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List of ambassadors of the United States to Burkina Faso

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Ambassador of the United States to Burkina Faso
Seal of the United States Department of State
since June 28, 2024[1]
NominatorThe President of the United States
AppointerThe President
with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holderR. Borden Reams
as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
FormationOctober 17, 1960
WebsiteU.S. Embassy - Ouagadougou

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta).

Until 1960 Upper Volta was a French possession as a part of French West Africa. In 1958 Upper Volta became an autonomous republic in the French Community (Communauté française), and achieved independence as the Republic of Upper Volta on August 5, 1960.

The United States recognized Upper Volta immediately and assigned its first envoy on the nation's independence day, August 5. The envoy, Donald R. Norland, had presented his credentials as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim on the previous day, August 4, to take effect on the day of independence. Norland was also the Chargé d'Affaires a.i. to the newly independent nations: Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire), Dahomey (Benin) and Niger while resident in Abidjan.

The first ranking ambassador, R. Borden Reams, was appointed October 17, 1960. He was also the ambassador to the aforementioned countries while resident in Abidjan. On December 31, 1960, an embassy was established in Ouagadougou with a resident Chargé d'affaires. On May 29, 1961, the first ambassador solely accredited to Upper Volta was appointed.

On August 4, 1984, the nation's name was changed to Burkina Faso.

The United States Embassy in Burkina Faso is located in Ouagadougou.

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".
Name Title Appointed Presented credentials Terminated mission Notes
R. Borden Reams[2][3]– Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary October 17, 1960 December 6, 1960 June 26, 1961
Thomas S. Estes – Career FSO May 29, 1961 June 26, 1961 July 13, 1966
Elliott P. Skinner – political appointee May 27, 1966 September 14, 1966 July 16, 1969
William E. Schaufele, Jr. – Career FSO September 29, 1969 October 16, 1969 July 10, 1971
Donald B. Easum – Career FSO November 5, 1971 December 8, 1971 January 19, 1974
Pierre R. Graham – Career FSO June 20, 1974 July 30, 1974 June 13, 1978
Thomas D. Boyatt – Career FSO July 18, 1978 September 21, 1978 October 23, 1980
Larry C. Grahl Chargé d'affaires ad interim October 23, 1980 November 18, 1981
Julius Waring Walker, Jr. – Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary July 18, 1981 November 18, 1981 July 5, 1984
Leonardo Neher – Career FSO June 28, 1984 September 21, 1984 August 1, 1987
David H. Shinn – Career FSO November 6, 1987 November 28, 1987 August 6, 1990
Edward P. Brynn – Career FSO October 22, 1990 January 14, 1991 April 17, 1993
Donald J. McConnell – Career FSO August 9, 1993 November 22, 1993 June 4, 1996
Sharon P. Wilkinson – Career FSO July 11, 1996 October 24, 1996 July 12, 1999
Jimmy J. Kolker – Career FSO November 16, 1999 January 11, 2000 August 2, 2002
J. Anthony Holmes – Career FSO October 3, 2002 December 23, 2002 July 9, 2005
Jeanine E. Jackson – Career FSO February 21, 2006 March 24, 2006 March 7, 2009
J. Thomas Dougherty – Career FSO August 5, 2010 September 30, 2010 September 30, 2013
Tulinabo S. Mushingi - Career FSO July 9, 2013 September 17, 2013 October 27, 2016
Andrew Robert Young - Career FSO September 28, 2016 November 20, 2016 March 26, 2020[4]
Sandra E. Clark - Career FSO August 12, 2020 September 25, 2020 December 18, 2023
Eric Whitaker - Career FSO Chargé d'affaires ad interim December 19, 2023 June 27, 2024
Joann M. Lockard - Career FSO Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary May 2, 2024 June 28, 2024 Incumbent

Notes

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  1. ^ https://x.com/Usembassyouaga/status/1807116346171273655?t=WO0eeNF1ZRLQBJu_hazr1Q&s=19
  2. ^ Reams was commissioned during a recess of the Senate.
  3. ^ Reams was also accredited to Ivory Coast, Dahomey, and Niger while resident at Abidjan.
  4. ^ "Andrew R. Young - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".

See also

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References

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