This is a list of
ambassadors of the United States to
Burkina Faso (formerly
Upper Volta).
Until 1960 Upper Volta was a French possession as a part of
French West Africa
French West Africa (french: Afrique-Occidentale française, ) was a federation of eight French colonial territories in West Africa: Mauritania, Senegal, French Sudan (now Mali), French Guinea (now Guinea), Ivory Coast, Upper Volta (now Burki ...
. In 1958 Upper Volta became an
autonomous republic
An autonomous republic is a type of administrative division similar to a province or state. A significant number of autonomous republics can be found within the successor states of the Soviet Union, but the majority are located within Russia. Man ...
in the
French Community
The French Community (1958–1960; french: Communauté française) was the constitutional organization set up in 1958 between France and its remaining African colonies, then in the process of decolonization. It replaced the French Union, which ...
''(Communauté française)'', and achieved independence as the Republic of Upper Volta on August 5, 1960.
The United States
recognized Upper Volta immediately and assigned its first envoy on the nation's independence day, August 5. The envoy,
Donald R. Norland
Donald Richard Norland (June 14, 1924 – December 30, 2007) was an American diplomat. He was the United States Ambassador to Botswana, Swaziland, Lesotho, and Chad.
Biography
Donald Roland was born in Laurens, Iowa, and grew up on a family fa ...
, had presented his credentials as ''
Chargé d'Affaires
A ''chargé d'affaires'' (), plural ''chargés d'affaires'', often shortened to ''chargé'' (French) and sometimes in colloquial English to ''charge-D'', is a diplomat who serves as an embassy's chief of mission in the absence of the ambassador ...
ad interim'' on the previous day, August 4, to take effect on the day of independence. Norland was also the ''Chargé d'Affaires a.i.'' to the newly independent nations: Ivory Coast (
Côte d'Ivoire
Ivory Coast, also known as Côte d'Ivoire, officially the Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, is a country on the southern coast of West Africa. Its capital is Yamoussoukro, in the centre of the country, while its largest city and economic centre is ...
), Dahomey (
Benin) and
Niger while resident in
Abidjan.
The first ranking ambassador,
R. Borden Reams
Robert Borden Reams (January 27, 1904 – March 26, 1994) was an American diplomat. He was the first United States Ambassador to Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), Dahomey (now Benin), Niger, and Ivory Coast (now Côte d'Ivoire) simultaneously. On J ...
, was appointed October 17, 1960. He was also the ambassador to the aforementioned countries while resident in Abidjan. On December 31, 1960, an
embassy was established in
Ouagadougou with a resident ''Chargé d'affaires''. On May 29, 1961, the first ambassador solely accredited to Upper Volta was appointed.
On August 4, 1984, the nation's name was changed to Burkina Faso.
The United States Embassy in Burkina Faso is located in
Ouagadougou.
Ambassadors
Notes
See also
*
Ambassadors to Burkina Faso
*
Burkina Faso – United States relations
*
Foreign relations of Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso has good relations with the European Union, African and certain Asian countries. France, the former colonial power, in particular, continues to provide significant aid and supports Compaoré's developing role as a regional powerbr ...
*
Ambassadors of the United States
References
United States Department of State: Background notes on Burkina Faso*
External links
United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Burkina FasoUnited States Department of State: Burkina FasoUnited States Embassy in Ouagadougou
{{Ambassadors of the United States
Burkina Faso
*
United States