Mark Andrew Green - US Ambassador To Tanzania

US Ambassador To Tanzania

On June 8, 2007 President George W. Bush announced Mark Green's nomination to be Ambassador to Tanzania. In 1987 and 1988, Green and his wife had served as volunteer teachers in Kenya with WorldTeach and while in Africa, they visited rural areas of neighboring countries, including Tanzania. Senator Russ Feingold, chairman of the African Affairs Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, held hearings on Green's nomination as Ambassador on June 19.

Initially, Senator Chris Dodd, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, put a hold on Mark Green's nomination to replace Michael Retzer as Ambassador citing Retzer's action of revoking the country clearance of Peace Corps Country Director Christine Djondo as interference in the independence of the Peace Corps. Dodd asked that Retzer rescind his cable of no confidence in Djondo or that the State Department provide a written apology to her. On June 28, the State Department provided a written letter of apology to Djondo and Senator Dodd released his hold on Green's nomination saying he was confident that Green "would be a welcome alternative to his predecessor."

On June 28, 2007 Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts also initially put a block on Green's nomination as ambassador to Tanzania. Kerry placed a hold or a block on Green's nomination because Green is not a career diplomat. According to the State Department, about 65 percent of U.S. ambassadors are career foreign service officers, with the remaining 35 percent political appointees. However, Green had public support of the entire Wisconsin Congressional delegation, Democrat and Republican, as well as a number of other key Democratic leaders. On August 3, 2007 the Senate confirmed Mark Green as Ambassador to Tanzania by unanimous consent. He resigned as Ambassador to Tanzania upon Barack Obama's inauguration as president.