List of ambassadors of the United States to São Tomé and Príncipe

Ambassador of the United States to São Tomé and Príncipe
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent Tulinabo S. Mushingi since August 10, 2022
Nominator	The President of the United States
Inaugural holder	Andrew L. Steigman as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Formation	December 11, 1975
Website	U.S. Embassy - Luanda

The United States ambassador to São Tomé and Príncipe is the official representative of the government of the United States to the government of São Tomé and Príncipe. Until 2022, the ambassador was concurrently the ambassador to Gabon, while resident in Libreville. Beginning in 2022, representation for São Tomé and Príncipe was moved to Luanda, with the ambassador concurrently the ambassador to Angola, due to the countries' "longstanding cultural, linguistic, and economic ties."^[1]

Ambassadors

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".

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
Andrew L. Steigman – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	December 11, 1975	February 14, 1976	August 21, 1977
Arthur T. Tienken – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	February 2, 1978	May 26, 1978	July 19, 1981
Francis Terry McNamara – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	December 11, 1981	July 26, 1982	August 3, 1984
Larry C. Williamson – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	August 13, 1984	October 29, 1984	August 21, 1987
Warren Clark Jr. – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	August 10, 1987	October 19, 1987	August 24, 1989
Keith Leveret Wauchope – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	November 6, 1989	February 5, 1990	July 13, 1992
Joseph Charles Wilson IV – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	July 14, 1992	September 29, 1992	August 4, 1995
Elizabeth Raspolic – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	October 3, 1995	November 10, 1995	July 24, 1998
James V. Ledesma – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	October 22, 1998	January 27, 1999	June 18, 2001	The post was vacant June 2001–June 2002. Thomas F. Daughton served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim in the interval.
Kenneth Price Moorfield – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	January 30, 2002	June 20, 2002	July 31, 2004
R. Barrie Walkley – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	July 2, 2004	November 11, 2004	April 27, 2007
Eunice S. Reddick – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	October 29, 2007	December 6, 2007	July 18, 2010
Eric D. Benjaminson – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	September 15, 2010	December 3, 2010	May 21, 2013
Cynthia Akuetteh – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	August 1, 2014	April 10, 2015	February 26, 2018^[2]
Joel Danies – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	February 21, 2018	April 20, 2018	March 1, 2019
Robert E. Whitehead – Career FSO	Chargé d’Affaires a.i.	March 1, 2019		August 17, 2020
Tulinabo S. Mushingi	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	December 18, 2021	August 10, 2022

References

^ "U.S. Diplomatic Representation for Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe Moves to U.S. Embassy Luanda". Office of the Spokesperson, U.S. Department of State. 2022-08-11. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
^ "Cynthia Akuetteh". LinkedIn. Retrieved August 6, 2019.

United States Department of State: Background notes on São Tomé and Príncipe
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.