United States Ambassador to Swaziland

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The Swazi kingdom was established by King Sobhuza I in the early 19th century, in the area of southern Africa that is now the nation of Swaziland. In the mid-19th century King Mswati II asked British authorities in South Africa for assistance against Zulu raids into Swaziland. Soon thereafter the first whites started to settle in the area. In the 1890s the South African Republic in the Transvaal claimed sovereignty over Swaziland but never fully established power. Following Mswati’s death, the Swazis reached agreements with British and South African authorities over a range of issues, including independence, claims on resources by Europeans, administrative authority, and security. South African administered the Swazi interests from 1894 to 1902. After the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, Swaziland became a British protectorate. Thus Swaziland came under the hegemony of the British Empire.

In 1921 Swaziland established its first legislative body: an advisory council of elected European representatives mandated to advise the British high commissioner on non-Swazi affairs. In 1944, the high commissioner conceded that the council had no official status and recognized the paramount chief, or king, as the native authority for the territory to issue legally enforceable orders to the Swazis.

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.

Political activity intensified in the early 1960s. Several political parties were formed and jostled for independence and economic development. Responding to pressure for political change, the British colonial government scheduled an election in mid-1964 for the first legislative council in which the Swazis would participate.

In 1966, the UK Government agreed to discuss a new constitution. A constitutional committee agreed on a constitutional monarchy for Swaziland, with parliamentary elections in 1967 and self-government to follow. 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.

1 Ambassadors
2 Notes
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Ambassadors

Diplomatic Terms

Career FSO: After 1915, The United States Department of State began classifying ambassadors as career Foreign Service Officers (FSO) for those who have served in the Foreign Service for a specified amount of time.

Political appointee: A person who is not a career foreign service officer, but is appointed by the president; often to reward political friends.

Appointed: The date that the ambassador took the oath of office—also called “commissioning.” This follows confirmation of a presidential appointment by the Senate, or a congressional-recess appointment by the president. In the case of a recess appointment, the ambassador must be later confirmed by the Senate.

Presented Credentials: The date that the ambassador presented his letter of credence to the head of state or appropriate authority of the receiving nation. At this time the ambassador officially becomes the representative of his country. This would normally occur a short time after the ambassador’s arrival on station. The host nation may reject the ambassador by not receiving the ambassador’s letter, but this occurs only rarely.

Terminated mission: Usually the date that the ambassador left the country. In some cases a letter of recall is presented, ending the ambassador’s commission, either as a means of diplomatic protest or because the diplomat is being reassigned elsewhere and replaced by another envoy.

Chargé d’affaires: The person in charge of the business of the embassy when there is no ambassador commissioned to the host country. See chargé d’affaires.

ad interim: For the time being; in the meantime. See ad interim.

Note: Chris C. Pappas, Jr. served as chargé d’affaires September 1968–April 1969. Robert W. Chase served in that capacity, April 1969–August 1971.
Note: Until 1979 one ambassador, resident at Gaborone, was accredited to Botswana, Swaziland, and Lesotho.
Charles J. Nelson – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: June 9, 1971
- Presented credentials: November 3, 1971
- Terminated mission: Left Gaborone, March 2, 1974
David B. Bolen – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: February 28, 1974
- Presented credentials: April 22, 1974
- Terminated mission: Left Gaborone, August 11, 1976
Donald R. Norland – Career FSO^[1]
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 17, 1976
- Presented credentials: February 23, 1978
- Terminated mission: Left Gaborone, September 8, 1979
Note: In 1979 the first ambassador was appointed solely for Swaziland.
Richard Cavins Matheron – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 27, 1979
- Presented credentials: March 11, 1980
- Terminated mission: Left post May 26, 1982
Robert H. Phinny – Political appointee
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 17, 1982
- Presented credentials: January 12, 1983
- Terminated mission: Left post September 5, 1984
Harvey Frans Nelson, Jr. – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 1, 1985
- Presented credentials: October 14, 1985
- Terminated mission: Left post July 29, 1988
Mary A. Ryan – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 11, 1988
- Presented credentials: August 25, 1988
- Terminated mission: Left post January 24, 1990
Stephen H. Rogers – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: October 22, 1990
- Presented credentials: November 15, 1990
- Terminated mission: Left post November 19, 1993
John T. Sprott – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: August 9, 1993
- Presented credentials: February 17, 1994
- Terminated mission: Left post August 1, 1996
Alan R. McKee – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 2, 1996
- Presented credentials: October 11, 1996
- Terminated mission: Left post July 12, 1999
Gregory Lee Johnson – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: November 16, 1999
- Presented credentials: February 3, 2000
- Terminated mission: Relinquished charge October 18, 2001
James D. McGee – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: January 30, 2002
- Presented credentials: February 21, 2002
- Terminated mission: Left post August 10, 2004
Lewis W. Lucke – Career FSO
- Title: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary
- Appointed: July 2, 2004
- Presented credentials: August 26, 2004
- Terminated mission: 2006
Note: As of December 2006, the ambassadorial post is vacant.