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Name: Swan, James
Current Position: Former Ambassador
On October 8, 2008, James C. Swan was sworn in as Ambassador to Djibouti. After receiving a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, Swan continued his education at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, where he received a Master of Arts in International Relations. Additionally, he also received a Master’s degree in Security Studies from the National War College, where he was a 2005 Distinguished Graduate.
During his professional career with the Senior Foreign Service, Swan has devoted most of his life to countries facing complex political transitions, primarily in Africa. Earlier positions in his career include Chief of the Political Section in Yaoundé, Cameroon (1992-1994) and the Somalia Watcher in Nairobi, Kenya (1994-1996).. In Washington, he served as the Desk Officer for Zaire (1996-1998). More recently his overseas assignment have included service as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassies Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (1998-2001 and in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (2001-2004).
Swan served as the Director of Analysis for Africa in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2005-2006) and was responsible for Central Africa and East Africa during assignment as Deputy Assistant of State for African Affairs beginning in December 2006.
Ambassador Swan announced in April of 2009, that the US Embassy in Djibouti would be formally upgraded by August 2011, costing $121 million. The new embassy, expected to be the largest structure of United States’ embassies in the Horn of Africa.