Virginia E. Palmer

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Virginia Palmer
Virginia Palmer.jpg
United States Ambassador to Ghana
Nominee
Assuming office
TBD
PresidentJoe Biden
SucceedingStephanie S. Sullivan
Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources
Acting
Assumed office
January 20, 2021
PresidentJoe Biden
Preceded byFrancis R. Fannon
United States Ambassador to Malawi
In office
February 27, 2015 – June 7, 2019
PresidentBarack Obama
Donald Trump
Preceded byJeanine Jackson
Succeeded byRobert K. Scott
Personal details
Born1963 (age 57–58)
Spouse(s)Ismail Asmal
Children2
EducationGeorgetown University (BS)
University of Virginia (MA)

Virginia Evelyn Palmer[1] (born 1963) is an American diplomat and a former United States ambassador to Malawi. She was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the Senate, beginning the assignment in January 2015. She is also the nominee of President Joe Biden to serve as United States Ambassador to Ghana.[2]

Early life and education[]

Palmer is the daughter of Becky and Richard Palmer, who was a professor of drama at Washington University in St. Louis. She grew up in University City, Missouri, and graduated from University City High School. She attended Georgetown University and earned a Bachelor of Science in foreign service in 1983. She then earned a Master of Arts at the University of Virginia in 1986.[3]

Career[]

In 1986, following completion of her graduate studies, Palmer joined the United States Foreign Service. Her early assignments included serving as consular officer at the U.S. Consulate in Calgary, Canada and as economic officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, China. International assignments also include ones in Zimbabwe, Hong Kong, Kenya and Vietnam.[1] She was director of the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs's Office of Economic Policy from 2004 to 2005. From 2005 to 2008 she served in the Department of State as the deputy coordinator for counterterrorism.

When she was nominated by President Barack Obama to be U.S. ambassador to Malawi, she was deputy chief of mission at the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria, a position she held since 2011.[4] In that role, Palmer welcomed Obama as he visited three nations in Africa, and explained to local media, "This visit highlights the potential of Africa and our President to interact and highlight the role of the 600 American companies that are already operating in South Africa and are creating jobs in South Africa."[5]

Delays in the Senate kept her nomination, as well as those of many other ambassador nominees, from being approved. The American Foreign Service Association expressed concern that delays in Senate proceedings were putting the U.S. at risk due to the absence of ambassadors in countries engaged in "the war on Ebola", the killer virus which dominated the 2014 United States–Africa Leaders Summit.[6]

After assuming her role as Malawi ambassador, Palmer became vocal in defense of civil rights for gay couples in the country.[citation needed]

Palmer was succeeded by Robert Scott on August 7, 2019.[7] Since November 4, 2019, she has served as principal deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Energy Resources. Palmer was appointed as the acting assistant secretary of state for energy resources on January 20, 2021 by President Joe Biden.[8]

On July 2, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Palmer to be the next United States Ambassador to Ghana.[9] On July 13 2021, her nomination was sent to the Senate.[10] Her nomination is pending before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Personal life[]

In addition to English, Palmer speaks Chinese and French. Palmer is married to Ismail Asmal, who is also a Foreign Service officer. They have two daughters.[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Palmer, Virginia E. - Republic of Malawi - August 2014 U.S. Department of State, August 2014
  2. ^ Ward, Myah (July 2, 2021). "Biden names more ambassadorships, including Amy Gutmann for Germany". POLITICO. Retrieved July 2, 2021.
  3. ^ U.S. Ambassador to Malawi: Who Is Virginia Palmer? AllGov, October 18, 2014
  4. ^ Virginia E. Palmer U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Malawi U.S. Embassy at Malawi, accessed May 7, 2016
  5. ^ Obama visit to strengthen ties: Palmer South African BC, June 25, 2013
  6. ^ On eve of Obama summit, 20% of U.S. Embassies in Africa lack ambassador the Washington Examiner, August 1, 2014
  7. ^ "US Ambassador presents credentials to Mutharika". Malawian Watchdog. August 7, 2019.
  8. ^ "Virginia E. Palmer". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
  9. ^ "President Biden Announces Seven Key Nominations" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 2, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. ^ "Nominations Sent to the Senate" (Press release). Washington, D.C.: The White House. July 13, 2021. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Jeanine Jackson 		United States Ambassador to Malawi
2015–2019 		Succeeded by
Robert K. Scott
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