Newly appointed US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer starts work
The newly appointed US Ambassador to Ghana, Virginia Palmer has started work in the country, according to a press release from the US Embassy in Accra, copied to Ghana Business News. Ms Palmer last week presented her credentials to the President, Nana Akufo-Addo in Accra.
Ms Virginia is taking over from Stephanie Sullivan, who has completed her term recently.
Ms Virginia served previously as Acting Assistant Secretary for Energy Resources at the Department of State, overseeing US foreign policy engagement at the intersection of energy, climate and national security. Before that, she had served as Deputy Commandant of the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School.
She was Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi from 2015 to 2019. From 2011 to 2014 she was Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in South Africa.
She served as Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Vietnam from 2008-2011.
From 2005-2008, she was the State Department’s Deputy Coordinator for Counterterrorism, responsible for terrorist finance issues and regional initiatives to strengthen partner nations’ capacity to degrade terrorist capability.
From 2004-2005, she was Director of the East Asia Bureau’s Office of Economic Policy and the alternate US Senior Official for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC).
During her 36-year diplomatic career she has served in Kenya, Canada, Zimbabwe, China, and Hong Kong.
Ms Palmer studied for a Masters degree and did doctoral studies at the University of Virginia. She received a BSFS from Georgetown University. She also attended Washington University in St. Louis, and speaks Mandarin. She and her husband, a retired Foreign Service Officer, Ismail Asmal, have two adult daughters.
By Emmanuel K Dogbevi
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