President Barack Obama has announced the nomination of SOAS alumnus and seasoned diplomat, Ambassador Jonnie Carson (History Africa 1975) as Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs.
Until his nomination, Carson was the National Intelligence Officer for Africa on the National Intelligence Council. He joined the NIC in September 2006, after a 37-year career in the Foreign Service. Prior to this appointment, Carson served as the Senior Vice President of the National Defense University in Washington DC (2003-2006).
Carson's Foreign Service career includes ambassadorships to Kenya (1999-2003), Zimbabwe (1995-1997), and Uganda (1991-1994); and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs (1997-1999). Earlier in his career he had assignments in Portugal, Botswana, Mozambique and Nigeria.
He has also served as desk officer in the Africa section at State's Bureau of Intelligence and Research; Staff Officer for the Secretary of State (1978-1979), and Staff Director for the Africa Subcommittee of the US House of Representatives (1979-1982). Before joining the Foreign Service, Ambassador Carson was a Peace Corps volunteer in Tanzania.
He has a BA in Arts in History and Political Science from Drake University and a MA in International Relations from the School of Oriental and African Studies.
Ambassador Carson is the recipient of several Superior Honour Awards from the Department of State and a Meritorious Service Award from Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright. The Centers for Disease Control presented Ambassador Carson its highest award, "Champion of Prevention Award," for his leadership in directing the US Government's HIV/AIDS prevention efforts in Kenya.
Senator Russ Feingold, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommitee on African Affairs has hailed Carson’s choice describing him as “an accomplished career foreign service officer.”
March 2009
7 hours ago
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