Three Americans Knighted for Long Service to Mali

Vivian Lowery Derryck, Melvin Foote and Chic Dambach - all respected veteran advocates for Africa in Washington, DC - have been honored by the government of Mali for long service to the country. Derryck, who founded The Bridges Institute "to help strengthen African governance and democracy", convened leading NGOs and current and former government officials in 'Mali Watch' to help restore democratic governance after the coup in that country in 2012. Melvin Foote, through the Constitutency for Africa that he founded and leads, has worked to build public and private support for Africa and help shape U.S. policies towards Africa. Chic Dambach is President Emeritus of the National Peace Corps Association and former President of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, who also worked on Capitol Hill and chaired the Mali Affinity Group, a successor to Mali Watch.

The decision to make the three Americans Knights of the National Order was spearheaed by Mahamadou Nimaga, who served a Mali's ambassador in Washington, DC until being removed by the military government that took control after the coup. Although the recipients expected that the awards would never happen after President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta was ousted, the transitional regime decided to go ahead and the awards ceremony took place on October 29 at the Mali Embassy,.