Biden nominates Larry André Jr as new Ambassador to Somalia

In a press release, the White House said President Joe Biden has nominated U.S. Ambassador to Somalia Larry Edward André Jr as the Ambassador to Somalia on Thursday.

André will replace Donald Yamamoto, who has served as the Ambassador to Somalia since November 2018.

Larry André, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, is the United States Chargé d’Affaires ad interim at U.S. Embassy Juba, South Sudan.

He is a former Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti and the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.

He has served as Director of the Office of the Special Envoy for Sudan and South Sudan, as Deputy Executive Director in the State Department’s Bureau of African Affairs, and was the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

André earned an MBA from Arizona State University/American Graduate School of International Management and a B.A. from Claremont McKenna College.  He is the recipient of numerous State Department Awards, including the Director-General Award for Reporting, and was recently recognized by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff with the Joint Distinguished Civilian Award.  He speaks French fluently.

Source: Horn Diplomat