Rwanda News Agency/Agence Rwandaise d'Information (Kigali)
24 July 2008
Kigali — The U.S government nominee to be Ambassador to Rwanda Mr. Stuart Symington got a warm reception from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Wednesday as the panel considers his nomination, RNA reports.
Mr. Symington is to replace Mr. Michael Arrieti who is leaving his post after a three year posting in Kigali.
If confirmed, this won't be Mr. Symington's first stint as an ambassador. He currently serves as the top American diplomat to the African nation of Djibouti. He has served in a variety of foreign offices since 1986.
Mr. Symington from the U.S. state of Missouri said he would work to foster a lasting peace in Rwanda, the Republic of the Congo and surrounding areas, according to the St. Louis Dispatch newspaper.
"The clear goal is to turn this part of Africa from a place of troubles to a place of promise," Mr. Symington is quoted to have told the committee.
The U.S is one of the largest single donor partners with Rwanda providing support to the tune of some 167 million dollars last year - all of it going into project support.
In February, President George W. Bush was in Kigali and opened the new $80m U.S embassy in the upscale suburb of Kigali - a few meters away from the Office of the President.
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