Credit: US Department  of State / Mary Beth Leonard to be Ambassador to the Republic of Nigeria

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC TIMES

President Trump announced his intent last week to nominate and appoint Mary Beth Leonard  to be Ambassador to the Republic of Nigeria. Leonard, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, currently serves as U.S. Ambassador to the African Union. She previously served as U.S. Ambassador to Mali. Leonard earned a B.A. from Boston University, an M.A. with a concentration in African studies from John Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and an M.A. from the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, RI. She speaks French, Spanish, Afrikaans, and  Dutch.

President Trump Nominated Handbag Designer Lana Marks To Be Ambassador To South Africa 

Credit: twitter.comlanamarks /  Lana Marks, a luxury handbag designer.

Last November 2018, President Trump  nominated Lana Marks, a luxury handbag designer and member of his Mar-a-Lago club, as the U.S. ambassador to South Africa.   Marks, 65,  was born in South Africa, and  is CEO of a fashion brand that counts royalty and Hollywood stars among clients willing to pay thousands of dollars for her handbags. She was also a friend of the late Princess Diana, after whom she named a design collection. She now resides in Palm Beach, FL.

There Has Been  No  U.S. Ambassador in South Africa  Nearly Three Years

“Nigeria and South Africa have been the two African countries of greatest strategic importance to the United States. They are the two largest economies on the continent, and a major venue for U.S. investment,” writes John Campbell in a blog in Council on Foreign Relations.

Marks’ nomination as South Africa envoy  appears to have been stalled for some reason. 

“Speculation as to why the confirmation process is taking long ranges from the complexity of her business affairs to the Trump administration’s focus on judicial appointments,” Campbell wrote.  “South Africa will occupy one of the non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council this coming January. It can be anticipated that South Africa will be more active diplomatically than in the  immediate past. Under those circumstances, having a U.S. ambassador in Pretoria would appear to be a matter of urgency.”