UNITED STATES/RWANDA: US President Joe Biden has nominated Eric W. Kneedler as the new ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda. Kneedler is a former US emissary to Kenya.
More so, he had been serving as acting ambassador to Rwanda since January following the departure of his predecessor, Kyle MacCarter.
Kneedler’s nomination to Kigali comes days after the new US ambassador to Nairobi Meg Whitman arrived in the country on Monday ahead of the country’s elections.
He was described by the White House as a career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor.
In Nairobi, Kenya, Kneedler served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy and formerly as Charge Affairs, an interim Counselor for Political Affairs.
Hitherto, he served in the same role at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines and Deputy Political Counselor at the US Embassy in Thailand and as a political officer at the American Embassy in Indonesia, according to reports.
In another development, the US Africa Command says it will appoint Lt Gen Michael Langley as the commander of the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM).
Langley is the first black US Marine Corps that will be appointed to head AFRICOM, our correspondent gathered.
Nonetheless, Langley will be promoted to the rank of a general before he takes over from General Stephen Townsend who has served as commander of AFRICOM, based in Stuttgart, Germany for three years.
Accordingly, Langley will be tasked with overseeing all American military forces stationed in Africa at the command’s base in Stuttgart, Germany.
Langley is a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general who serves as Commander of United States Marine Corps Forces Command, United States Marine Corps Forces Northern Command and Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic.
He recently served as Deputy Commander of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic and before that as Commander of the United States Marine Forces Europe and Africa.
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