The west central African nation of Cameroon is set to receive a new ambassador from the United States. Nominated by President Barack Obama on July 30, career diplomat Michael S. Hoza has been management counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, Russia since 2010. If confirmed by the Senate, Hoza would succeed Robert P. Jackson, who had served in Yaoundé since September 2010.

Born circa 1957, Hoza earned a B.S. at Georgetown University in 1979 and worked at The Washington Post for several years before joining the Foreign Service circa 1990.

At the State Department, Hoza served as post management officer in the Bureau of African Affairs for the embassies at Luanda, Angola, and Mogadishu, Somalia, from 1991 to 1993. He served as administrative officer at the embassy in Asmara, Eritrea, from 1993 to 1997, and as deputy chief of mission at the embassy in Mbabane, Swaziland, from 1997 to 2000. 

Shifting his focus from Africa, Hoza served as the management officer and acting deputy chief of mission at the embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, from 2000 to 2002; as human resources officer at the embassy in Paris, France, from 2002 to 2004; and as management counselor at the embassy in Madrid, Spain, from 2004 to 2007.

Returning to Africa, from 2007 to 2010 Hoza was management counselor and acting deputy chief of mission at the embassy in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Michael Hoza is married to Suzanne Hoza, an international development consultant, with whom he has two sons, Paul and Christopher.

-Matt Bewig

To Learn More:

Statement Before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (pdf)