Africa: President Biden Announces Nominees As Ambassadsors to Liberia and Somalia

Washington, DC — Mark Christopher Toner, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Liberia

Mark Christopher Toner, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, currently serves as the Minister Counselor for Public Diplomacy at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. Previously, Toner was a Senior Advisor at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe and a Senior Faculty Advisor at the National Defense University. Earlier, Toner held positions as the State Department's Deputy Spokesperson, Acting Spokesperson, and as a Deputy Assistant Secretary in the State Department's Bureau of European Affairs. He has also served as the Director of Press Operations in the Bureau of Public Affairs and Director of Press and Public Affairs in the Bureau of European Affairs. Toner was also Spokesperson at the U.S. Mission to NATO in Brussels, Belgium. Prior to joining the State Department, Toner served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Liberia, West Africa. He earned his Bachelor's from the University of Notre Dame and his Master's from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. He speaks French and Polish.

Richard H. Riley, IV, Nominee for Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Republic of Somalia

Richard H. Riley, IV is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor. He currently serves as Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa, Canada.  Previously, Riley was the Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Peshawar, Pakistan. He has also served in senior leadership assignments such as Charge d'Affaires, ad interim, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Oslo, Norway, Assistant Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Sana'a, Yemen, and Senior Civilian Representative (Team Leader) at the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Nangahar Province, Afghanistan. Earlier, he was Deputy Director of the Office of Egypt and Levant Affairs at the Department of State, Senior Coordinator for Democracy and Human Rights at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, Iraq, and Deputy Team Leader of the Provincial Reconstruction Team in Dhi Qar (Nassiriyah), Iraq. Riley has also served in London, England, Moscow, Russia, Beijing and Chengdu, China, as well as Kingston, Jamaica.

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