Melanie Harris Higgins

Melanie Harris Higgins is an American official and diplomat who had served as the United States Ambassador to Burundi between March 2, 2021-July 13, 2023.

Melanie Harris Higgins
United States Ambassador to Burundi
In office
March 2, 2021 – July 13, 2023[1]
Nominated byDonald Trump
Appointed byJoe Biden
Preceded byAnne Casper
Eunice Reddick
(Chargé d’Affaires)
Succeeded byKeith R. Gilges
(Chargé d’Affaires)
Personal details
NationalityAmerican
EducationJohns Hopkins University (BA)
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (MA)

Education

Higgins earned a Bachelor of Arts from Johns Hopkins University and an Master of Arts from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies.[2]

Career

Higgins is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Counselor. During her two decades of service, Higgins served as the Acting Director and Acting Public Affairs Advisor for the State Department's Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. She also held a number of other positions at the State Department in Washington, D.C., Jakarta, Indonesia, Canberra, Australia, and Yaounde, Cameroon. She has served as the Principal Officer of the United States Consulate General in Auckland, New Zealand and was the Deputy Chief of Mission of the United States Embassy in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea. She currently serves as Director of the Office of Central African Affairs at the State Department.[2]

Ambassador to Burundi

On May 1, 2020, President Donald Trump announced his intent to nominate Higgins to be the next United States Ambassador to Burundi. On May 19, 2020, her nomination was sent to the Senate.[3] On November 18, 2020, her nomination was confirmed in the United States Senate by voice vote.[4] She took the oath of office on January 13, 2021.[5] On March 2, 2021, she presented her credentials to President Évariste Ndayishimiye.[6]

Awards

In 2010, she received the Sinclaire Language Award from the American Foreign Service Association.[2][7]

Personal life

Higgins speaks French, Indonesian, and some Bosnian.[2]

See also

References
  1. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/melanie-harris-higgins-44a246_my-final-meeting-with-burundis-president-activity-7083458430195109889-3vd8?trk=public_profile_share_view
  2. "President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint Individuals to Key Administration Posts" White House, May 1, 2020 Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. "Seven Nominations and One Withdrawal Sent to the Senate", The White House, May 19, 2020
  4. "PN1906 - Nomination of Melanie Harris Higgins for Department of State, 116th Congress (2019-2020)". www.congress.gov. 2020-11-18. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  5. "Ambassador Designate - Melanie Harris Higgins". U.S. Embassy in Burundi. Retrieved 2021-02-18.
  6. "Presentation of Credentials by Ambassador Melanie H. Higgins" (Press release). Bujumbura, Burundi. 2021-03-03. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  7. "Past Sinclaire Award Winners". www.afsa.org. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
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