U.S. President Bush Names Dr. Cindy L. Courville to Head New U.S. Mission to the African Union

July 25, 2006
No. 22/06

Washington -- The White House announced July 11 that President Bush plans to nominate Dr. Cindy Lou Courville to head the new U.S. Mission to the African Union (AU), with the rank of ambassador.  Dr. Courville is currently serving as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for African Affairs at the National Security Council (NSC).  As in all U.S. ambassadorial appointments, the U.S. Senate must confirm the nomination of Dr. Courville before she assumes her new position.

The U.S. Mission to the African Union is a new Mission of the United States in Addis Ababa, distinct from the U.S. Embassy which represents the United States to Ethiopia. However, the Mission and the Embassy will be collocated at the Embassy property on Entoto Road. The African Union, which has an Office of the Permanent Observer to the United Nations in New York, is also opening a new office in Washington, D.C., which will be headed at the level of Representative.

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