Miller, Jr. – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 26, 1981
- Presented credentials: November 4, 1981
- Terminated mission: Left post February 28, 1984
John William Shirley – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 28, 1984
- Presented credentials: July 28, 1984
- Terminated mission: Left post July 18, 1986
Donald K. Petterson – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 16, 1986
- Presented credentials: December 8, 1986
- Terminated mission: Left post December 26, 1989
Edmund DeJarnette, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 21, 1989
- Presented credentials: February 26, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post September 12, 1992
Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 15, 1992
- Presented credentials: January 8, 1993
- Terminated mission: Left post June 3, 1994
Brady Anderson – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 26, 1994
- Presented credentials: September 13, 1994
- Terminated mission: Left post October 7, 1997
Charles Richard Stith – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 29, 1998
- Presented credentials: September 17, 1998
- Terminated mission: Left post January 20, 2001
Robert V. Royall – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 5, 2001
- Presented credentials: December 19, 2001
- Terminated mission: November 21, 2003
Note: The post was vacant from November 2003 until August 2005. Michael S. Owen served as chargé d’affaires ad interim during that time.
Michael Retzer – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 2, 2005
- Presented credentials: March 9, 2005
- Terminated mission: Incumbent

[edit] Notes

^ Leonhart was originally commissioned to Tanganyika. He was recommissioned when Tanganyika became a republic and presented new credentials on December 17, 1962.
^ Leonhart continued to serve without further reaccreditation after the formation of the United Republic of Tanganyika and Zanzibar.