| Ambassador of the United States to Botswana | |
|---|---|
 Seal of the United States Department of State | |
 IncumbentHoward Van Vranken since May 24, 2023 | |
| Nominator | The President of the United States |
| Appointer | The President with Senate advice and consent |
| Inaugural holder | Charles H. Pletcher as Chargé d'Affaires |
| Formation | September 1966 |
| Website | U.S. Embassy - Gaborone |
From 1885 until 1966 the area of Southern Africa that is now Botswana was part of the Bechuanaland Protectorate of Great Britain.
In June 1964, Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. The seat of government was moved from Mahikeng in South Africa, to newly established in Gaberones (now Gaborone) in 1965. The 1965 constitution led to the first general elections and to independence on September 30, 1966.
The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in Gaberones was established on September 30, 1966—independence day for Botswana. Charles H. Pletcher was appointed as Chargé d'affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. He served June 1970–September 1971.
Ambassadors
- Note: Charles H. Pletcher served as chargé d'affaires September 1966–June 1970. W. Kennedy Cromwell III
| Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles J. Nelson – Political appointee | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | June 9, 1971 | November 3, 1971 | Left Gaborone, March 2, 1974 | |
| David B. Bolen – Career FSO | February 28, 1974 | April 22, 1974 | Left Gaborone, August 11, 1976 | ||
| Donald R. Norland – Career FSO | November 17, 1976 | February 23, 1978 | Left Gaborone, September 8, 1979 | In 1979 the first ambassador was appointed solely for Botswana. | |
| Horace Dawson – Career FSO | October 12, 1979 | November 27, 1979 | August 27, 1982 | ||
| Theodore C. Maino – Political appointee | September 30, 1982 | December 2, 1982 | September 6, 1985 | ||
| Natale H. Bellocchi – Career FSO | October 28, 1985 | November 19, 1985 | September 16, 1988 | ||
| John Florian Kordek – Career FSO | August 11, 1988 | September 29, 1988 | November 1, 1989 | ||
| David Passage – Career FSO | June 27, 1990 | August 7, 1990 | April 29, 1993 | ||
| Howard Franklin Jeter – Career FSO | July 16, 1993 | September 9, 1993 | June 21, 1996 | ||
| Robert Krueger – Political appointee | June 6, 1996 | July 23, 1996 | December 6, 1999 | ||
| John E. Lange – Career FSO | November 16, 1999 | December 15, 1999 | August 8, 2002 | ||
| Joseph Huggins – Career FSO | November 15, 2002 | January 28, 2003 | July 26, 2005 | ||
| Katherine H. P. Canavan – Career FSO | August 2, 2005 | September 27, 2005 | June 27, 2008 | ||
| Stephen J. Nolan – Career FSO | June 23, 2008 | October 6, 2008 | June 13, 2011 | ||
| Michelle D. Gavin – Political appointee | April 18, 2011 | June 20, 2011 | February 22, 2014 | ||
| Earl Robert Miller – Foreign Service Specialist | December 2014 | December 18, 2014 | September 24, 2018 | ||
| Craig L. Cloud - Career FSO | January 7, 2019 | April 2, 2019 | May 24, 2022 | ||
| Howard Van Vranken - Career FSO | December 21, 2022 | May 24, 2023 | Incumbent |
Notes
- ^ Accredited to Botswana, Eswatini, and Lesotho.
- Norland was commissioned during a recess of the Senate and recommissioned after confirmation on June 24, 1977.
See also
References
- "Botswana - Chiefs of Mission - People - Department History - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 12 December 2021.
- United States Dep’t of State: Biography of Katherine H. Canavan
- United States Dep’t of State: Biography of Stephen J. Nolan
- "Stephen James Nolan - People - Department History - Office of the Historian".
- Molefhi, Aobakwe (3 April 2019). "Botswana: Four Envoys Present Credentials". allAfrica. Retrieved 6 April 2019.
- United States Department of State: Background notes on Botswana
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
External links
- United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Botswana
- United States Department of State: Botswana
- United States Embassy in Gaborone
