United States Ambassador to Cape Verde

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Roger D. Pierce, U.S. Ambassador to Cape Verde
Roger D. Pierce, U.S. Ambassador to Cape Verde

The United States recognized Cape Verde and commissioned its first ambassador Melissa F. Wells in 1976. Ambassador Wells was concurrently accredited to Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde while resident at Bissau, the capital of Guinea-Bissau. In 1980 an embassy was established in the capital Praia with a chargé d’affaires managing the business of the embassy.

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[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.

  • Note: Until 1980 one ambassador, resident at Bissau, was concurrently commissioned to Guinea-Bissau and Cape Verde.
  • Melissa F. Wells – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 16, 1976
    • Presented credentials: November 18, 1976
    • Terminated mission: Left post, March 23, 1977
  • Edward Marks – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 15, 1977
    • Presented credentials: October 18, 1977
    • Terminated mission: Left post, July 11, 1980
  • Note: Embassy Praia was established January 28, 1978 with Howard McGowan as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim. The ambassador remained in Bissau.
  • Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: September 5, 1980
    • Presented credentials: September 24, 1980
    • Terminated mission: Left Bissau, March 30, 1983
  • Note: In 1983 the first ambassador was appointed solely accredited to Cape Verde.
  • John Melvin Yates – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: March 18, 1983
    • Presented credentials: April 26, 1983
    • Terminated mission: Left post, May 24, 1986
  • Vernon Dubois Penner, Jr. – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: June 16, 1986
    • Presented credentials: July 15, 1986
    • Terminated mission: Left post, November 21, 1989
  • Francis Terry McNamara – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: November 21, 1989
    • Presented credentials: December 23, 1989
    • Terminated mission: Left post, December 31, 1992
  • Joseph Monroe Segars – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: July 14, 1992
    • Presented credentials: March 24, 1993
    • Terminated mission: Left post, March 17, 1996
  • Lawrence Neal Benedict – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: June 6, 1996
    • Presented credentials: July 30, 1996
    • Terminated mission: Left post August 11, 1999
  • Michael D. Metelits – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: July 7, 1999
    • Presented credentials: September 15, 1999
    • Terminated mission: Left post July 24, 2002
  • Donald C. Johnson – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: October 3, 2002
    • Presented credentials: November 21, 2002
    • Terminated mission: Left post, April 4, 2005
  • Roger D. Pierce – Career FSO
    • Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
    • Appointed: June 21, 2005
    • Presented credentials: September 27, 2005
    • Terminated mission: Incumbent

[edit] References

[edit] See also

[edit] External links