United States Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo

During World War II, the AEF administration sided with Charles de Gaulle, and Brazzaville became the symbolic capital of Free France during 1940–43. The Brazzaville Conference of 1944 heralded a period of major reform in French colonial policy, including the abolition of forced labor, granting of French citizenship to colonial subjects, decentralization of certain powers, and election of local advisory assemblies. Congo benefited from the postwar expansion of colonial administrative and infrastructure spending as a result of its central geographic location within AEF and the federal capital at Brazzaville.

The "Loi Cadre" (framework law) of 1956 ended dual voting roles and provided for partial self-government for the individual overseas territories. After the September 1958 referendum approving the new French Constitution, AEF was dissolved. Its four territories became autonomous members of the French Community, and Middle Congo was renamed the Republic of the Congo. Formal independence was granted on August 15, 1960.

As the Belgian Congo (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) also chose the name Republic of Congo upon receiving its independence, the two countries were more commonly known as Congo-Leopoldville 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 Brazzaville was established August 15, 1960, with Alan W. Lukens as Chargé d’Affaires "ad interim". The first ambassador, W. Wendell Blancke was appointed on November 9, 1960.

Ambassadors

*W. Wendell Blancke – Career FSOBlancke was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on February 6, 1961.] Blancke was also accredited to the Central African Republic, Chad, and Gabon while resident at Brazzaville.]
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: November 9, 1960
**Presented credentials: December 23, 1960
**Terminated mission: Left post, December 14, 1963
*Henry L. T. Koren – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: April 8, 1964
**Presented credentials: May 13, 1964
**Terminated mission: Left post, August 4, 1965
*Note: Due to civil strife and insecure conditions, the U.S. Embassy in Brazzaville was closed and all diplomatic personnel were withdrawn from the country on August 15, 1965. The embassy was reestablished on October 30, 1977, with Jay Katzen as chargé d’affaires "ad interim". A new ambassador was appointed on April 26, 1979.
*William L. Swing – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: April 26, 1979
**Presented credentials: May 11, 1979
**Terminated mission: Left post, May 30, 1981
*Kenneth Lee Brown – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: December 11, 1981
**Presented credentials: February 13, 1982
**Terminated mission: Left post, June 10, 1984
*Alan Wood Lukens – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: August 13, 1984
**Presented credentials: September 22, 1984
**Terminated mission: Left post, May 6, 1987
*Leonard Grant Shurtleff – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: August 10, 1987
**Presented credentials: September 26, 1987
**Terminated mission: Left post, July 5, 1990
*James Daniel Phillips – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: June 27, 1990
**Presented credentials: August 23, 1990
**Terminated mission: Left post, September 10, 1993
*William Christie Ramsay – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: July 16, 1993
**Presented credentials: September 23, 1993
**Terminated mission: Left post, April 13, 1996
*Aubrey Hooks – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: June 6, 1996
**Presented credentials: July 11, 1996
**Terminated mission: Left post January 9, 1999
*David H. Kaeuper – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: November 16, 1999
**Presented credentials: December 27, 1999
**Terminated mission: Left post September 5, 2002
*Robin Renee Sanders – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: November 15, 2002
**Presented credentials: February 13, 2003
**Terminated mission: 2006(?)
*Robert Weisberg – Career FSO
**Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
**Appointed: March 21, 2006
**Presented credentials: "Unknown"
**Terminated mission: "Incumbent"

Notes

References

*Republic of the Congo
*History of the Republic of the Congo
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ho/po/com/10457.htm United States Dep’t of State: Ambassadors to the Republic of Congo]
* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2825.htm United States Dep’t of State: Background notes on the Republic of Congo]
*StateDept