BIOGRAPHY Joseph Huggins Ambassador, Botswana Term of Appointment: 12/17/2002 to present

President George W. Bush nominated Joseph Huggins, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, as United States Ambassador to the Republic of Botswana on August 1, 2002. Following confirmation by the United State Senate, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell administered his oath of office as Ambassador in Washington, DC, on December 17, 2002. Ambassador Huggins also serves as the Secretary of State’s Special Representative to the Southern Africa Development Community.

Ambassador Huggins most recently served in Washington as Executive Director for the Bureau of African Affairs from August 2000 until July 2002. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Executive Director for the Bureau of African Affairs from June 1998 to August 2000.

From 1993 to 1996, Mr. Huggins served as Counselor for Administrative Affairs at the American Embassy in Amman, Jordan. His other overseas assignments have included Moscow, U.S.S.R.; Nairobi, Kenya; Conakry, Guinea; and Lome, Togo. His previous Washington assignments have included the Bureau of Refugee Programs, the Bureau of Finance and Management Policy, and the Bureau of Administration.

Ambassador Huggins received three Superior Honor Awards, three Group Meritorious Honor Awards, and an individual Meritorious Honor Award for his service in overseas and domestic assignments. He is a member of the American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) and the Rotary Club of Washington. He previously served on AFSA’s Executive Board as well as the Board of Directors for the Rotary Club of Washington. He was also a charter member of the Cosmopolitan Rotary Club of Amman, Jordan, and served on its Board of Directors as well.

Ambassador Huggins speaks French.
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