On June 19, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Jerry P. Lanier to be Ambassador to the Republic of Uganda. Official bio released by the WH below:
Jerry P. Lanier is a career diplomat with 26 years of service in the Department of State. He is currently the Foreign Policy Advisor for U.S. Africa Command headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Prior to that, he was the Director of the Office of Regional and Security Affairs in the Africa Bureau at the State Department.
Mr. Lanier has also served in the Philippines, Kenya, Thailand, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Ghana. At State he has served as the Special Assistant to the Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, country officer for the Republic of Korea, Legislative Management Officer for Africa, Deputy Director for the Office of West African Affairs, and Deputy Director for the Office Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh Affairs.
He received his B.A. at Pembroke State University, his M.A. at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and served three years as lecturer in the history department of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
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If confirmed, Mr. Lanier would succeed Steven A. Browning, a career diplomat who was appointed US Ambassador to Uganda in 2005. Two political ambassadors served in Uganda in the 70’s but U.S. diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from Uganda in November 10, 1973. Embassy in Kampala was re-established on Jun 18, 1979, with David Halstead as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim. Since then, no political appointee has succeeded in getting an appointment as US Ambassador to Kampala.
Related Item:
President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts, 6-19-09
