Obama nominates Nancy Powell as new envoy to India (Second Lead)
December 17th, 2011 - 8:50 pm ICT by IANS
Washington, Dec 17 (IANS) US President Barack Obama has named Nancy Powell, a career diplomat who has served as envoy to Pakistan and Nepal, as the next ambassador to India to fill the key post lying vacant for nearly six months now.
Powell, who holds the rank of career ambassador, a prestigious title given only to select career diplomats based on their service, will take the place of Timothy J. Roemer, a political appointee who resigned in June. The post has been lying vacant since then.
In a statement announcing Powell’s appointment and a separate appointee, Obama said: “These fine public servants, both bring a depth of experience and tremendous dedication to their new roles.”
“Our nation will be well-served by these individuals, and I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”
Powell, who joined the foreign service in 1977 after teaching at a school in Dayton, Iowa, has also served as US ambassador to Ghana and Uganda, besides Pakistan and Nepal.
Her stint in Pakistan between 2002-2004 came as the US was first seeking Islamabad’s cooperation in fighting Al Qaeda and the Taliban after the Sep 11, 2001, attacks. Her other overseas assignments included service in New Delhi, Calcutta, Ottawa, Kathmandu, Islamabad, Lome, and Dhaka.
Her Washington assignments have included: Refugee assistance officer, principal deputy assistant secretary for African affairs, acting assistant secretary for international narcotics and law enforcement activities, and the national intelligence officer for South Asia at the National Intelligence Council.
She’s currently serving as director general of the foreign service and director of human resources at the State Department. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Northern Iowa.
The Senate must confirm Powell’s appointment.
(Arun Kumar can be contacted at arun.kumar@ians.in)
- Nancy Powell to be new envoy to India, says Obama (Lead) - Dec 17, 2011
- Obama names Nancy Powell as India envoy - Dec 17, 2011
- Obama's envoy to India gets Senate nod - Mar 31, 2012
- US ambassador-designate Nancy Powell arrives in India - Apr 20, 2012
- Election year politics holds up Obama's envoy to India - Mar 30, 2012
- Grossman to be US envoy to Afghanistan, Pakistan - Feb 15, 2011
- Indian American gets key Pentagon job (Lead) - May 02, 2012
- Obama names ex-vice counsel in India as Nepal's new envoy - Nov 17, 2009
- US diplomat Richard Holbrooke dies at 69 - Dec 14, 2010
- New US envoy to India says hello in 10 languages - Apr 18, 2012
- Pakistan praying for Holbrooke's recovery: Qureshi - Dec 12, 2010
- US suspends bilateral engagements with Pakistan (Lead) - Feb 08, 2011
- US trouble shooter Richard Holbrooke is dead (Third Lead) - Dec 14, 2010
- Obama names yet another Indian American to key post - Apr 08, 2011
- Indian American Geeta Pasi is new US envoy to Djibouti (Lead) - Apr 06, 2011
Tags: arun kumar, barack obama, career ambassador, career diplomat, career diplomats, dayton iowa, deputy assistant secretary, director of human resources, international narcotics, nancy powell, national intelligence council, national intelligence officer, overseas assignments, political appointee, principal deputy assistant secretary, public servants, refugee assistance, sep 11 2001, university of northern iowa, washington assignments