The history of ambassadors of the United States to Zambia began in 1964.

Until 1964 Zambia had been a colony of the British Empire, first as Northern Rhodesia and then as a part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. On December 31, 1963, the federation was dissolved into Rhodesia and Northern Rhodesia. On October 24, 1964, Northern Rhodesia gained full independence as the Republic of Zambia.

The United States immediately recognized the new nation and moved to establish diplomatic relations. An embassy in Lusaka was established on October 24, 1964—independence day for Zambia. Robert C. Foulon was appointed as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim pending the appointment of an ambassador. The first ambassador, Robert C. Good was appointed on March 11, 1965. All U.S. Ambassadors to Zambia have held the official title Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.

The United States embassy in Zambia is located in Lusaka.

The U.S. ambassador to Zambia serves concurrently as the U.S. representative to the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).

Ambassadors +ImageNameAppointedPresented credentialsTerminated missionRobert C. Good – Political appointeeMarch 11, 1965March 24, 1965December 14, 1968Oliver L. Troxel, Jr. – Career FSOMay 27, 1969July 17, 1969May 12, 1972Jean M. Wilkowski – Career FSOJune 27, 1972September 26, 1972July 24, 1976Stephen Low – Career FSOAugust 5, 1976August 31, 1976July 5, 1979Frank George Wisner II – Career FSOAugust 2, 1979August 28, 1979April 19, 1982Nicholas Platt – Career FSOJuly 22, 1982August 31, 1982December 17, 1984Paul Julian Hare – Career FSOJuly 12, 1985July 31, 1985August 8, 1988Jeffrey Davidow – Career FSOJuly 11, 1988September 1, 1988March 31, 1990Gordon L. Streeb – Career FSOOctober 22, 1990November 21, 1990December 27, 1993Roland Karl Kuchel – Career FSOAugust 9, 1993January 14, 1994November 10, 1996Arlene Render – Career FSOJuly 2, 1996December 20, 1996June 30, 1999David B. Dunn – Career FSOJuly 7, 1999September 2, 1999July 1, 2002Martin George Brennan – Career FSOOctober 3, 2002December 5, 2002July 15, 2005Carmen M. Martinez – Career FSONovember 2, 2005December 12, 2005July 29, 2008Donald E. Booth – Career FSOJune 4, 2008September 19, 2008March 17, 2010Mark C. Storella – Career FSOAugust 20, 2010September 21, 2010August 8, 2013Eric T. Schultz – Career FSOSeptember 18, 2014December 12, 2014November 20, 2017Daniel Lewis Foote – Career FSONovember 20, 2017December 14, 2017January 2, 2020Michael C. Gonzales - Career FSOAugust 4, 2022September 16, 2022April 30, 2026

Notes

See also United States - Zambia relations Foreign relations of Zambia Ambassadors of the United States

References United States Department of State: Background notes on Zambia

External links United States Department of State: Chiefs of Mission for Zambia United States Department of State: Zambia United States Embassy in Lusaka