Ambassador of the United States to Swaziland | |
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![]() Seal of the United States Department of State
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Nominator | Barack Obama |
Inaugural holder |
Charles J. Nelson as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary |
Formation | June 9, 1971 |
Website | U.S. Embassy - Mbabane |
This is a list of Ambassadors of the United States to Swaziland.
After the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, Swaziland became a British protectorate and thus came under the hegemony of the British Empire. In the early years of colonial rule, the British had expected that Swaziland would eventually be incorporated into South Africa. After World War II, however, South Africa’s racial policies induced the United Kingdom to prepare Swaziland for independence. In 1966, the UK Government agreed to discuss a new constitution, and Swaziland became independent on September 6, 1968.
The United States immediately recognized the new nation and established an embassy in the capital Mbabane on September 6, 1968, independence day for Swaziland. Chris C. Pappas, Jr., was appointed as chargé d'affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. The first ambassador, Charles J. Nelson was appointed on June 9, 1971. He was accredited to Swaziland, Lesotho, and Botswana while resident in Gaborone, Botswana.
U.S. diplomatic terms