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Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Who is New US Ambassador to Egypt?


Mon 02 Dec 2019 | 12:39 PM
Nawal Sayed

New US Ambassador to Egypt Jonathan Cohen handed his credential to President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday. Presidential Spokesperson Ambassador Bassam Rady said in a press statement that President Sisi had received credentials of nine newly appointed ambassadors to Egypt.

"The president welcomed the new diplomats, wishing them success in their diplomatic mission in Cairo," Rady noted.

The newly-appointed US ambassador in Cairo, Jonathan Cohen, was sworn in as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Egypt on November 14, 2019.

US Ambassador to Egypt Served in Iraq, Turkey, Italy and France

From January 1, 2019 until September 10, 2019, he served as the Acting Representative of the United States to the United Nations and before that and since, as Deputy Representative to the United Nations.

Previously, he served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs covering Cyprus, Greece and Turkey, and as Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in Iraq.

He was Acting Deputy Chief of Mission of the U.S. Embassy in France and prior to that, Minister Counselor for Political Affairs there.  He also served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Cyprus and as Counselor for Political-Military Affairs in at the U.S. Embassy in Italy.

A Foreign Service Officer since 1986, other assignments have included: Political Advisor to Operation Northern Watch out of the U.S. Embassy in Turkey; various positions in Iraq, including Political Advisor to the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assistance-North, Irbil, and member of the Coalition Provisional Authority Governance Team; Political Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Sweden; Liaison to the Hungarian Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and Executive Assistant to the Head of the OSCE Bosnia Mission; as the State Department’s OSCE Desk Officer/NATO Bosnia Officer, and on the Secretariat Staff/Advance Teams for Secretaries of State Baker, Eagleburger and Christopher.

Working on His Arabic Skills 

He speaks French, Swedish and Italian, some Hebrew and is working on his Arabic.

Earlier in his career he was the USAID Coordinator and Economic Officer for the West Bank at the U.S. Consulate-General in Jerusalem; and Consular/Refugee Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Thailand.

He graduated with an BA in Politics and a certificate in Near Eastern Studies from Princeton in 1985, spent 1985-1986 at Hebrew University in Jerusalem on an Israel Government Grant, and attended Georgetown University’s Masters of Science in Foreign Service Program in 1986.

He and his wife, Lidija Cohen, have two daughters.  His hometown is Laguna Beach, California.

He is an avid runner and skier, and a former rugby and football player.

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