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List of ambassadors of the United States to Eswatini

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Ambassador of the United States to Eswatini
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent
Caitlin Piper
Chargé d'Affairs ad interim
since October 27, 2023[1]
Inaugural holderCharles J. Nelson
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
FormationJune 9, 1971
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Mbabane

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

By direction of King Mswati III, the English language form of his country's name was changed from Swaziland to Eswatini in 2018.[2] Diplomatic missions were officially notified of this new name on May 18, 2018, and the U.S. Board on Geographic Names approved the new country name "Eswatini" (short-form) or "Kingdom of Eswatini" (long-form) on May 25, 2018 for U.S. government communications and documentation.[3]

After the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, Swaziland became a British protectorate and thus came under the hegemony of the British Empire. In the early years of colonial rule, the British had expected that Swaziland would eventually be incorporated into South Africa. After World War II, however, South Africa’s racial policies induced the United Kingdom to prepare Swaziland for independence. In 1966, the UK Government agreed to discuss a new constitution, and Swaziland became independent on September 6, 1968.

The United States immediately recognized the new nation and established an embassy in the capital Mbabane on September 6, 1968, independence day for Swaziland. Chris C. Pappas, Jr., was appointed as chargé d'affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. The first ambassador, Charles J. Nelson was appointed on June 9, 1971. He was accredited to Swaziland, Lesotho, and Botswana while resident in Gaborone, Botswana.

Ambassadors

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U.S. diplomatic terms

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

Appointed
The date that the ambassador took the oath of office; also known as "commissioning". It 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 requires subsequent confirmation by the Senate to remain in office.

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.

Ad interim
Latin phrase meaning "for the time being", "in the meantime".
  • Note: Chris C. Pappas, Jr. served as chargé d'affaires September 1968–April 1969. Robert W. Chase served in that capacity, April 1969–August 1971.
Name Title Appointed Presented credentials Terminated mission Notes
Charles J. Nelson – Political appointee Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary June 9, 1971 November 3, 1971 March 2, 1974 One ambassador, resident at Gaborone, was accredited to Botswana, Swaziland, and Lesotho.
David B. Bolen – Career FSO February 28, 1974 April 22, 1974 August 11, 1976
Donald R. Norland – Career FSO[4] November 17, 1976 February 23, 1978 September 8, 1979 In 1979 the first ambassador was appointed solely for Swaziland.
Richard Cavins Matheron[5] – Career FSO November 27, 1979 March 11, 1980 May 26, 1982
Robert H. Phinny – Political appointee August 17, 1982 January 12, 1983 September 5, 1984
Harvey Frans Nelson, Jr. – Career FSO August 1, 1985 October 14, 1985 July 29, 1988
Mary A. Ryan – Career FSO July 11, 1988 August 25, 1988 January 24, 1990
Stephen H. Rogers – Career FSO October 22, 1990 November 15, 1990 November 19, 1993
John T. Sprott – Career FSO August 9, 1993 February 17, 1994 August 1, 1996
Alan R. McKee – Career FSO July 2, 1996 October 11, 1996 July 12, 1999
Gregory Lee Johnson[6] – Career FSO November 16, 1999 February 3, 2000 October 18, 2001
James D. McGee – Career FSO January 30, 2002 February 21, 2002 August 10, 2004
Lewis W. Lucke[7] – Career FSO July 2, 2004 August 26, 2004 July 22, 2006
Maurice S. Parker – Career FSO July 20, 2007 September 21, 2007 June 12, 2009
Earl M. Irving – Career FSO July 31, 2009 August 27, 2009 August 27, 2012
Makila James - Career FSO August 27, 2012 September 20, 2012 February 5, 2016
Lisa J. Peterson - Career FSO November 19, 2015 February 5, 2016 December 1, 2020
Jeanne Maloney - Career FSO December 9, 2020 March 4, 2021 December 20, 2022
Caitlin Piper - Career FSO Chargé d'Affairs ad interim December 20, 2022 January 26, 2023
Earl R. Miller – Career FSO January 27, 2023 October 27, 2023
Caitlin Piper - Career FSO October 27, 2023 Incumbent

Notes

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  1. ^ https://sz.usembassy.gov/charge-daffaires-ad-interim-caitlin-piper/
  2. ^ Motau, Phephile (May 18, 2018). "Kingdom Of Eswatini Change Now Official". www.times.co.sz. Archived from the original on June 29, 2018. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  3. ^ "Appendix A: Notes on Nationality (from Report of the Visa Office 2018)" (PDF). travel.state.gov. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 27, 2019. Retrieved February 27, 2019.
  4. ^ Norland was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on June 24, 1977.
  5. ^ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project AMBASSADOR RICHARD C. MATHERON" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. March 1989. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 26 July 2024.
  6. ^ "Gregory Lee Johnson". Black Past. 28 February 2015. Retrieved 20 April 2021.
  7. ^ "The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Foreign Affairs Oral History Project Foreign Assistance Series AMBASSADOR LEWIS LUCKE" (PDF). Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. 16 November 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 25 July 2024.

See also

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References

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