Biden nominates Kneedler as ambassador to Rwanda
Mr Eric W. Kneedler who has been nominated as US ambassador to Rwanda.
US President Joe Biden has nominated former acting US ambassador to Kenya Eric W. Kneedler as ambassador to the Republic of Rwanda.
Mr Kneedler has been the acting ambassador since January last year following the departure of Kyle MacCarter.
His nomination to Kigali comes days after the new US ambassador to Nairobi Ms Meg Whitman arrived in the country on Monday this week ahead of Tuesday's elections.
The White House describes Mr Kneedler as a career member of the Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor.
In Nairobi he also served as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy and formerly as Charge dÁffairs, ad interim and Counselor for Political Affairs.
Change of command
Earlier he served in the same role at the US Embassy in Manila, Philippines and Deputy Political Counselor at the US Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand and as a political officer at the American Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia.
Meanwhile, the US Africa Command is set to experience a change of command after the US Senate approved the appointment of the first black US Marine Corps as AFRICOM’s new commander this week.
Lt Gen Michael Langley is set to be promoted to the rank of a general before he takes over from General Stephen Townsend who has served as commander AFRICOM, based in Stuttgart, Germany for three years.
Lt Langley will be tasked with overseeing all American military forces stationed in Africa at the command’s base in Stuttgart, Germany.
Langley has also served in Afghanistan.
