United States Ambassador to Mozambique

Mozambique was an overseas possession of Portugal until 1975. On June 25, 1975, Portugual granted independence to Mozambique, much later than other European nations had freed their own African possessions.

The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in the capital Maputo (then named Lourenço Marques) was opened November 8, 1975, with Johnnie Carson as chargé d’affaires "ad interim". On February 4, 1976, Ambassador William A. De Pree was appointed as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Mozambique.

Ambassadors

*William A. De Pree – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: February 4, 1976
**Presented credentials: April 16, 1976
**Terminated mission: Left post, July 7, 1980
*David E. Simcox – Career FSOSimcox was not commissioned. His nomination not acted upon by the Senate.]
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed:
**Presented credentials:
**Terminated mission:
*Note: The post was vacant from July 7, 1980 until September 23, 1983. William H. Twaddell served as chargé d’affaires "ad interim" during that period.
*Peter Jon de Vos – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: September 23, 1983
**Presented credentials: November 4, 1983
**Terminated mission: Left post, February 12, 1987
*Melissa Foelsch Wells – Career FSOAn earlier nomination of October 7, 1986, was not acted upon by the Senate.]
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: September 11, 1987
**Presented credentials: September 26, 1987
**Terminated mission: Left post, October 12, 1990
*Townsend B. Friedman, Jr. – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: August 6, 1990
**Presented credentials: November 10, 1990
**Terminated mission: Left post, September 15, 1993
*Dennis C. Jett – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: July 16, 1993
**Presented credentials: November 17, 1993
**Terminated mission: Left post, July 20, 1996
*The post was vacant between July 20, 1996 and December 3, 1997. P. Michael McKinley served as chargé d’affaires "ad interim" during that period.
*Brian D. Curran – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: October 24, 1997
**Presented credentials: December 3, 1997
**Terminated mission: Left post June 21, 2000
*Sharon P. Wilkinson – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: September 15, 2000
**Presented credentials: October 25, 2000
**Terminated mission: Left post July 21, 2003
*Helen R. Meagher La Lime – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: April 16, 2003
**Presented credentials: September 3, 2003
**Terminated mission: December 2006
*As of December 2006, the post is vacant.

Notes

ee also

*Ambassadors from the United States

ources

* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/com/10954.htm United States Department of State: Ambassadors to Mozambique]
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/7035.htm United States Department of State: Background notes on Mozambique]
*StateDept