Eric Michael Bost is the former

United States Ambassador to South Africa Before 1902, the southern part of Africa that is now South Africa was under the hegemony of Great Britain. There also were two self-proclaimed independent states: Transvaal (also known as the South African Republic), and the Orange Free State. T ...

. He was sworn in as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa by President George W. Bush on July 20, 2006, after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate on June 29. Bost presented his credentials to South African President Thabo Mbeki on August 15, 2006. He completed his tour as ambassador on January 20, 2009. Bost previously served as Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services (FNCS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 2001 to 2006 under Ann Veneman. Before his appointment to that position, Bost served as Commissioner and chief executive officer of the Texas Department of Human Services (DHS) for four years. As FNCS Under Secretary, Bost was responsible for the administration of the fifteen USDA nutrition assistance programs with a combined budget of over $58 billion, including the

Food Stamp In the United States, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, is a federal program that provides food-purchasing assistance for Poverty in the United States, low- and no-income people. It ...

Program, the

Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is an American federal assistance program of the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for healthcare and nutrition ...

(WIC), the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, and the Commodity Distribution Programs. During his tenure at the Department of Agriculture, Bost led an expanded U.S. initiative to promote improved nutrition and food security in South Africa, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia, Hong Kong, Brazil, Tanzania, Swaziland, Mozambique, Uganda, Madagascar, Chile, United Kingdom, Argentina, Mexico, Israel, Italy, China and Japan. A native of Concord, North Carolina, Bost holds a B.A. degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an M.A. degree in Special Education from the University of South Florida.

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Presidential Nomination: Eric Michael Bost
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bost, Eric Michael Ambassadors of the United States to South Africa Living people University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni University of South Florida alumni George W. Bush administration personnel North Carolina Republicans African-American diplomats United States Under Secretaries of Agriculture Year of birth missing (living people)