List of ambassadors of the United States to the Republic of the Congo

Ambassador of the United States to the Republic of the Congo
Seal of the United States Department of State
Incumbent Eugene Young since March 30, 2022
Nominator	The President of the United States
Appointer	The President with Senate advice and consent
Inaugural holder	W. Wendell Blancke as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
Formation	November 9, 1960
Website	U.S. Embassy - Brazzaville

This is a list of ambassadors of the United States to the Republic of the Congo.

From 1885 until 1960, the republic had been under the control of France as a protectorate. In 1908, France organized French Equatorial Africa (AEF), comprising its colonies of Middle Congo (modern Congo), Gabon, Chad, and Oubangui-Chari (now Central African Republic). Brazzaville was selected as the federal capital.

In 1958 Middle Congo became an autonomous colony and was renamed Republic of the Congo. The republic was granted full independence 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

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
W. Wendell Blancke – Career FSO^[1]^[2]	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	November 9, 1960	December 23, 1960	December 14, 1963
Henry L. T. Koren – Career FSO		April 8, 1964	May 13, 1964	August 4, 1965	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		April 26, 1979	May 11, 1979	May 30, 1981
Kenneth Lee Brown – Career FSO		December 11, 1981	February 13, 1982	June 10, 1984
Alan Wood Lukens – Career FSO		August 13, 1984	September 22, 1984	May 6, 1987
Leonard Grant Shurtleff – Career FSO		August 10, 1987	September 26, 1987	July 5, 1990
James Daniel Phillips – Career FSO		June 27, 1990	August 23, 1990	September 10, 1993
William Christie Ramsay – Career FSO		July 16, 1993	September 23, 1993	April 13, 1996
Aubrey Hooks – Career FSO		June 6, 1996	July 11, 1996	January 9, 1999
David H. Kaeuper – Career FSO		November 16, 1999	December 27, 1999	September 5, 2002
Robin Renee Sanders – Career FSO		November 15, 2002	February 13, 2003	July 16, 2005^[3]
Robert Weisberg – Career FSO		March 21, 2006	April 27, 2006^[4]	March 2, 2008
Alan W. Eastham – Career FSO		August 22, 2008	November 18, 2008	July 23, 2010
Christopher W. Murray – Career FSO		August 23, 2010	September 16, 2010	August 14, 2013
Stephanie S. Sullivan – Career FSO		August 12, 2013	November 26, 2013	January 20, 2017
Todd Philip Haskell – Career FSO		May 19, 2017	July 13, 2017	January 28, 2021^[5]
Daniel Travis	Chargé d’Affaires ad interim	January 28, 2021	–	March 30, 2022
Eugene Young – Career FSO	Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary	December 18, 2021	March 30, 2022	Incumbent

Notes

^ Blancke 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.
^ "Robin Renee Sanders (1954–)". Office of the Historian. Retrieved 4 January 2019.
^ "Robert Weisberg (1950–)". Office of the Historian. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
^ "Chargé d'Affaires Todd P. Haskell". U.S. Embassy & Consulates in South Africa. Retrieved 2021-12-12.

References

United States Department of State: Background notes on the Republic of Congo
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.