Mike Hammer to be new special envoy for Horn of Africa

Washington — US ambassador Mike Hammer will serve as the new US special envoy for the Horn of Africa, secretary of state Antony Blinken said in a statement on Wednesday, taking up the position at a time of persistent political turmoil in the region.

Blinken said the previous envoy, David Satterfield, was preparing to leave his post but did not give a date. Sources earlier told Reuters he would step down before summer.

Hammer will have to contend with multiple crises in the region, including conflict in Ethiopia that has sparked accusations of atrocities on both sides, and economic and political turmoil in Sudan following an October coup.

“His appointment underscores our abiding commitment to diplomatic efforts in the region, most urgently in support of an inclusive political process towards peace, common security, and prosperity for all people in Ethiopia,” Blinken said.

Hammer is the US ambassador to Democratic Republic of Congo, a position to which he was confirmed in 2018, according to the embassy, and previously served as US ambassador to Chile. He has held various other roles at the state department and the White House.

Satterfield, a long-time career diplomat with decades of experience, had replaced Jeffrey Feltman, another veteran US diplomat who had stepped down at the end of 2021 after about nine months in the job. Feltman continues to serve in an advisory capacity. 

Reuters