# List of ambassadors of the United States to Djibouti

This is a list of ambassadors from the United States to the Republic of Djibouti.
The area on the Horn of Africa on which Djibouti is situated had been under French control since 1885 as part of the protectorate of French Somaliland. The area was ruled by the Vichy (French) government from the fall of France in 1940 until December 1942, but Free French and the Allied forces recaptured Djibouti at the end of 1942. In 1957 the colony was given a large measure of self-government and became the French Territory of the Afars and the Issas. In a May 1977 referendum the populace chose independence from France. The Republic of Djibouti was established on June 27, 1977.
The United States immediately recognized the nation of Djibouti and moved to establish diplomatic relations. The embassy in Djibouti was established June 27, 1977, with Walter S. Clarke as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. The first ambassador, Jerrold M. North, was appointed on September 26, 1980.

## Ambassadors

| Name | Title | Appointed | Presented credentials | Terminated mission | Notes |
| Jerrold M. North – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | September 26, 1980 | October 27, 1980 | August 27, 1982 | |
| Alvin P. Adams Jr. – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | April 28, 1983 | July 16, 1983 | August 20, 1985 | |
| John Pierce Ferriter – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 1, 1985 | September 30, 1985 | August 27, 1987 | The post was vacant August 1987–September 1988. John E. McAteer served as Chargé d'Affaires ad interim during that period. |
| Robert South Barrett IV – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 11, 1988 | September 5, 1988 | April 18, 1991 | |
| Charles R. Baquet III – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | March 25, 1991 | October 10, 1991 | December 9, 1993 | |
| Martin L. Cheshes – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | November 22, 1993 | January 19, 1994 | July 30, 1996 | President Clinton’s nomination of Stanley Schrager of May 6, 1996, was withdrawn and he was not appointed. The post was vacant July 1996–January 1998. During that period the following officers served as Chargés d’Affaires ad interim: Joseph Philippe Gregoire (July–September 1996) and Terri Robl (September 1996–January 1998). |
| Lange Schermerhorn – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | November 10, 1997 | January 26, 1998 | November 17, 2000 | |
| Donald Y. Yamamoto – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | September 15, 2000 | December 9, 2000 | June 16, 2003 | |
| Marguerita Dianne Ragsdale – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | December 12, 2003 | February 23, 2004 | July 6, 2006 | |
| W. Stuart Symington – Career FSO | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 18, 2006 | September 18, 2006 | May 31, 2008 | |
| James C. Swan | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 6, 2008 | November 10, 2008 | June 30, 2011 | |
| Geeta Pasi | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | July 5, 2011 | September 12, 2011 | August 30, 2014 | |
| Thomas P. Kelly III | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | August 18, 2014 | October 13, 2014 | January 15, 2017 | |
| Larry André Jr. | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | November 20, 2017 | February 19, 2018 | January 20, 2021 | |
| Jonathan Pratt | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | December 15, 2020 | February 22, 2021 | May 18, 2023 | |
| Andrea Tomaszewicz | Chargé d’Affaires | May 19, 2023 | | June 9, 2023 | |
| Mario Fernandez | Chargé d’Affaires | June 9, 2023 | | October 2, 2023 | |
| Christopher Snipes | Chargé d’Affaires | October 2, 2023 | | October 17, 2024 | |
| Cynthia Kierscht | Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | May 2, 2024 | October 17, 2024 | Incumbent | |