Today, Rep. Karen Bass (D-Calif.), top Democrat serving on the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, issued the following statement after the appointment of Lana Marks at United States Ambassador to South Africa.
“I’m encouraged that the Trump administration and the State Department are expressing interest in staffing important U.S. diplomatic posts in African countries. This is absolutely essential to bettering our relationship with the countries on the continent and the economic opportunities they offer.
“In order for our country to fully take advantage of these opportunities, it is imperative that people with strong backgrounds relevant to the countries they will serve are appointed to be ambassadors, especially to sensitive countries such as South Africa, where less than 70 years ago, the United States refused to stand with the rest of the world in opposing the Apartheid regime established there. South Africa is a key strategic partner and a key ally on the continent and I look forward to continuing our work to build capacity there.”
