Reports indicate that Richard Mills, the US ambassador to Nigeria, and other career diplomats have been removed from their positions by President Donald Trump.
This is all a part of President Trump’s plan to bring the foreign diplomatic representation of the United States in line with his “America First” policies, reports Politico.
As reported by The PUNCH, an official from the State Department has verified to the news outlet that the ambassadors whose appointments have been impacted by the shake-up were first appointed during the Joe Biden administration and will now conclude their terms in January.
There will be no further postings for the diplomats as chiefs of mission, but they are free to return to Washington for other tasks, the official said.
The recalls have had the greatest impact on Africa, removing ambassadors from thirteen nations. Among these nations are Nigeria, Burundi, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and Uganda.
Aside from the Western Hemisphere, other regions impacted include the Asia-Pacific, Europe, South Asia, and the Middle East.
Noting that ambassadors serve at the discretion of the president and are designed to advance the administration’s policy interests, the State Department characterized the moves as a “standard process in any administration” in a statement.
The president has the prerogative to choose ambassadors who will promote the America First agenda, as they are personal representatives of the president.
The recalled diplomats will not be dismissed from their positions in the foreign service, according to officials. They are free to take up other roles within the State Department.
Nevertheless, the impacted nations will likely need to make adjustments to their embassy operations and diplomatic activities due to the abrupt change.
The recall of the US ambassador to Nigeria has alarmed some politicians and the American Foreign Service Association, which speaks for US diplomats, and comes at a time when US-Africa relations are receiving more scrutiny.
As a pivotal player in regional security, economic cooperation, and development programs, Nigeria is seeing a change in diplomatic involvement with the US envoy’s departure.
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