Africa: U.S. Ambassadors and African Diplomacy

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Washington, DC — In most African countries, the U.S ambassador plays a crucial role in managing the U.S. bilateral relationship with the host country. Hence, the importance of the arrival in Tanzania of Dr. Donald J. Wright, MD. He presented his ambassadorial credentials to President John P. Magufuli on August 2.

Magufuli is increasingly problematic: he is becoming authoritarian in style and he refuses to share with international health agencies information about COVID-19. Worse, he claims the disease is absent from Tanzania because of the power of prayer. He rejects all of the usual protocols for containing the disease, to the discomfiture of neighboring countries. Ambassador Wright has had a long career as a clinician and in public health; in 2017, he briefly served as acting secretary of Health and Human Services. He would appear to be well-positioned to respond to President Magufuli on COVID-19.

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