Donald Yamamoto

Donald Yukio Yamamoto (born 1953) is the former acting Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia (2006–2009) and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary within the Bureau of African Affairs. He was appointed by President George W. Bush in November, 2006, and presented his credentials to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa on December 6, 2006.

Yamamoto was born in Seattle, Washington and later graduated from Columbia University. He was formerly the United States Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, U.S. Ambassador to Djibouti (2000-2003), and U.S. Ambassador to Eritrea ad interim (1997-1998).

From April 22–23, 2006, Yamamoto met with current Chadian President Idriss Déby to discuss Chad's dispute with the World Bank over allocation of its petroleum funds and the possibility of a U.S.-led, United Nations-monitored peace keeping force to end the Chadian-Sudanese conflict.

The Government of Chad repeatedly accused the Government of Sudan of complicity in United Front for Democratic Change incursions from Darfur into eastern Chad. Yamamoto is the first official in any government outside of Chad to repeat this claim, saying, "It is evident that there was safe and logistical support provided to rebel groups."