Acting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, David Satterfield, prepares ahead of his address to the 11th Annual International Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) Conference in Tel Aviv, Israel January 31, 2018. REUTERS/Amir Cohen/File Photo
By:Staff writer
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday announced veteran diplomat and former senior State Department official Ambassador David Satterfield will serve as U.S. special envoy for the Horn of Africa.
Blinken had underlined the ongoing instability in the Horn of Africa and the region’s interlinked political, security, and humanitarian challenges demand sustained focus by the United States
“I look forward to welcoming Ambassador David Satterfield in the coming days as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa once Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman ends his appointment.”Blinken
“When we asked Ambassador Feltman to take on this role in early 2021, we had intended his appointment to be for less than a year. However, the ongoing instability in the Horn of Africa and the region’s interlinked political, security, and humanitarian challenges demand sustained focus by the United States. Ambassador Satterfield’s decades of diplomatic experience and work amidst some of the world’s most challenging conflicts will be instrumental in our continued effort to promote a peaceful and prosperous Horn of Africa and to advance U.S. interests in this strategic region.”Blinken said
“I deeply appreciate Ambassador Satterfield’s willingness to take on this role and look forward to working with him closely in this new capacity. Ambassador Feltman will continue to serve the State Department in an advisory capacity, working closely with me and Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Molly Phee. We are fortunate to be able to rely on these two extraordinary diplomats in support of U.S. diplomacy amidst the regional challenges and opportunities we face.”Blinken added
Satterfield, a veteran of the U.S. Foreign Service with more than four decades of experience, has had a challenging post as U.S. ambassador in Turkey.
Prior to Ankara, he served in Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Tunisia and Syria, among others, and worked twice as the top U.S. diplomat at the State Department for Middle East affairs in an acting capacity.
