Biography
James C. Swan
Ambassador
Republic of Djibouti
Term of Appointment: 10/03/2008
to present
James Swan was sworn in as Ambassador to the Republic of Djibouti on October 3, 2008. Immediately prior to this assignment, he had served since December 2006 as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, with responsibility for Central Africa and East Africa. Mr. Swan was previously the Director of Analysis for Africa in the State Department’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research (2005-2006).
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Swan has devoted most of his professional life to countries facing complex political transitions, notably in Africa. His overseas assignments have included service as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassies in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (2001-2004) and Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (1998-2001). Earlier in his career he was the Somalia Watcher in Nairobi, Kenya (1994-1996) and Chief of the Political Section in Yaounde, Cameroon (1992-1994). In Washington, he was the Desk Officer for Zaire (later Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1996 to 1998. He has also served in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Managua, Nicaragua.
Mr. Swan holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a Master of Arts in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a Master's degree in Security Studies from the National War College, where he was a 2005 Distinguished Graduate.
A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Mr. Swan has devoted most of his professional life to countries facing complex political transitions, notably in Africa. His overseas assignments have included service as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassies in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (2001-2004) and Brazzaville, Republic of Congo (1998-2001). Earlier in his career he was the Somalia Watcher in Nairobi, Kenya (1994-1996) and Chief of the Political Section in Yaounde, Cameroon (1992-1994). In Washington, he was the Desk Officer for Zaire (later Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1996 to 1998. He has also served in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and Managua, Nicaragua.
Mr. Swan holds a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, a Master of Arts in International Relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and a Master's degree in Security Studies from the National War College, where he was a 2005 Distinguished Graduate.
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