Experienced diplomat leaves post after nine months.
U.S. Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa David Satterfield will be stepping down from his position in the coming months. He served in this post for less than six months after taking over for his predecessor, who also had stepped down after about nine months in the position. Ambassador Satterfield has decades of experience serving the State Department as a diplomat, but the string of recent departures raises questions about what could be going on behind the scenes.
The area this position serves has been in political turmoil for decades, with the past year being particularly intense. Sudan experienced a coup in October, and Ethiopia’s current conflict shows no signs of deescalating. The rotating position of the Horn’s envoy has also raised concerns about the commitment of President Biden’s administration to the area, but the State Department declared that the region remains an “absolute priority.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For officials in the State Department to find an ambassador who is able to provide stable diplomacy to the Horn of Africa.
- For the president and his administration as they search for a replacement for the current ambassador.
Sources: Voice of America, Reuters
