The new ambassador from the small West African nation of Togo should have no problem finding his way around Washington, DC, for he has lived and worked there for about two decades.

Frédéric Edem Hegbe was appointed on January 19, 2017, by Togolese President Faure Gnassingbé. He presented his credentials to President Donald Trump on April 27, 2017, using the occasion to express his country’s desire to work with the U.S. in the context of the African Growth Opportunity Act and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, perhaps not knowing that Trump intends to cut foreign aid substantially. He also stated that Togo looks forward to the upcoming Africa-Israel Summit, which is set for October 23 to 27 in Lomé, the capital of Togo.

Hegbe was born on April 27, 1951, nine years before Togo declared its independence from France, which had ruled the country since World War I.

Hegbe has worked as a professor and director at the College d’Enseignement General, Togo. A “CEG” is a postsecondary educational institution roughly equivalent to an American junior college.

Hegbe has been with the Togo Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1978, where he has served as head of protocol and consular affairs. Foreign postings have included service as first secretary at the Togolese embassy in Kinshasa, Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo), and as

economic and commercial counselor in Washington, DC.

Hegbe has served as chargé d’affaires at Togo’s embassy in Washington since 1993, including a two-year stint as interim chief of mission from 1993 to 1995.

For a few years, at least roughly 2012 to 2014, Hegbe worked as a contract training instructor for the State Department’s Foreign Service Institute, where he taught French. In 2014, he was a GG-11 under the grades similar to the general schedule pay scale, earning roughly $75,000 a year.

Frédéric Hegbe is married to Ameyo Hegbe, with whom he has at least three children, Komi, Wisdom, and Elie. Hegbe has, apparently, had some run-ins with law enforcement over traffic violations, including speeding and driving without a license.

Hegbe succeeds Limbiye Kadangha Bariki, who served as ambassador from 2009 to 2015.

-Matt Bewig

To Learn More:

Donald Trump reçoit le nouvel ambassadeur togolais (Togo Tribune)

Le Togo a un nouvel ambassadeur nommé aux USA (ici Lomé)