United States Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Until the late 18th century, the area of central Africa that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo was the Kingdom of Kongo, an area of west central Africa in what are now northern Angola, Cabinda, Republic of the Congo, and the western portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was a was a powerful kingdom that existed from the 14th to the 18th century. It was the dominant force in the region until the arrival of the Portuguese.

In the late 15th century, Portugal had begun to explore the west African coast and set up trading stations on the coast and at São Tomé and Luanda in present-day Angola.

In 1876 King Léopold II of Belgium organized the "Association Internationale Africaine" (International African Association) under the guise of furthering humanitarian and scientific projects in the area of central Africa that was to become the Congo Free State. In actuality the purpose of the organization was further Léopold’s economic interests in Africa. Léopold hired the renowned English explorer Henry Morton Stanley to return to Africa and organize an empire in central Africa. In 1877 Leopold set up the Congo Free State, a kingdom privately owned by King Leopold II that included the entire area that is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

At the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885, the European powers divided the realm among Portugal, Belgium, and France, each creating their own spheres of influence.

In 1908 Belgium annexed the Congo Free State and it became a colony of Belgium known as the Belgian Congo.

In the 1950s, local nationalism and the desire for self-government and independence began to emerge in the Congo. Following a series of riots and unrest, the Belgians realized they could not maintain control of such a vast country. Belgium announced on January 27, 1960 that it would relinquish control in six months. The Congo was granted its independence on June 30, 1960, adopting the name “Republic of the Congo” "(République du Congo)". As the French colony of Middle Congo "(Moyen-Congo)" also chose the name Republic of Congo upon receiving its independence, the two countries were more commonly known as Congo-Léopoldville and Congo-Brazzaville, after their capital cities.

The United States immediately recognized the new Republic of the Congo and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The embassy in Léopoldville (now Kinshasa) was established on June 30, 1960, with John D. Tomlinson as Chargé d’Affaires "ad interim". The first ambassador, Clare H. Timberlake was appointed on July 5, 1960.

In 1971, President Joseph-Désiré Mobutu changed the country’s official name to Zaire.

In 1997, President Laurent Kabila restored the name "Democratic Republic of the Congo", previously used from 1964 to 1971.

Ambassadors

*Clare H. Timberlake – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: July 5, 1960
**Presented credentials: July 25, 1960
**Terminated mission: Left post, June 15, 1961
*Edmund A. Gullion – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: August 3, 1961
**Presented credentials: September 11, 1961
**Terminated mission: Left post, February 20, 1964
*G. McMurtrie Godley – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: February 20, 1964
**Presented credentials: March 23, 1964
**Terminated mission: Left post, October 15, 1966
*Robert H. McBride – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: May 10, 1967
**Presented credentials: June 29, 1967
**Terminated mission: Left post, May 16, 1969
*Sheldon B. Vance – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: May 27, 1969
**Presented credentials: June 28, 1969
**Terminated mission: Left post, March 26, 1974
*Deane R. Hinton – Career FSOHinton was declared "persona non grata" by the Government of Zaire on June 18, 1975 and he left the country three days later.]
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: June 20, 1974
**Presented credentials: August 21, 1974
**Terminated mission: Left post, June 21, 1975
*Walter L. Cutler – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: November 20, 1975
**Presented credentials: December 23, 1975
**Terminated mission: Left post, May 9, 1979
*Robert B. Oakley – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: November 6, 1979
**Presented credentials: November 28, 1979
**Terminated mission: Left post, August 22, 1982
*Peter Dalton Constable – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: September 30, 1982
**Presented credentials: October 18, 1982
**Terminated mission: Left post, August 31, 1984
*Brandon Hambright Grove, Jr. – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: August 13, 1984
**Presented credentials: September 18, 1984
**Terminated mission: Left post, September 18, 1987
*William Caldwell Harrop – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: December 18, 1987
**Presented credentials: January 28, 1988
**Terminated mission: Left post, May 18, 1991
*Melissa Foelsch Wells – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: April 25, 1991
**Presented credentials: June 11, 1991
**Terminated mission: Left post, March 21, 1992
*Note: The post was vacant March 1992–November 1995. During that period John M. Yates served as chargé d’affaires "ad interim" March 1992–September 1995; Roger A. Meece served September–November 1995.
*Daniel H. Simpson – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: October 3, 1995
**Presented credentials: November 23, 1995
**Terminated mission: Left post June 11, 1998
*William Lacy Swing – Career FSOSwing was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned following confirmation on March 25, 1999.]
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: August 11, 1998
**Presented credentials: October 13, 1998
**Terminated mission: Left post August 11, 2001
*Aubrey Hooks – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: July 12, 2001
**Presented credentials: September 4, 2001
**Terminated mission: April 17, 2004
*Roger A. Meece – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: May 14, 2004
**Presented credentials: August 3, 2004
**Terminated mission: "Incumbent"

Notes

References

*Democratic Republic of the Congo
*History of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/com/10458.htm United States Dep’t of State: Ambassadors to the Democratic Republic of Congo]
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2823.htm United States Dep’t of State: Background notes on the Democratic Republic of Congo]
*StateDept

ee also

*Ambassadors from the United States
*Foreign relations of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

External links

* [http://kinshasa.usembassy.gov/ United States Embassy in Kinshasa]
* [http://foia.state.gov/MMS/KOH/key_country.asp?ID=Congo%2C+Democratic+Republic+Of United States Department of State: Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts: Democratic Republic of Congo]